It was Yoo Kang-nam’s first Jamsil game as the Lotte Giants’ starting catcher. There was a heartwarming scene of greetings and applause, but it was immediately clear that he had left LG to become a Lotte player.
After graduating from Seoul High School and being drafted in the seventh round (50th overall) in 2011, Yoo played 1030 games as LG’s starting catcher until last year스포츠토토 . After last season, he became a free agent and moved to the Lotte Giants with a four-year, 8 billion won contract. After negotiations with Yoo fell through, LG quickly approached Park Dong-won and signed him to a four-year, 6.5 billion won deal.
The addition of Yoo stabilized Lotte’s pitching staff and helped them to a third-place finish. LG also had a big role in their first-place finish with Park Dong-won’s home run barrage. Both Lotte and LG were successful in signing free agent catchers.
Yoo Kang-nam came to Jamsil, the home of LG, for the first time. An important three-game series will be held in Jamsil on the 30th.
“I was fine until yesterday, but when I woke up this morning, I felt a little strange,” said Yoo Kang-nam, who came to Jamsil for the first time in a Lotte jersey, where he played until last year.
He only realized this after he transferred from his home team. “It’s hard to prepare. I have to admit it,” he said, “I didn’t know much when I was in the same team, but I learned as I prepared. There is definitely a batting lineup, and the first through ninth batters are good. It’s a tough feeling,” he said of the LG batting lineup.
He also had a bet with Oh Ji-hwan over stolen bases, so fans were curious to see how they would compete in stolen bases. However, Yoo Kang-nam said that he would focus on winning the team rather than betting. The big game is more important for Lotte, which is in third place, two games behind first-place LG. “If I get a stolen base, I can eat,” he said, “but winning is more important.”
In his first at-bat in the top of the second inning, Yoo took off his helmet and greeted the first base side and center field. LG fans also welcomed him with applause.
Amidst the new chants from the Lotte stands on the third base side, Yoo hit a hard line drive to left field. There was some applause from the first base side, but the roar and applause from the Lotte fans on the third base side was tremendous. It was a moment when I realized that the real Yoo Kang-nam was now a Lotte player.