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[이데일리 스타in 이석무 기자] “The start wasn’t good, but the next time I throw it, I think I can throw it better.”
Yang Hyeon-jong (33), who is striving to achieve his dream of advancing into the US professional baseball major league, allowed a home run in his first demonstration game. But the expression was rather bright.
Yang Hyun-jong climbed up to the mound with a 5th pitcher in the 8th inning ahead of 4-2 in a major league demonstration game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona, USA on the 8th (Korean time), and hit 2 hits including 1 home run in 1 inning. He gave the dog and scored 1 run.
After signing with Texas, Yang Hyun-jong, who started his first real fight, started off with a fresh strikeout with right-hander Sheldon Neuss, the first hitter. Then, he treated Omar Esteves with the center fielder’s floating ball, and easily caught 2 outs.
However, after two deaths, he allowed an injustice strike. The right-hander DJ Peters was thrown into the middle of the ball count, 2 balls, 1 strike, and became a home run over the left side of the wall.
Yang Hyeon-jong, who gave left-handed batter James Outman a hit that fell in front of right fielder, ended the inning by catching next batter Elliot Soto with a floating ball at shortstop. The match was played in 8 innings and Texas won 4-3. Yang Hyun-jong recorded a rather embarrassing save.
In a video interview with the local media after the game, Yang Hyun-jong laughed brightly and expressed his feelings, saying, “It was an excitement rather than a sense of tension.” Lee Ah “The batter stood (at the plate), and there was a crowd so I threw it fun,” he said. “The start wasn’t good, but next time I start, I think I can throw my ball.”
Texas is currently examining both the starting and the possibility of using Yang Hyun-jong as a relief pitcher. It is also related to the plan that came out as a relief pitcher on this day. Texas is envisioning anomalous selection operations such as’Opener’ this season. As such, the possibility of acting as a’swing man’ between selection and salvation is also being predicted.
Yang Hyeon-jong himself is also in the position that if he can play in the big league, the relief pitcher does not matter. MLB.com predicted that “Yang Hyun-jong will join the opening game roster as one of the eight relief pitchers.”
Hyeonjong Ahn said, “It’s not up to 100% to adapt to the official ball in the major leagues, but it’s getting better and I’m thinking positively.” In addition, he expressed his determination, “I am in a situation where I have to compete for the next three weeks, but I will show a better appearance every time I start.”
Texas coach Chris Woodward also gave a positive evaluation of Yang Hyun-jong’s pitching. He praised, “The home run was the only flaw,” and “Yang Hyun-jong threw the ball and smacked the ball as we saw in the bullpen.”