Manager pleased with players’ preparation, execution in KBO postseason following long break

Before his team's first game of the 2024 Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason Sunday afternoon, Samsung Lions manager Park Jin-man said he was concerned that his players may not be as sharp as he'd like. After all, they hadn't played since finishing the regular season on Sept. 28, and scrimmages can only do so much to get players ready for the pressure cooker that is postseason ball. But it turned out Park need not have worried. Samsung Lions manager Park Jin-man speaks to reporters after a 10-4 win over the LG Twins in Game 1 of the second round in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, 235 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Oct. 13, 2024. (Yonhap) Samsung Lions manager Park Jin-man speaks to reporters after a 10-4 win over the LG Twins in Game 1 of the second round in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, 235 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Oct. 13, 2024. (Yonhap) The Lions jumped on the LG Twins for 14 hits, i ncluding three home runs, for a 10-4 victory in Game 1 of the second round at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, 235 kilometers southeast of Seoul. Every member of the starting lineup had at least a hit. "I guess I was the only one that was worried about rust," Park said with a smile in his postgame press conference. "I think our players did an excellent job staying prepared for this series. It's difficult to play this well in the regular season." Homers by Koo Ja-wook, Lewin Diaz and Kim Young-woong backed a solid start by Denyi Reyes, who went 6 2/3 innings and was charged with just one earned run. Park was also pleased with the performance of 20-something players making their postseason debuts. Kim Young-woong hit that home run and had a fine day on the field at third base. No. 2 hitter Yoon Jeong-bin had three hits and scored three times. Shortstop Lee Jae-hyeon made a couple of spectacular plays while contributing a hit and an RBI. "These guys may be young, but they are not intimidated," Park said. " I remember being so nervous for my first postseason game, but these guys didn't look rattled at all. Honestly, I was worried about them before the postseason." LG Twins manager Youm Kyoung-youb watches his team play the Samsung Lions in Game 1 of the second round in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, 235 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Oct. 13, 2024. (Yonhap) LG Twins manager Youm Kyoung-youb watches his team play the Samsung Lions in Game 1 of the second round in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, 235 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Oct. 13, 2024. (Yonhap) Park's counterpart, Youm Kyoung-youb, gave credit where it was due, saying Lions hitters were able to pounce on mistakes by Twins starter Choi Won-tae, who surrendered two homers and seven hits in three innings. "We got into an early hole because we lost the battle of starting pitchers," Youm said. "They made hard contact against mistake pitches from Won-tae , and that made it a tough game for us." This is the third consecutive postseason series in which the Twins lost the first game, and they won the previous two -- the 2023 Korean Series and the first round of this year's postseason. In the best-of-five second round, teams that took the opening game have gone on to win it 25 out of 33 times, and the Twins will try to beat the odds. "I think our lineup will be just fine. And you need three wins to take this series anyway," Youm said. "Our goal was to get a split in two games in Daegu, so we will do whatever it takes to win tomorrow." Source: Yonhap News Agency