Lions manager keeps faith in veteran outfielder despite questions on defense

By Yoo Jee-ho

GWANGJU, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Lions manager Park Jin-man said Thursday he trusts his ageless wonder of an outfielder to keep performing at a high level on the field in the ongoing South Korean baseball postseason, despite persistent questions surrounding his defense.

Choi Hyoung-woo, the oldest player in the second round of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason at age 42, will make his second straight start in left field against the Kia Tigers.

Choi is primarily the designated hitter (DH) for the Lions but has been forced to play in left because Koo Ja-wook, the usual left fielder, is limited to DH duties as he has just come back from a hamstring injury.

Choi was benched in the Lions' 5-1 loss in Game 1 on Monday but hit a home run and recorded an outfield assist in their 8-3 victory in Game 2 on Tuesday -- both of them at the smaller Daegu Samsung Lions Park in the southeastern city of Daegu.

After the second game, Park revealed his plans to keep putting Choi in left, even as the series shifts to the bigger venue, Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in the southwestern city of Gwangju. Park kept to his word for Thursday's Game 3.

"He is already familiar with this stadium," Park said, referring to Choi having played for the Tigers from 2017 to 2025. "And I think he is being unfairly underestimated when it comes to his defense. He has enough experience, and I am confident he will do his job. And when he makes defensive plays out there, everyone on the team gets fired up. He can have that kind of positive influence during a series."

With the best-of-five series knotted at one game apiece, Park said the key to Thursday's game will be how the Lions handle the first inning.

Their starter, Choi Won-tae, has had a tendency to implode in early innings.

"He has good stuff. If he can hang tough in the early going, then I think he has what it takes to go on a smooth run through the middle of the game," Park said. "If we can win the battle of starting pitching, then I think we have an advantage in the middle and late innings."

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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