SSG Landers rookie Song Young-jin’s entry into the opening entry is becoming visible.
SSG coach Kim Won-hyung said, “I haven’t discussed with the coaches yet,” and said, “The remaining games and the 30th and 31st We will make a final decision after completing the daily training.”
But the mood is positive. Director Kim added, “I think the possibility (to play in the first team) is high.”
The special relationship between Song Young-jin and director Kim Won-hyung of ‘2nd Rounder’ is attracting attention.
August 17 last year. Daejeon High School, led by Song Young-jin, faced Jeonju High School held at Mokdong Baseball Stadium in Seoul in the final of the 56th Presidential Cup National High School Baseball Championship. Song Young-jin, who made three relief mounds, blocked 6⅔innings with 2 runs and led to a 7-4 victory, dedicating the championship cup to his alma mater for the first time in 28 years since winning the Presidential Cup in 1994.
On the other hand, ‘Underdog’ Jeonju High School, which aimed to win the national championship for the first time in 37 years since the Golden Lion in 1985, was blocked by Song Young-jin’s wall and had to swallow the bunru.
Jeonju High School is the alma mater of director Kim Won-hyung, who was called ‘The Little Prince’ during his active career. Coach Kim watched the game on TV. Coach Won-hyung Kim, a former legendary pitcher, was impressed with Song Young-jin, the ace of the opposing team who prevented his alma mater from winning. 안전놀이터
“It was one of the reasons I brought Youngjin to the camp. At that time, he was relaxed on the mound. Even though he was a high school student, he smiled and threw the ball from the mound in the final with an attitude like ‘I’m the ace of our team.’ At that time, he was nominated by our team. It was before, but I remembered, ‘Oh, he has control and knows how to throw the ball.’ But he came after being nominated for our team. I thought I should take him (to camp).”
Song Young-jin, who was the ace of Daejeon High School, was nominated with No. 15 in the second round of the 2023 rookie draft and wore a Landers uniform.
Youngjin Song, who appeared at the camp wearing an SSG Landers uniform, surprised coach Kim once again.
“The highest speed at the time of high school was 144~145km, and the average speed was 140km/h. I recorded 148km. Youngjin is young, but he knows what he has to do and knows how to persevere on the mound. If he develops his game management skills, he will grow rapidly. Basic skills from his high school days supported him, so he looked good in the demonstration games. seems to be showing.”
On the 27th, which was actually the final rehearsal, against Jamsil LG, Song Yeong-jin made a relief mound in the bottom of the 7th inning with a 3-1 lead, and blocked 1 inning with 1 walk and no runs.
He grounded leader Kim Ki-yeon on the first pitch and grounded veteran Kim Min-seong on the second pitch. Lee Cheon-woong was induced to ground to second base again after three pitches, but the second baseman made an error and reached base. He missed an opportunity to drop an innings after just six balls.
Song Young-jin had a difficult match with Hong Chang-gi, who had a good sense of hitting, and sent it out as a walk. 2 companies 1st and 2nd base. He was shaken, but a scene was staged that gave a glimpse of distribution.
Facing Seo Geon-chang, who has a hot sense of hitting recently, Song Young-jin boldly put two balls in the strike zone one after another and preempted the ball count. In the third pitch, instead of a manned ball, he threw a 147 km fast ball into the slightly missing part of the outside. As the batter persevered, he immediately struck out with a swing to the inside and recorded the first hold.
The moment when his thick guts stood out unlike those of a rookie.
With this, Song Young-jin recorded an average ERA of 1.50 with 4 hits, 4 walks, 5 strikeouts and 2 runs (1 earned) against 27 batters in 6 innings in 4 demonstration games. The more the game goes on, the more stable it looks. The opening entry entry became influential.
A promising player who is opening an era of success by seizing the opportunity given to him through a special relationship with director Kim Won-hyung.
It is expected that it will be a good rain for the Landers mound, which is in trouble due to the injury and departure of Annie Romero, the first foreign starter.