Kang Baek-ho has already received his first catcher’s starting lineup,··equipment in seven years since his debut
Kang Baek-ho (25, KT) will make his debut as a starting catcher.
Prior to the game against LG in Jamsil on Saturday, Kang was listed as the starting catcher No. 4. It is the first time that Kang will start as a catcher since his professional debut.
Kang Baek-ho played as a designated hitter and played one inning wearing a catcher mask in the eighth inning against Hanwha in Daejeon on March 31, and then was deployed as a catcher again in the eighth inning against KIA on March 3 and played two innings on defense.
Considering the team’s entry and lineup, which only uses young batters as designated hitters, and the reality that backup catchers are weak, KT has been considering leaving Kang Baek-ho as a catcher and is trying recently.
Meanwhile, Jang Sung-woo, the main catcher, was replaced early in the game after being hit by a ball against KIA on the 4th. Kim Joon-tae wore a catcher mask, and Kang Baek-ho wore a mask again in the eighth inning of the day and played the remaining two innings.
Jang was diagnosed with bruising without any abnormalities such as fracture according to a thorough examination on Friday night. However, he is unable to play in the match against LG on Tuesday due to severe swelling of the hit area. KT decided to boldly put a mask on Kang as it needed a substitute catcher.
Kang Baek-ho, who played both pitching and hitting in high school and was a catcher, has only seen outfielders and first basemen since his professional debut. As a catcher, he was a surprise replacement in an emergency situation where the catcher’s entry became insufficient during a close game against Sajik Lotte on April 20, 2019 and Jamsil Doosan on September 15, 2021. Except for the two experiences, he has been replaced three times this season and played a total of five innings.
Even if Kang is the catcher, Jang Sung-woo will be the main catcher of the KT. If Kang takes charge of the catcher while Jang is taking rest, the KT will be able to deploy both Moon Sang-cheol and Park Byung-ho, who have been blooming since last year, to the lineup.
Kang began his catcher training in earnest on the 2nd. Kang, who had rented helmets and mitts for Jang Sung-woo and Kim Joon-tae due to lack of catcher equipment, was also properly provided with catcher equipment on the night of the 4th. However, he will play as a catcher for the first time on the day with Kang Hyun-woo’s mitts as he has not yet been tamed.
KT set up its starting lineup with Bae Jung-dae (center fielder), Chun Sung-ho (second baseman), designated hitter (Lohas), Kang Baek-ho (catcher), Kim Min-hyuk (left fielder), Hwang Jae-gyun (third baseman), Moon Sang-cheol (first baseman), Cho Yong-ho (right fielder) and Kim Sang-soo (striker).
BY: 토토사이트 모음