Kang wore a catcher's mask twice in the last three games. He was deployed as a catcher at a match against the Hanwha Eagles on April 31 and a match against the KIA Tigers on April 3.

Even before the match against Hanwha, Kang's deployment as catcher seemed to be a "one-off." As KT was losing by a wide margin at the time, many viewed it as a "fan service" measure.

In fact, it was the first time in 928 days that Kang Baek-ho wore a catcher mask on the professional stage. Kang has not been a catcher since he briefly played against Sajik Lotte on April 20, 2019, and Jamsil Doosan on September 15, 2021.

Kang, however, sat down as catcher once again at the KIA game on Tuesday. He started as a designated hitter, but shifted from defense to catcher in the top of the eighth inning, and this time he pitched two innings.

When he was at Seoul High School before his professional debut, he made a name for himself as an "all-round player" who can play as a pitcher, catcher, and cleanup hitter. However, since he stepped into the professional arena in 2018, KT has placed Kang as an outfielder and first baseman rather than a catcher to maximize his batting ability.

However, he had difficulty adapting himself to his new position. He expressed anxiety both in outfielder position with good shoulder and in first baseman position with relatively low defensive burden, and eventually became more likely to play designated hitter.

It is not a good thing for a 25-year-old young player to become a "designated hitter" without a clear position. Moreover, Kang continued to play amazingly in the early days of his debut, and was a batter with potential enough to seek overseas expansion with Lee Jung-hoo.

In the meantime, if Kang Baek-ho settles down in a familiar catcher position, it is also welcome for Kang Baek-ho's individual and KT teams.

In particular, the introduction of the automatic pitching judgment system (ABS) from this season also increases the possibility of changing the position. Until now, the catcher's framing and lead ability have been considered very important, but at this point when ABS was introduced, it is enough for the catcher to have the ability to catch and steal bases.

If Kang Baek-ho takes charge of the catcher, he can utilize Park Byung-ho and Moon Sang-chul at the same time, and the physical arrangement of veteran fielders can be facilitated.

First of all, KT manager Lee Kang-chul is showing satisfaction with "catcher Kang Baek-ho."

Coach Lee said, "He blocked the missing ball for a while. It's been a few years since he played, and it's not easy to do so," adding, "I think his body is aligned with the catcher."

"When I first took office (2019), I asked Kang Baek-ho how he was a catcher, and he shook his head at that time," he said. "I said it like a joke, but when I asked him this time, he said, 'I'll do it if you ask me to do it.'"

Kang also participated in catcher training for the first time with battery coach Jang Jae-joong on the 2nd. This can be interpreted as if he has some will to be a catcher.

Of course, it is difficult to use him as a "built-up catcher" for this season. Since he has not trained as a catcher so far, it seems best to serve as a "backup catcher" once in a while as he does now.

BY: 카지노사이트