Coach Serizawa Yuji, who newly took over as Doosan Battery coach, showed awe of Yang Eui-ji (36).
Yang Eui-ji signed a free agent contract for 15.2 billion won in 4+2 and returned to Doosan. He is undeniably the best catcher in the KBO League. He won four catcher’s Golden Glove and one designated hitter’s Golden Glove. It is evaluated as having both a top-class bat and an experienced lead. It plans to take the lead in rebounding Doosan, which finished in 9th place last season.
Coach Serizawa served as a battery coach for a long time in the KBO league. The relationship with Korea began in 2010 with the SK Wyverns. Although he left for the Yakult Swallows in the middle, he returned to Korea in 2017 and coached the Samsung Lions and LG Twins, then experienced a combined victory at the SSG Landers last season. And he took charge of the fourth team, Doosan.
Over 10 years of living in Korea, coach Serazawa met various top-notch catchers in Korea, such as Park Gyeong-wan (LG Battery coach), Jin Gap-yong (KIA Battery coach), and Yu Gang-nam (Lotte). This time, I got to work with Yang Eui-ji.
Coach Serizawa said, “It is an honor as a coach to meet Yang Eui-ji. Batters usually fight pitchers, but Yang Eui-ji has a presence that makes him fight not only with pitchers but also with catchers. Yang Eui-ji is the only such existence. I started with great catchers, but I think Yang Eui-ji is also a top-notch player.”
He continued, “We have a lot of conversations, and he talks smartly. I have worked with great catchers such as Jin Gap-yong and Park Kyung-wan during my coaching career, but I do not lose to those players. He is a top-level player,” he said. “A good catcher will win. He is a good catcher. Being a catcher with a high win rate is the most important thing. That is why Yang Eui-ji’s annual salary is high.”
However, Yang Eui-ji must also have something to improve on. It seemed perfect to Serizawa Coach. It’s framing for low balls. 메이저놀이터
He said, “Yoo Kang-nam’s rate of strikes with framing is 63%, while Yang Eui-ji is 50 percent. The only part that falls is framing.” I’m telling you. The only challenge is this,” he explained.
Coach Serizawa believed that if Yang Eui-ji is healthy, he will become a team that competes for the championship. He said, “Yang Eui-ji played less than 750 innings as a catcher last year. Although he was injured, Yang Eui-ji must defend more than 850 innings as the main catcher this year in order for us to compete for the championship. I am nominated by Yang Eui-ji. My task is to make a good second catcher (candidates Jang Seung-hyun, Ahn Seung-han, and Park Yoo-yeon) who can lead to victory even when not playing as a batter. I will try to make it well.”
Yang Eui-ji will soon have to leave the team to join the WBC national team. Coach Serizawa spared no worries and support for Yang Eui-ji.
Coach Serizawa said, “Yang Eui-ji’s mindset will be complicated. He will think that he has to pay off his debt for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as a national team member, and he will also think that he must manage the season well as the center of the team. The weight he is carrying will be great. That’s why I have no choice but to support Yang Eui-ji more.”
