No First Year Jinx for Lee Byung-kyu

Lee Byung-kyu (Chunichi, 33) was his good old self.

The exhibition game on March 1 against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks at Fukuoka Yahoo! Japan Dome was his first official game in Japan. However, there were no signs of anxiety on his face. Rather, he seemed to be enjoying the new challenge. Lee said, “Baseball is baseball. I’m just going to have fun.”

Come to think of it, he had a bright expression on his face during the practice session before the game. He joked and fooled around with his new teammates whenever he got the chance. We asked Lee, who is beginning his second life as a baseball player in Japan, about baseball and life in Japan.

Friendship with Teammates, Kimchi at Mealtimes –

Chunichi is a team many Korean baseball fans are familiar with due to the three Koreans, Sun Dong-ryul (Samsung Lions Coach), Lee Jong-beom (Kia), and Lee Sang-hoon (former LG player), who have played with them. Lee Byung-kyu’s adjustment was easier thanks to the players who came before him. Not only the veteran players such as Kazuyoshi Tatsunami, but rather, most of the players know a few Korean words. The players approach him first. Kimchi, which had left the table along with the Korean players, has now returned with Lee Byung-kyu. Not only in training camps, but also at exhibition games, kimchi is always at hand.

Shortstop Hirokazu Ibata and second baseman Masahiro Araki pester him for a visit to Korean restaurants whenever the team is in Nagoya or Tokyo. Lee’s reservation book is quite full.

Homer in First Game –

Lee Byung-kyu’s first real game was on February 23, when the team was split into two groups for a game. Lee hit a home run against closing pitcher Hitoki Iwase, the highest earning pitcher in Japan (0.39 billion yen, approximately 3.1 billion won), when the count was two balls and no strikes. It was the first time in three years that left-handed pitcher Iwase had given up a home run to a left-handed hitter.

The Japanese press said, “Iwase grinned bitterly.” But Lee’s story is different. He said, “Iwase came up to me after the game and shook my hand, saying ‘Great hit.’ I asked him if he had given me the hit on purpose, but Iwase answered that he didn’t want to walk me, even if that meant giving up a hit.” This home run put Lee in the spotlight.

Lee struck a clean hit up the middle as the first batter of the first inning during his first official game on March 1.

One thing that surprised Lee after he came to Japan is the determination of the players. He said, “The players seem to never think of resting.” During training camp, team training would end at 4:00 p.m., but all the players would stay for three to four hours afterwards for individual training.

Once, second year outfielder Atsushi Fujii shed tears in the middle of the outfield during defense practice. He had been hiding a thigh injury, but had been discovered by the coaching staff. Fujii cried on the field in frustration that he wouldn’t be able to move up in the team and that his training up to then had “gone to waste.” Witnessing something like that makes Lee give his best.

Seeing Teammates Training Individually for Long Hours Keeps Lee on his Toes –

The first year jinx seemed to visit all Korean players including Sun Dong-ryul and Lee Seung-yeop (Yomiuri). However, Lee Byung-kyu showed confidence, saying, “If I fail this year, the jinx will become official. If I do well, it will be broken. I don’t really think about it a lot. If I do my best, things will turn out well.”

Lee said, “My teammates told me not to think too much. I’ve been watching videos, trying to get a grip on Japanese pitchers, but they say I shouldn’t do that too much, either. I guess I should just get in there and experience it for myself.”

uni@donga.com