The Doosan Bears, led by manager Lee Seung-yeop, were left shaking their heads at the difference in power in a spring training exhibition game against the Nippon Professional Baseball SoftBank Hawks.
Doosan lost 1-6 in an exhibition game against SoftBank’s first team at the Miyazaki Ivy Stadium in Japan on May 25. The team was unable to carry over the momentum from a 9-1 victory over SoftBank’s second team the day before.
Doosan’s starting lineup was Jung Soo-bin (center field), Henry Ramos (right field), Heo Kyung-min (third base), Yang Seok-hwan (designated hitter), Kang Seung-ho (second base), Kim Min-hyuk (first base), Kim In-tae (left field), Kim Ki-yeon (catcher), and Park Jun-young (shortstop). Right-hander Young-gun Kim Dong-joo took the mound.
The Doosan offense was unable to effectively attack the SoftBank first team mound. They managed just one run on seven hits and two walks, making it a difficult game.
The Doosan mound also struggled against the SoftBank bats. Starting pitcher Kim Dong-ju struggled, allowing three runs on three hits and two walks in two innings. However, Kim’s fastball touched 147 kilometers, proving that his command and physical condition are on track for the start of the KBO regular season in the middle of next month.
Right-hander Lee Young-ha, who pitched after Kim, was also disappointing, giving up one run on two hits and one walk in one inning. His fastball touched 146 kilometers.
Doosan’s right-handed fireballing prospect Kim Yoo-sung showed his good form with one hitless inning. He was aggressive with his fastball, which touched 147 kilometers per hour.
Second-year left-hander Young-gun Byung-heon allowed one run on two hits in one inning. The pitchers who came on in the middle of the game, including Choi Ji-kang, who pitched one inning of one-hit ball with one strikeout and one walk, and Park Chi-guk, who pitched one inning of one-hit ball, effectively shut down the SoftBank bats.
However, Chung Chul-won, one of the top candidates for the closer’s job, struggled, allowing one run on one hit, one walk and two strikeouts in one inning. His fastball only touched 100 mph (146 km/h), indicating that he hasn’t gotten his velocity back on track yet.
At the plate, Jung Soo-bin, who started at leadoff and center field, shined. He led the charge with three hits: a single up the middle in the first inning, a double down the right field line in the second inning, and a single in the third inning.
Jeong Soo-bin did his part, going 1-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. It was the second straight day of good hitting for Jung, who also produced a hit in a scrimmage against SoftBank’s second team the day before.
Yang Seok-hwan, who started in the No. 4 spot, went 2-for-3 with a multi-hit game. He had back-to-back hits to left field in his second at-bat of the fourth inning and his third at-bat of the sixth inning.
Kim Min-hyuk, who went 4-for-4 the day before, started in the sixth spot and went 1-for-4 at first base. Park Jun-young, who is considered a top shortstop prospect for the 2024 season, batted ninth and played shortstop and showed off his long bat with a double in the first inning.
Doosan won 9-1 in an exhibition game against the SoftBank Hawks’ second team the day before. The bats pounded out 12 hits and the pitching staff kept the runs to a minimum, allowing just five hits. However, the team realized the difference in power between them and the Hawks’ first team.
Doosan will play a practice game on March 3 at SoftBank’s home field. On March 2, the stage will shift from Miyazaki to Fukuoka to play at the PayPay Dome. This will give them a chance to rehearse against a quality team before the regular season starts on March 23rd.
SoftBank is putting a lot of effort into the practice game against Doosan at the PayPay Dome. The team is preparing for the game to be played in the same environment as the regular 메이저토토사이트 season, including admission for paid spectators.
The PayPay Dome, which has been SoftBank’s home stadium since 1993, has a capacity of 40,000 spectators. SoftBank expects approximately 33,000 baseball fans to attend the exhibition game against Doosan. Doosan will have the opportunity to test their skills against a top-ranked opponent in a similar environment to the regular season.
Doosan is also showing its support by sending a cheering squad to a practice game at the PayPay Dome on March 3. A three-day, four-night Fukuoka tour for Doosan fans was organized and sold out on the first day of sales. The response from Doosan fans to the PayPay Dome practice match exceeded expectations.
The special match tour includes round-trip airfare and accommodation at the Seahawk Hotel, as well as a post-match experience on the PayPay Dome field, photo opportunities with the players, and Doosan Bears merchandise.
SoftBank is a perennial powerhouse, having made history by becoming the first Pacific League team to win four consecutive Japan Series titles from 2017 to 2020. The team is currently in the process of rebuilding, with Hiroki Kokubo taking over as manager ahead of the 2024 season.
Kokubo is no stranger to Korean baseball fans, having played for the Yomiuri Giants with Lee Seung-yeop in 2006, as well as managing Japan’s national team at the 2015 WBSC Premier12.
SoftBank is also the team that “Korea’s No. 4 hitter” Lee Dae-ho played for in 2013 and 2014. In the 2015 Japan Series against the Yakult Swallows, Lee dominated the series, going 8-for-16 with two home runs and eight RBIs in five games. He hit game-winning hits in Games 2, 4, and 5 and was named the series MVP. Lee has also been treated as a legend of the team, as he was invited by SoftBank to throw out a ceremonial first pitch last May.