“The first goal right now is to quickly recover from the injury and return to the starting lineup.”
Park Byung-ho (37), the main gun for kt 먹튀검증 Wiz, is not on the starting list due to a calf injury. Starting with Suwon NC Dinos on the 11th and Sajik Lotte Giants on the 27th, he played as a pinch hitter in the second half of the 13th game.
For kt, Park Byung-ho’s absence from the starting list is a loss of power, but if you think positively, he got a stronger right-handed pinch hitter than anyone else in the second half of the game. Park Byeong-ho is proving his dignity as a main gun as well as a pinch hitter. During this period, he is recording a batting average of 0.300 (3 hits in 10 at-bats), 1 home run and 5 RBIs. He is always on the lookout for results late in the game when the team needs to score.
Park Byeong-ho, who recently met with reporters, said, “At first, it was awkward how to prepare for a pinch hitter. So, from the first inning, I do not stay still. I move a lot and try to share a lot of rhythm with the players (starters). There was nothing. Even if I didn’t act as a pinch hitter, I thought I was put into this player’s at-bat, and I’m preparing how to deal with it.”
Park Byeong-ho expressed his gratitude to his juniors who filled the void during the period he was missing due to his injury. In particular, he sent a message of support to Moon Sang-cheol and Oh Yoon-seok. Oh Yoon-seok is playing an active role in the second half with a batting average of 0.397 (29 hits in 73 at-bats), 3 homers, 9 RBIs, OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 1.114, including as first baseman while Byeong-ho Park was absent. Moon Sang-cheol is recording a career high this year with a batting average of 0.259 (71 hits in 274 at-bats), 8 homers, 40 RBIs, and an OPS of 0.705.
Park Byung-ho said, “Not only Oh Yoon-seok, but there are many juniors who were really working hard but couldn’t show (their skills) because of the lack of opportunities. , I am cheering hard,” he said.
Park Byeong-ho played in 100 games this year and recorded a batting average of 0.278 (88 hits in 317 at-bats), 10 homers, 61 RBIs, and an OPS of 0.756. Although the cannon has not exploded as much as he won the home run king title with 35 home runs last year, he is doing his part in the clutch situation enough to rank 6th in the league with a scoring position of 0.346.
Park Byeong-ho said, “I wanted to do well this year as I hit a lot of home runs last year, but since I didn’t hit home runs, it’s actually a season with a lot of regrets. Fortunately, I have injuries, but when I have to score in a chance, I raise RBIs and take that as comfort. There is, but if there is no long hit, I think I have to overcome it because my strength is weak.”
Lastly, Park Byeong-ho said, “My junior Oh Yoon-seok is filling the vacancy well, and the team is winning a lot, so there is no hurry.” It’s in full swing, but I don’t think I should look too high. The goal is to concentrate on every game and accumulate a lot of wins, and it would be nice to play fall baseball in a high position,” he said, revealing the main focus for the rest of the season.