Choo Shin-soo practices defense ahead of a practice match with Samsung held at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on the 25th. Incheon = Reporter Kim Min-gyu
SSG Landers Choo Shin-soo (39) is the first to defend left field. SSG coach Kim Won-hyung said he plans to prepare for right field defense in the future.
Coach Won-hyung Kim announced on the 25th that he would start Choo Shin-soo as the second left fielder ahead of the demonstration game with the Samsung Lions at Incheon SSG Landers Field. Choo Shin-soo has been a designated hitter in the last three demonstration games. Director Kim said, “Today I will play in left field. The last two of the demonstration games in Jamsil are thinking of trying them out in right field. Hanyu Island is also in the left field, but Hanyu Island also plans to prepare for the left field adaptation.”
Before the game, Choo Shin-soo said, “I practiced a lot of defense. When I caught the flyball today, I could feel it better than before. Before that, when I suddenly pulled up my body, my vision was also shaken and there were difficulties. It’s a spring camp every year, but this year I try to do it faster (than other times), so it’s difficult, but it seems to be okay.”
Shin-soo Choo covered all of the left field, center field, and right field in MLB. However, the position where he played the most was right fielder. He started in 922 games in right field and 203 games in left field. Last year, however, he played in left field in 16 out of 19 games and right field in 3 games. Shin-soo Choo said, “Starting in right field, it’s as comfortable as wearing the clothes you’ve been wearing a lot. The left field hasn’t been around so far, so it doesn’t seem like my clothes yet.”
Choo Shin-soo talks with Seung-Hwan Oh (left) ahead of a practice match with Samsung held at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on the 25th. Incheon = Reporter Kim Min-gyu
Shin-soo Choo is still unfamiliar with the Incheon SSG Landers Field, only playing field training and away games in Jeju Island. Shin-soo Choo said, “It feels good. I feel comfortable because I feel it is home. I feel comfortable after going out for a long time and coming home.” Among the places he has visited, Changwon NC Park has recently built a baseball field, so it is well equipped with convenient facilities. However, if you look at the baseball field alone, it is good that Incheon has such a lawn condition.”
SSG Landersfield is a hitter-friendly stadium. The left and right sides are short, and in night games, it is also affected by the wind. “I didn’t feel that the distance between the home plate and the fence was short,” said Choo Shin-soo. did.
Choo Shin-soo hit two consecutive games after the first matchless hit in the demonstration match. Batting average of 0.286 (2 hits in 7 at bats), 2 RBIs and 1 point. Regarding his feeling of hitting, Shin-soo Choo said, “It’s hard to say to a certain extent. I haven’t been in a hurry to raise the pace like this. I put a lot of emphasis on the process, but I went into practice without many processes. It’s hard to say that it’s getting loose, but I’m in good shape. Injuries. “We try to do our best in technical training without getting hit,” he said.
Incheon = Reporter Kim Hyo-kyung [email protected]
