Why did the Samsung Lions hire a foreign coach?
From February 1, Samsung will hold a spring camp in Okinawa, Japan, in preparation for the 2023 season. A total of 43 players will participate in the first-team camp, including 22 pitchers, 4 catchers, 10 infielders and 7 outfielders. This year, the 2nd team also plans to set up a base camp in Okinawa to temper themselves. The focus is on the composition of the coaching staff. Samsung included Japanese pitching coach Kazuya Tabata and batting coach Yoshiie Tachibana in the list of coaching staff for the second team.
Coach Tabata finished his career as a player in the Japanese professional baseball Yomiuri Giants (NPB) and since 2012 has built a coaching career with Yomiuri and Yakult Swallows. A shoulder injury kept him from proving much of his playing career, but he played both NPB and independent leagues. Coach Tachibana played for Seibu Lions and Hanshin Tigers. He has experience as Softbank Hawks 1st team hitting coach, Chiba Lotte Marines 1st team hitting coach, and Rakuten Golden Eagles 1st team hitting coach. In addition, conditioning coach Shigeto Naito plans to join the team.
Samsung often had foreign coaches in the past ‘dynasty days’. Recently, in 2018 and 2019, coach Eiji Ochiai taught first-team pitchers. After coach Ochiai, who had been coaching the second team, returned to Japan ahead of the 2022 season, Samsung’s coaching staff positions were taken by domestic coaches. However, in the 2023 season, he boldly chose to change.
In a phone call with this magazine, Hong Joon-hak, general manager of Samsung, said, 먹튀검증 “We prepared from the second half of last year. We tried to change the coaching style even before the season ended.” “he explained. Coach Marty is famous for teaching the curve to Kim Sang-yeop, who was in charge of the pitching part at Samsung in 1990.
Team leader Hong Joon-hak said, “We prepared according to the plan to send the finishing camp overseas (Okinawa) after the end of last season, to send the 2nd team to Okinawa, Japan for training this time, and to recruit a Japanese coach for the 2nd team. “The idea is to change the way of guidance and upgrade the power once. I was recommended (candidates) through personal connections, and a suitable person came out and contacted me. I thought of trying a different way because recruiting from outside (force) was not suitable. “, he said with satisfaction.