There was no shortage of defense, hitting, speed, and ability to perform operations.
The Doosan Bears won the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League regular season home opener against the Lotte Giants at Jamsil Stadium on the 1st, winning a reversal victory 12-10 after a close match in the 11th inning.
There were many protagonists who led Doosan’s victory on this day. José Rojas hit a three-run home run to end the 11th inning, Kim Jae-hwan hit a three-run home run to tie the score at 8-8 in 5-8, Su-bin Su swung a 3-hit hit, Yang Eui-ji scored a multi-hit in the return game, and Kim In-tae, another multi-hit heroine, etc. Everything you do shines.
However, it was Lee Yoo-chan who led Doosan’s come-from-behind victory by showing the most diverse appearances. He was eventually recognized as a starter in the shortstop position that made Doosan coach Lee Seung-yeop worry until just before the home opener, and eventually made the ‘national hitter’ laugh by performing the best. 먹튀검증
Lee Yoo-chan’s record against Lotte was 1 hit in 3 at-bats, 2 RBIs and 1 stolen base. He also recorded 1 sacrifice bunt (squeeze) and 1 sacrifice fly. Can there be a better record than this?
It was in the 7th and 8th episodes that I was able to confirm Lee Yoo-chan’s true value. First, in the 7th inning, with the 1st and 3rd base unscathed, he hit a big ball toward the left fielder and brought Yang Seok-hwan home. It was the start of the big innings. Afterwards, the Doosan batting line beat the Lotte bullpen, and Kim Jae-hwan’s three-run home run tied the score at 8-8.
In the 8th inning, Lee Yoo-chan was at bat with 1 out and 3 base. He performed a witty squeeze play according to bench instructions. Lee Yoo-chan, who quickly bunted from batting position, and Jo Su-haeng, who was on third base, slid home and succeeded in turning the ball 9-8.
Coach Lee said after the match, “Lee Yu-chan is a better hitter than I thought. And before the opening, even though there was pressure to win by one point, he did well,” he said. However, in the 8th inning, the squeeze play was ordered because the batting could be burdensome in a situation where it was a one-run game. He followed it really well and his ability to perform was good,” he laughed.
Lee Yoo-chan’s performance did not end there. After settling on first base after a successful squeeze play, he immediately tried to steal base and succeeded. It provided a scoring position to Soo-bin, who had an excellent sense of hitting. Of course he didn’t score, but it was great that he created the situation.
Lee Yu-chan’s defensive stability was also good. In the situation where he was put in as a shortstop, he caught the batted balls of Lotte batters without any major problems.
Of course, there was an unfortunate defensive scene in the 11th inning after the position change to second baseman. He could not prevent the crisis of conceding because he could not catch An Chi-Hong’s attacking ball. And Jack Rex’s timely hit continued, and it almost became a loss. Although it happened with Rojas’ come-from-behind three-run home run. However, the assault hit that Lee Yu-chan failed to catch was recorded as a hit, not an error. He was such a difficult ball to handle, so it was hard to see him as his own mistake.
After the era of Kim Jae-ho, several ‘post-Kim Jae-ho’ were born, but Doosan has yet to emerge as a clear protagonist. It is their long agony and concern. That’s why Lee Yoo-chan’s performance in the home opener is all the more welcome. It was a day that proved that he had everything, not just a shortstop who was good at defense or offense. There are now 143 games left. Will Lee Yu-chan be able to further prove his worth during his remaining matches? The beginning is so good.