The LG Twins changed their starting catcher in the free agent market last winter. Yoo Kang-nam left with Lotte, signing a four-year, 8 billion won contract as a free agent, and LG signed free agent Dong-won Park for a four-year, 6.5 billion won contract.
The catcher’s replacement resulted in an upgrade in power. Park Dong-won played in 130 games, leading the team in home runs until May, recording a batting average of .249, 20 home runs, 75 RBI, and an OPS of .777. He played 982 innings on defense, his most since 2016 (991.1 innings).
Since 1994, he has played a key role in helping LG win the regular season for the first time in 29 years. Park Dong-won is about to perform in the Korean Series for the third time following 2014 and 2019.
Park Dong-won, who was excluded from the lineup early on due to a wrist injury at the end of the season and went on a break, started as the starting team catcher in the Blue and White game held at LG Champions Park in Icheon on the 26th. He showed off his light movements, hitting a home run-like ball that the left fielder caught with a jump catch right in front of the left fence.
Park Dong-won said, “In the middle of the season, while tagging a runner at home, I collided and injured my wrist. “After that, he was often sick, but after receiving injections and resting well, he is feeling better now.” He went on to add, “I have continued to run and exercise after being excluded from the entry list.”
In his first year as a free agent, he lived up to his asking price by hitting 20 home runs. Park Dong-won said, “I didn’t promise 20 home runs, but he said 20 home runs would be possible after about 400 at-bats, and I’m glad he hit 20 home runs. He really wanted to win. He is most proud of winning the regular season championship. “I said I wanted to make LG the highest ranked, and I’m glad we achieved it,” he said, looking back on the season.
Park Dong-won has experience in the Korean Series twice. He finished runner-up both times. In 2014, during Nexen’s time, they lost to Samsung with 2 wins and 4 losses, and during Kiwoom’s time in 2019, they lost to Doosan with 4 losses.
Park Dong-won said, “I don’t really remember 2019 because the loss was so one-sided… I feel sorry for 2014. I remember at the time, it was Jamsil Stadium. As I was leaving the baseball stadium after losing Game 6, I looked back and white pollen was flying. It looked really cool. I felt like I really wanted to win later. “I definitely want to experience it this year,” he said.
His confidence and vigilance in going straight to the Korean Series were also revealed. Park Dong-won said, “When you move up from the bottom, you can feel that the pitchers’ strength is decreasing because they use a lot of energy even if they only play a few games. Short-term games require more physical strength than season-long games. There are times when pitchers’ strength drops. “I think we have a much advantage in that respect (going directly to the Korean Series),” Park Dong-won said.
Park Dong-won said, “There were a few times when we couldn’t catch an out when we had to. There were also times when we couldn’t deal with variables. In November, the weather changes. “As it gets colder, dew forms on the grass. Mistakes like slipping can happen. We must avoid mistakes,” he said. 토토사이트
If LG wins the Korean Series, the Series MVP will be given a Rolex watch. Park Dong-won said, “Honestly, I would rather just win than Rolex. It would be great to win a Rolex, but with a Rolex, only one person will be happy, and if you win, everyone will be happy, including the employees. Winning comes first. I have no desire for Rolex, but I want to receive a championship ring. “I think I will be really happy when I wear the championship ring,” he said.
Park Dong-won said, “I always thought that it would be nice to have memories of being a winning catcher when I retire. In fact, aren’t there many players who retire without winning the championship or participating in the Korean Series? “If I win this year, when I retire, I will think, ‘I played baseball for a good team called LG and won a championship,’” he said.