Lee Seung-yeop`s First Exhibition Home Run

It finally happened.

"National batter" Lee Seung-yeop (28·Chiba Lotte Marlins), who moved to the J-league, launched a homer in his fourth at-bat in the exhibition game.

In the game against Orix Blue Waves which took place in Kobe Yahoo-BB Stadium on March 5, first baseman as well as cleanup batter Lee Seung-yeop launched Orix`s “side pitcher” Ogura`s 131km fastball in the second inning with his team ahead 4-0. The ball, which went over the right field stands, was estimated to be 120m. It was Lee`s first home run in four games, in his 11th at-bat.

Lee moved to the next base due to the opposing shortstop’s error in the first inning. In the fourth inning, Lee struck out with no outs and runners on second and third base and was switched with Imahe defensively in the bottom of the fifth inning. Lee drove in a run and had a single in three at-bats. Overall, Lee scored three runs, hit a homerun and three singles (BA 0.273) in 11 at-bats in the exhibition games.

The impressive point of Lee is that his batting is improving with each exhibition game.

Lee struggled in his first game against the Yomiuri Giants on February 28 with no hits and two strikeouts in three at-bats.

However in the second exhibition game against the Daiei Hawks, Lee hit a single in three at-bats and against the Hanshin Tigers on March 4, he hit a double, driving in two runs. Finally Lee launched a homer against Orix and attained confidence that he could show the same great performance in Japan.

His rival at first base, Hukoura Gazya, showed off his long stroke and blasted a homer which drove in two runs in the first inning. The friendly competition between the two is also heating up the atmosphere in spring camp.

Prior to the Orix game, Lee met his senior player Koo Dae-Sung in the cafeteria and talked for 20 minutes. At the meeting, Koo appeared to give advice to Lee about the pitching tactics of Japanese pitchers.

Meanwhile, Choi Hee-Seop (25) of the Florida Marlins didn`t show anything spectacular in his second exhibition game.

Choi hit a homerun-like foul ball in the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Fort Lauderdale Stadium, Florida but ended up with no hits in three at-bats. The Marlins lost 5-6.

Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com