"The players will be stimulated."

Coach Lee Soo-yong of SSG Landers, who received a low ranking evaluation, seemed relaxed instead of nervousness. He also expressed confidence that he would turn around beyond everyone's expectations.

Ahead of the KBO exhibition game against the KT Wiz at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on the 12th, Lee smiled, saying, "I think it will be sixth or seventh. But baseball is always fun because there is always a twist."

SSG is not receiving much attention amid season predictions from commentators and other experts ahead of the opening of the regular season.

Although it ranked third last year, it did not make any noticeable reinforcement throughout the winter. As a result, it is expected that SSG will be in the 6th to 7th place this year beyond the 5th round.

In response, SSG pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun said, "They classified us into the lower ranks," and expressed regret, "I feel bad."

Coach Lee, who took the helm of SSG for the first time this year, is laughing at both the evaluation and Kim Kwang-hyun's response.

"Even to the players, there will be no reporters or commentators who will keep our team within the top five. I think it will be sixth or seventh place," Lee said. "The more I know, the more I think it will stimulate the players."

This is also what coach Lee experienced when he was active. He recalled his time at Hyundai Unicorns in 2006, when he was the captain.

"All the main players left the team. All of them saw us in the lower ranks, and I said, 'The moment the team opens, you will notice us more.' No one believed me," Lee recalled. "That year, our team advanced to the postseason."

"It was a very difficult situation, but I remember being touched to see the players overcome it. It's premature, but I still feel that way back then. I started to see players giving for each other. That will be a big help while playing baseball," he added.

Unlike what SSG has shown before, it also announced its plan to shake the ranking table with "running baseball."

"I'm going to play baseball compared to previous seasons. I've been talking to players and baserunning coaches," Lee said. "I want to make opponents think of us as a tough team as possible. They often ask us to be more bold and rough, not mind being out."

Lee, who is giving a new color to his team in his first season as a coach, is renewing his commitment to surpass expected performance. "This team ranked third last year. Wouldn't it be embarrassing if I rank sixth or seventh after taking the helm? I will try to advance to the third place or higher," Lee said.

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