Lee is Effective Even in Japan

Representing Korea, 28-year-old Lee Seung-yeop of the Chiba Lotte Marines performed better in real situations.

On February 17 when winter training reaches the halfway mark of its schedule, the first match between the squad’s red and white teams was played in Kagoshima, Japan. Appearing as a designated hitter and batting cleanup for the red team, Lee slammed a three-run homer to mid-right by pulling a fastball from five-year veteran reliever Dani in the seventh inning to continue his excellent batting with four hits in seven at bats and seven RBIs, including two doubles.

The reason that Lee, who only playing eight out of 10 innings, made many at-bats and RBIs is because the red-white match had simulated characteristics. (The bases were already loaded and there were more than three out counts.) Lee Seung-yeop proved again that he was great when he hit a homerun and lined a double to left in two simulated at bats in the third and seventh with runners on first and second. Seven RBIs were the game high.

“I thought that I had to make a hit at my first bat because it was my first real match in Japan,” said Lee. “I made the game easy because I fortunately made a hit in the first inning. I will try to keep up my good batting until the opener, even if I don’t place much value on just an exercise game.”

Lee also said about facing real pitching that “fastballs towards me and curve balls breaking down are quite impressive, but they are not too hard to hit.”

An agent of Lee in Japan, Kim Ki-joo, predicted that “Lee will hit homeruns and extra base hits in the first real game, and receive favorable comments from Coach Bobby Valentine.”

Meanwhile, Fukuura, who is competing with Lee for the first base job, played as the third hitter and first baseman for red team, breaking the expectation of his belonging to white team and recording two hits in three at bats through the fourth inning.