"It's different than when I was a player," says Lee Seung-yeop
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"I don't have a finish line, I want you to give it your all."
Doosan Bears manager Lee Seung-yeop, who is playing in the postseason (PS) for the first time as a manager, said, "It's definitely different from when I was a player."
Ahead of the first game of the 2023 Shinhan Bank Shootout KBO Postseason Wild Card Decision against the NC Dinos at Changwon NC Park on April 19, Lee said, "I'm not in a position to play now. I have to help the players to play in a bright manner without stressing or making an impression," Lee said, adding, "All I can do is give them a message to cheer up."
Lee's postseason run could end early. Doosan, which finished fifth in the regular season, will be out of fall baseball immediately if it loses tonight's game.
"If we lose one game, it's over. I just think we have to win," Lee said.
NC just missed out on a direct semi-playoff berth after dropping the last two games of the season, and their ace Eric Peddy is injured. Because of this, some observers say Doosan has the advantage.
"I don't feel bad, but it's just an expectation. We have a lot of players with experience in the short game, so I think we can play a good game."
Doosan included three catchers in its roster for the wild-card game. "Since we're only playing two games at most, we didn't think we needed 14-15 pitchers like in the regular season. "We don't need 14 or 15 pitchers like we do in the regular season because it's only two games," he said, "so we added another catcher.
Teams in the fifth wild-card spot are in a tight spot, so it's not uncommon for them to use their starting pitchers in the bullpen.
However, Lee said, "We haven't thought about using a starter in relief at all. "We have a good bullpen," he said, "We lack a left-handed pitcher, but we have Lee Young-ha, Kim Myung-shin, Park Chi-guk, Hong Gun-hee, and Jeong Chul-won. If our starting pitchers can go five innings or more and get us the win, we have a good advantage."
The lack of a lefty in the bullpen is filled by Choi Seung-yong, who has bounced between starting and middle relief this season.
"Seung-yong Choi will come in at a critical time," Lee said. He was a starter at the end of the season, but he also pitched in the middle of the season, so he's worth utilizing."
However, the closer is undecided. The decision will be made based on his condition.
"If the bullpen pitcher doesn't look good, we will replace him immediately," he said. "I want the middle relievers to give their all with the idea that every batter is their last."
"I don't have a specific message for the players. I want them to feel comfortable," he said. 스포츠토토맨
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