“You shouldn’t let the pitcher throw the ball too comfortably.”

This is what Doosan Bears manager Lee Seung-yeop (47) thinks about the opposing team’s pitchers. Although they do not give specific orders for running base play, players who are well aware of the commander’s thoughts are running actively enough to recall the days of the ‘track and field team’.

Doosan won a 6-4 come-from-behind victory in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League home game against Kiwoom Heroes held at Jamsil Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul on the 11th.

Choi Seung-yong’s good pitching and Yang Eui-ji’s final hit were also impressive, but the two points he scored with his feet were also impressive. Three stolen bases came out that day, and Doosan scored two of them.

In particular, Heo Kyung-min’s feet stood out.메이저놀이터 Hur Kyung-min, the second batter, walked on the third inning and hit to the right in the fifth, successfully stealing second base. In the 3rd inning, the score was canceled due to a misfire in the follow-up, but it was different in the 5th inning when the team was drawn 1-3. Leading batter Lee Yu-chan stole second base when Heo Gyeong-min was at bat after a heavy hit, and even caused the opponent’s error to settle on third base. Heo Kyung-min’s heavy hit came into the home easily. Heo Gyeong-min dared to steal second base in the second run, and similarly, he succeeded in scoring when Kim Jae-hwan hit. tied 3-3. Doosan, who balanced the game, maintained the balance by operating the bullpen faster, and was able to secure a come-from-behind victory with an explosion in the 7th inning.

Doosan, which fell to ninth last year, is cruising with a record of 6 wins and 3 losses and a tie for second place with the appointment of manager Lee Seung-yeop. One of the notable changes is stealing. Doosan has successfully stolen 9 bases this season. It is second after LG Twins (18). It’s all the more noteworthy because, since reaching #1 in 2013, it hasn’t risen above #5 in this category.

Before the game, coach Lee Seung-yeop said, “You can’t make the pitcher throw the ball too comfortably. If you make the opponent’s pitcher, fielder, and bench comfortable, the chances of winning decrease.” It can be helpful. If you see a gap, they tell you to run. There aren’t many fast players, but I order two or three players to run boldly and confidently even if they fail.”

Captain Heo Kyung-min faithfully fulfilled the manager’s order and led the team to victory by scoring two points as a table setter that day. Heo Gyeong-min, who had 111 stolen bases in his career until last year and an average of 10 per season, is running more aggressively than ever this season. It has been 1 year and 6 months since October 2021 that Heo Gyeong-min succeeded in stealing 2 bases in one game, and he is already standing shoulder to shoulder with Su-bin Jeong, the representative of the team, with 3 steals.

After the game, Heo Gyeong-min said, “I’m not a player who runs a lot, but I unintentionally succeeded in two, and it seems that only that much is meaningful as it is linked to a goal. It’s a ‘poof foot’ that turns into a major runner at an important moment.” “The role I can play I’m trying to do my best with this.

Doosan was called the ‘track and field department’ in the past. There is a saying ‘there is no slump in running’. At the time, Doosan actively played with agile players such as Lee Jong-wook, Min Byung-hun, Ko Young-min, and Oh Jae-won to make up for the lack of long hitting power. During this time, running baseball became Doosan’s trademark and led to outstanding performances, but Doosan, which added texture to the batting line, no longer relied on its feet.

However, his slugging power dropped sharply last year, and his team batting average fell to 6th place. Coach Lee Seung-yeop, a former home run king, is emphasizing unexpectedly active baseball, saying, “I will inherit the baseball that Doosan is good at.” It’s not just a story about stealing. Even if it’s not necessarily fast feet, he is playing baseball that runs more base based on high concentration.

The KIA Tigers match on the 7th was representative. Su-bin Jeong, who started as the lead batter in the first inning, ran to second base after getting a hit, and stepped on third base, inducing the opponent to throw wildly. When Heo Kyung-min’s sacrifice fly, he was able to easily come home.

In the 5th inning, Kim In-tae collided with an opponent while running base and was carried away, but in the 6th inning, Su-bin Su and Kyung-min Heo sprinted to first base after grounding in the infield and then slid head-first. There has been no clear evidence of whether head-first sliding is effective in order to reach first base without a tag, but it was a scene that clearly showed how eagerly they were coming forward in each at-bat and each at-bat.

Manager Lee Seung-yeop, whom I met the next day before the game, said, “If the weather is cold like yesterday, there is a risk of injury at first base, so I want to ask you to be patient.” “he said.

The commanding tower ordered them to actively run when opportunities arise and told them not to be afraid of failure. Captain Heo Kyung-min, who wants to rebuild the team more than anyone else, describes himself as a ‘poop’, but is trying to create an environment where he can score more easily by looking for opportunities. He focuses on this earnestness rather than just the number of stolen bases. Doosan, which slipped for just one year after winning and winning, is desperately wanting a rebound more than any other club. As a way to achieve this, the revival of the track and field team is predicted again.