His father had a golden opportunity to win a championship ring outside of Hae Taeyeon, but his son will likely end up going to the major leagues without one.
Kiwoom Lee Jung-hoo is effectively out for the season. Lee was substituted in the eighth inning of the 22nd game against Busan Lotte after injuring his left ankle while fielding. He was diagnosed with anterior cruciate ligament damage. He will undergo a medical examination on the 25th to schedule surgery. The rehabilitation period is expected to last about three months.
Lee Jung-hoo is still a young player at 25 years old. He could make a dramatic comeback with a miraculous rehabilitation speed. But even if he does, he may not be able to play many matches. As of the 24th, Kiwoom is in eighth place, two games behind fifth-placed Lotte. However, challenging for the top five without Lee Jung-hoo is easier said than done.
If Kiwoom fails to make it to the top five without Lee, the worst case scenario is that Lee’s KBO career could end this season. It’s a certainty that Lee will go to the Major Leagues next year, and it’s also likely that Lee will hang up his Kiwoom jersey without ever winning a Korean Series title since his debut in 2017.
Kiwoom finished runners-up in the Korean Series for the first time in the Lee era in 2014 and again in 2022, but this season has been plagued by bad luck. Even if they make it to the postseason, they’re unlikely to win the Korean Series. Lee wanted to see Kiwoom win more than anyone. He wanted to present the trophy to Kiwoom fans and go to the major leagues himself.
On the other hand, Lee’s father, LG baseball coach Lee Jong-beom, is trying to win a championship for the first time since becoming a coach this year. Lee Jong-bum’s LG had 49 wins, 31 losses and two draws by the 24th. They lost their last two games of the first half before losing three in a row against SSG in Jamsil on the 21st, but they are still the favourites to win the pennant race.
LG has been all-in on winning the Korean Series since the past year or two. The previous manager was sacked after failing to take the team to the Korean Series. Yeom Kyung-yeop is also determined to lead the team to the Korean Series at least until next year, not just for the three years of his contract.스포츠토토
Unlike his son, his father has a lot of experience in winning the Korean Series. He was a leading member of the V9 during the Hae Taek Dynasty. He tasted victory with Haetae in 1993, 1996 and 1997, and in 2009, his last year of playing, he won the Korean Series with KIA. He retired before the 2012 season and hasn’t won a championship since turning to coaching. This season is his chance to win his first title as a coach.
Perhaps the son’s desire to win is greater than the father’s. However, neither baseball nor life goes as planned. The father-son duo of Lee Jong-beom and Jeong-hoo Lee could have a very different story to tell this autumn.