The Samsung Lions of professional baseball conducted training on the final day of their camp at Akamagusa in Onna-son, Okinawa, on the 4th. Manager Park Jin-man evaluated, "This has been the busiest and most productive spring training since I took over as manager. The team depth has definitely improved."

The Samsung Lions are scheduled to return to Incheon International Airport on the 5th via flight KE756. After concluding their 28-night, 29-day schedule in Okinawa, they plan to prepare for exhibition games. Meanwhile, the Lions Futures team, which conducted spring training in Okinawa and Kagoshima, returned on the 1st. The following is a Q&A session with Manager Park Jin-man.

-If you were to give an overall evaluation of the 2025 spring camp.

▲After moving to Okinawa, it seems that everyone struggled for a while due to the cold weather. It was fortunate that we had just completed our first spring training in Guam. I believe this camp has had the most success since I took over as manager. Overall, the team depth has noticeably improved. The fierce competition by position is also encouraging. Last year, we lost all our practice games in camp (1 tie and 8 losses), and this year we are 3 wins and 3 losses. More than just the win-loss record, the quality of play has improved significantly compared to last year.

-Four rookies, including Bae Chan-seung, Shim Jae-hoon, Cha Seung-jun, and Hamsu-ho, completed the first team camp.

▲I intentionally had all four rookies participate in our first practice game against Yomiuri on February 16. It was great to see the rookies not shy away from the game. Even though it's just a practice game, players have different perceptions about the Yomiuri match. The Cellular Field has many Japanese spectators. Bae Chan-seung pitched well even in that situation. With his current form, he could be in the winning lineup. The rookie position players also seem able to showcase their skills in a real game situation. Having rookies in the first team camp for the first time since I became manager and having four of them complete it is a remarkable achievement.

-Who is the MVP of this camp?

▲We usually select one pitcher and one position player, but this time there were so many hardworking players that we selected two for each. The coaching staff determines the selections based on the training attitude, performance, and more in staff meetings. The MVPs among the pitchers are Park Joo-hyuk and Bae Chan-seung, and among the position players, they are Kim Do-hwan and Hong Hyun-bin. Park Joo-hyuk showed that he prepared diligently, and it was impressive to see him pitch boldly on the mound. Although he is not registered now, he has shown enough qualification. I hope he continues to work hard to perform well in the bullpen after May. Bae Chan-seung is also the pitcher MVP, and there seems to be no need for further explanation.

Among the position players, catcher Kim Do-hwan showed significant growth. It seems he has prepared well for the off-season, and he has improved his body, throwing, and blocking details. Hong Hyun-bin also seems to have adapted well to the new team. He could be a good alternative as an outfield utility player or pinch runner. There doesn’t seem to be a name that stands out for the camp MVP this time, indicating an improvement in team depth.

-What do you think of the newly joined pitchers Hoorado and Choi Won-tae?

▲Hoorado seems to have adjusted to the team atmosphere quickly, as if he has been with our team for years. I think having a few former teammates helped him a lot. His skills are as expected, and he gives a lot of advice to other players. Choi Won-tae is definitely a player who is well-suited to our home ground, Lions Park. I advised him to take it slow during the camp to avoid overexerting himself. Naturally, I have high expectations for both newly joined pitchers.

-One of the main goals ahead of this camp was to strengthen the bullpen.

▲It is very unfortunate that Kim Yoon-soo (Kim Mu-shin) has been sidelined due to a sudden elbow injury. Since there aren’t many resources in the bullpen to hold back opposing hitters with strong pitching, it’s especially regrettable. However, there are still capable players like Lee Jae-hee, Hwang Dong-jae, Lee Ho-sung, Lee Seung-min, and Yang Chang-seop who can perform well. I’ll keep an eye on Bae Chan-seung until the exhibition games.

-Captain Koo Ja-wook hit a grand slam in the final game of the camp.

▲Last year's Korean Series made every team member painfully aware of the difference with and without Koo Ja-wook in the lineup. While hitting a home run is a good thing, more importantly, it's crucial for him to manage his health consistently until the exhibition games so that he does not sustain another injury. Koo Ja-wook, alongside Kang Min-ho, has led the younger players well throughout spring camp. He will play a good role in the dugout this season as well.

[OSEN]