“I Will Give You My Trust” Versus “Make Me Trust You”

During post-season games, players are bound to become stars. However, in this season’s playoffs, manager Kim Gyung-moon (46, Doosan) and head coach Sun Dong-yeol (41, Samsung) are the ones receiving the spotlight.

Though the two leaders are both in their first year of managing, they can be very sly, sometimes cautious, and sometimes bold. The expertise they show in pointing out the flow of the game is better than that of their seniors.

Kim Gyung-moon, who used to be a catcher, is the type of leader who naturally brings out the best in his players by trusting in them.

At the second semi-playoff game against Kia, Kim did not order any special strategies with a one-out, bases-loaded situation; first it was Yoo Jae-woong’s turn at bat, then Hong Sung-heun was up. Nothing happened the first time, but the second led to a winning home run. After hitting a grand slam, Hong said, “It felt good when the coaching staff encouraged me by saying, ‘We trust you. Just give it your full swing.’”

Since he became manager this year, Kim has never ordered a squeeze bunt in a game. Also, in the second playoff game against Samsung, he appointed Jun Byung-doo as the starting pitcher, which came as a surprise to all because Jun had never won a game in the pennant race. Yet this is Kim’s method of managing a game.

On the other hand, Sun Dong-yeol, to whom manager Kim Eung-yong gave full power in managing the mound, showed a different method through the playoffs. The fact that he placed more emphasis on the second game instead of the first game, and that Kwon Oh-joon closed the game instead of Lim Chang-yong, completely went against the predictions of baseball experts.

On this, Sun revealed his simple rule, “A leader uses a player who can give him trust.” Everybody knows this rule, but finds it difficult to follow in big games. As this shows, coach Sun is cold but practical and daring as well.

They are both alumni of Korea University, with Kim being the senior by three years. Kim (class of 1978) was a senior catcher when Sun (Class of 1981) entered the team as a freshman pitcher, and the two played together for a year. Their connection ends there.

While the “Unparalleled Pitcher” Sun Dong-yeol ruled the baseball world both as an amateur and a pro, Kim Gyung-moon never made it to the national team during his amateur years and was not as well-known as a pro, either. Their paths were different.

However, they have met again as leaders. They were incomparable as players; now, let us find out who the better leader is.

Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com