MBC Sports Plus commentator Lee Sang-hoon, a key figure in LG’s 1994 championship run, had a few short but bold words for his hometown team’s return to the top.
The long-haired commentator led the team to 18 wins (8 losses) in the regular season 29 years ago, and also pitched Games 1-4 of the Korean Series to help them win their second title.
Despite his relatively short playing career, Lee is one of LG’s living legends, nicknamed “
Wild Horse,” who left a lasting impression.
“I think the fan base is divided into decade groups as Kangsan has changed three times,” he said during a visit to Hankook Ilbo’s headquarters on Nov. 21.
“Each generation has different feelings and memories, but I felt frustrated that I was only reminded of the ’94 championship every time,” he explained.
“If LG makes it to the Korean Series again next year, it will be this year’s win, not ’94,”
he said, adding, “In that sense, I felt a sense of relief (from frustration).”
“After going through a dark period, we had a few chances to win (the championship), but every time there was a crisis, we couldn’t get out of it,” Lee said. “
But this season, when the crisis came, we overcame it naturally. Seeing the team not fall into a slump made me think that LG has become very strong.” 카지노사이트777
Game 2 of the Korean Series is an abbreviated version.
LG’s starter, Choi Won-tae, was rocked by four runs in 0.1 innings, but the bullpen came through with a no-hitter and the bats of Austin Dean, Ji-hwan Oh, and Dong-won Park rallied for a 5-4 victory.
“If we were down 0-2 in the series, we would have been intimidated by KT starter Wes Benjamin in Game 3,” he said. “
In the end, everyone did a great job and overcame the situation.”
Now that they’re back on top for the first time in a long time, LG’s members have their sights set on “winning back-to-back titles” and “building a dynasty.
Naturally, the story of the year after the ’94 championship came up.
Lee became the KBO’s first left-handed pitcher to win 20 games in the regular season for the second consecutive year, and LG was leading the regular season until the end of the season.
However, the team fell to second place in the regular season by half a game to OB (now Doosan) and lost the playoffs to Lotte in a 2-4 series.
Lee recalls, “I realized that 20 wins in the first round didn’t mean anything.
Even if we won 15 games, it would have been much better for the team to win the championship.”
“I think if we had won the championship at that time, we wouldn’t have been a team that didn’t make it to the top for 29 years,” he said.
However, he also learned a big lesson: “I realized how precious each win is,” he said. “
Of course, it will be difficult to run a full season, but I hope LG will have this mindset next year.”
LG has some realistic challenges to overcome in order to win back-to-back titles.
Lim Chan-kyu, Ham Deok-ju and Kim Min-sung are on the market as free agents.
Lee was adamant that “we need to get them all.”
“Free agency is a combination of past contributions and future expectations,” he said. “
Im Chan-kyu is a pillar of the mound, and Ham Deok-ju was the closer in the Korean Series.
Kim Min-sung also played 1-3 defense after filling in for Oh Ji-hwan.
“They fulfilled my 29-year dream,” he said.
He also emphasized, “You shouldn’t change your shoes just because the lights go out on your feet.”
His words were full of affection for his juniors.
The same was true for other players.
“Even though he was shaky (in the Korean Series), pitchers sometimes get hit,”
he said of Choi Won-tae, who transferred from Kiwoom during the offseason.
“This year, he will be stronger as he starts the season with LG, including spring training and exhibition games.”
Park Myung-geun, who didn’t make the roster for the Korean Series, said, “
There’s no other side-arm pitcher who throws as hard,” and gave Lee Jae-won some advice:
“If you don’t think about a lot of things and play baseball simply and more selfishly, you’ll be much better.”
He also shared a heartwarming anecdote with Kim Yun-sik, who wears his number 47.
Before the season, Kim approached Lee and asked for permission to wear the number 47.
“I don’t know why he asked me for permission, but I told him, ‘If you wear it, it’s your number.
I told him, ‘If you wear it, it’s your number. Don’t think about anything else and throw it hard,'” he said. “
When Kim Yun-sik sent me a message thanking me after the win, I replied again, ‘It’s your number, let’s meet sometime and have a meal.
Finally, we asked him if he had any regrets about his permanent number.
At LG, only Kim Yong-soo (41), Lee Byung-kyu (9), and Park Yong-taek (33) have permanent numbers.
“It’s the club’s choice,” Lee said, “I don’t have any regrets.
It’s fine,” he said. Rather, he laughed, saying, “
I always say, I hope the fans will forget about their old love (LG in ’94) and have a wonderful love affair with their new lover (LG in ’23) while dating and fighting.”
