▲ Lotte players undergo night training after the game.
The Lotte Giants, who suffered a 3-7 defeat against the SSG Landers in a home game yesterday (the 22nd), held a night training session.
After finishing their showers and preparing to leave, the Lotte Giants players put their uniforms back on one by one and returned to the field upon the instructions of manager Kim Tae-hyung.
Starting pitcher Park Se-woong struggled, allowing 5 runs over 4 innings, while the batting lineup managed only 3 runs through 6 innings against opposing starting pitcher Pedro Avila.
Without any major errors, it was, in a way, just another ordinary loss.
Night training is usually deployed once in a while as a shock therapy method by managers or hitting coaches when a team is struggling at the plate.
Lotte, which has failed to climb out of the lower ranks due to offensive slumps despite a relatively solid pitching staff this season, has already undergone special post-game hitting practice several times.
However, yesterday was different.
At the strict command of Manager Kim, not only the position players but also most of the pitchers and coaching staff took part in the night training.
Park Se-woong, who pitched 4 innings as the starter, also trained in the bullpen alongside his fellow pitchers.
A Lotte club official stated, "There have been a few times when hitters did batting practice after a game, but this is the first time that all pitchers came out as well."
It is difficult to view this training as an immediate measure to boost the players' skills.
This is because a few swings in the batting cage and midnight shadow pitching cannot suddenly change a player's ability.
Instead, this training is closer to a message from Manager Kim that he will not simply let slide an "ordinary defeat" that followed a two-game winning streak.
It appears to mean that the entire squad should reflect together on the listless mood of a game that drifted away without a single error.
(Photo: Taken by Lee Dae-ho, Yonhap News)