While hitting is praised three times out of 10, defense is reprimanded for a single error. In baseball, defense is the most important aspect of the game, and if you don’t have a solid defense, you’ll never make it to the top. Jung Soo-bin (33, Doosan), a “defense master” who is well aware of this, has some valuable advice for the younger generation.메이저놀이터

Doosan has built a dynasty on solid defense in the past. Led by shortstop extraordinaire Kim Jae-ho, national team players such as Oh Jae-won, Oh Jae-il, and Heo Kyung-min played salty defense in the infield, while Jeong Soo-bin, Park Gun-woo, and Min Byung-heon dominated the outfield with their wide range and strong shoulders. From 2015 through 2021, the start of their dynasty, Doosan ranked in the top three in team errors for seven consecutive years, including 2016, 2018, and 2019.

But last year’s defense was uncharacteristically Doosan. The team’s errors jumped from 89 (third) in 2021 to 117, a disgraceful fifth-place finish in the category. The faltering defense dropped Doosan to ninth place for the first time in its history, and Lee Seung-yeop, who took over as manager in October last year, said, “We had 117 errors, which is a lot, but a solid defense allows pitchers to throw strikes with confidence. Hitters also get loose when they make mistakes. I want to see a solid defense in 2023,” emphasizing the basics of defense.

Three months into the season, Doosan’s defense has struggled. Doosan ranks third in errors on the season (60), behind LG (72) and NC (70), and has 22 more errors than first-place Lotte (38). The team’s fielding percentage also ranks eighth (.976), behind NC (.972) and LG (.973). The infield has been more of a trial-and-error process than the outfield. Four infielders – Yang Seok-hwan (8), Kang Seung-ho (7), Lee Yoo-chan (7), and Park Kye-beom (6) – are among the team’s top four in errors.

Jeong Soo-bin, a 33-year-old ‘defense master’, has a different take on the defense of the juniors. When we met recently in his bedroom, he said, “The defense should have more experience. (Lee) Yoo Chan-i, (Hong) Sung-ho, and other juniors are still inexperienced, so they don’t have much room to maneuver.” “Defense is really important for the team. I hope the juniors understand the importance of defense and focus on it more carefully.”

Drafted by Doosan with the 39th pick in the fifth round of the 2009 KBO Draft, Soo-bin earned a starting spot in his first year with his stellar defense. He became a fan favorite for his unselfish hustle, and over the years has become Doosan’s franchise outfielder. To this day, Jeong still makes a strong presence in the outfield, often making super catches.

“I was confident in defense from a young age, so I didn’t have a role model, but at the time, Lee Jong-wook made a lot of diving catches that energized the team, so I thought about that a lot,” he said.

“Actually, in the professional stage, you just need to be good at something,” he said. “The bat may have its ups and downs, but the defense shouldn’t have its ups and downs. I also played defense when I was younger, and I was able to seize the opportunity to bat. I hope the juniors at Doosan will also understand the importance of defense.”