How can a 39-year-old play defense like that?
The ballpark went silent for a moment. Only exclamations of “Wow!” could be heard at the unbelievable defense.
On the 13th, Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul hosted a game between KT Wiz and Kiwoom Heroes in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League. It was expected to be a fierce match with no concessions from either side, as KT, which is on a winning streak and looking to enter the top four, and Kiwoom, which has lost six straight games with a slumping batting lineup, faced off.
However, the game went unexpectedly one-sided. It was the defense of the veteran infielders that allowed KT to take the lead with ease. In particular, second baseman Park Kyung-soo surprised everyone with his jaw-dropping defense.
It all started in the first inning. In the top of the first inning, Kiwoom leadoff hitter Kim Jun-wan harassed KT’s Ko Young-pyo with a full count. He pulled a seven-pitch, 137-kilometer fastball for a hard hit to first base, and KT first baseman Park Byung-ho made a throwing error. The ball hit Byung-ho Park’s left foot and rolled toward second base, and it looked like an easy out on a fielding error. But no, Park grabbed the ball and threw it to first base. It was a close call, but the unselfish defense of the most experienced player was enough to keep the KT players focused and mentally strong on the day.
The highlight came in the fourth inning. After giving up two runs in the top of the fourth inning, Kiwoom was down 0-4 and needed to turn things around. In the bottom of the fourth, Kim Jun-wan led off with a single to right, and the next batter, Kim Hye-sung, took the first pitch and lined a single up the middle. This time, Park Kyung-soo flew out. After flying to second base, Park bounced back from the fall and made a glove toss to second base to throw out Kim Jun-wan at first base. Although he didn’t catch the hitter, the catch was literally a masterpiece of defense.
Shortstop Kim Sang-soo, who caught the throw at second base, gave Park a thumbs-up and bowed his head at a 90-degree angle to honor him. Ko Young-pyo, who was watching the defense, was also amazed, clapping and saying ‘wow’ repeatedly. On the other hand, Kim Jun-wan, the first baseman, was stunned and bewildered with a look that said, “How can you play defense like this? 메이저토토사이트
In the end, Kiwoom lost all confidence in Park Kyung-soo’s constant hitting and fell to a 0-9 defeat, their seventh straight loss. KT, on the other hand, was able to comfortably win the last game of the first half as the younger players responded to the unyielding play of their 39-year-old veteran.
Meanwhile, KT has been boasting a solid infield defense this season after signing Kim Sang-soo as a free agent. The average age of the infielders, led by Park Byung-ho (37), Park Kyung-soo (39), Kim Sang-soo (33), and Hwang Jae-gyun (36), is 36.3 years old. Among them, Park is the oldest, at almost immortal age. Known for his defense from a young age, Park hasn’t shown any signs of rust yet. His experience allows him to handle almost any situation with ease, and he leads KT’s unwavering infield.