"My biggest goal is not to return home early"

Lee Sang-young, who graduated from Busan High School and joined as the fifth-ranked player in the second round in 2019, is a tall left-handed pitcher with a height of 1m92 and is expected to be the future left-handed ace.

Lee, who won the most games with 10 wins and three losses in the team in 2022, also had eight consecutive wins in the team last year. As LG's domestic starters collapsed early on, Lee was seen as a hope to be selected. LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop also announced that he would hire Lee as the starting pitcher immediately after his return from the military. Lee, who returned after being discharged from the military in June, also expressed confidence.

However, the reality was different. Lee Sang-young, who allowed four hits and two runs in four innings at the game against Samsung on June 14, became a losing pitcher at the game against the NC Dinos with two hits and four walks (two earned runs) in one ⅓, before moving back to the second division.

Lee Sang-young, who was an overhander before joining the military in Sangmu, lowered his arm in the form of a three-quarter in Sangmu, and maybe because of that, his ball speed had come down from the late 140km range before joining the military to the early 140km range, and he could not overcome the first-team batters. In addition, as he judged that there was a problem with the pitching form, which was not able to use strength, manager Yeom ordered the correction of the pitching form, which was natural and capable of strength. Since then, Lee Sang-young had to focus on finding a new pitching form.

And on the 20th, he left early for Arizona, the U.S., the spring camp site, as a starter with Jung Woo-young and others.

When I asked Lee Sang-young what year 2023 would be like, he said his feelings full of regret. "I thought I would do well after being discharged from the military, but I think I let my guard down. That's why I learned this year again," Lee said. "I felt like I could do well in the business world, but there was a big difference between the first and second teams. I felt the barrier of the first team."

When asked about the speed limit, he said, "I think fans would have been disappointed in the speed limit," adding, "Honestly, I thought I improved in movement and ball control at the Sangmu, and I was confident. However, it didn't go well in the first division."

The new pitching form is going well," Lee said. "I raised my arm, but I am throwing with a new form that is completely different from what I threw in the past, such as changing the parts that I have crossed," Lee said. "I changed my form to the simplest one, so I can throw the ball comfortably. I was under stress as I changed it during the season, but now it comes out naturally as my form somewhat. I think I have good speed and good ball control. That's why I am preparing for this season with high expectations."

This season, he is assigned to the bullpen. Announcing his plan for this season, Yeom put Lee Sang-young on the list of bullpen candidates to be nurtured along with Kim Yoo-young, Sung Dong-hyun, Yoon Ho-sol, and Kim Dae-hyun.

It is an opportunity for Lee. Ham Deok-ju, a left-handed winning team who signed a contract as an FA this year, underwent elbow surgery. As Ham Deok-ju can return to the team only in the second half of this year, Lee Sang-young is emerging as an alternative left-handed bullpen agent. If his pitching form, which he has corrected so far, is effective, he could secure his position.

"After being discharged from the military, I think it's time to play baseball well," Lee said, adding, "And I got a chance. I think this year will be the most important year for me," giving myself meaning in 2024.

However, he is not greedy. "As long as I can stay in the first division, I don't care about my job," Lee said

"The first goal is not to return home early from spring camp," he said.

"I don't want to go home alone for loneliness," Lee said. "I want to join the opening entry by doing well in spring camp and exhibition games. If possible, I couldn't join the Korean Series last year, but I want to win two consecutive Korean Series titles this year as I am the main player. To that end, I should not return home early. That is my biggest goal."

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