Daejeon: For the fifth time in his managerial career, Hanwha Eagles manager Kim Kyung-moon has settled for second place in the Korean Series. The Eagles were defeated by the LG Twins 4-1 on Friday at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark, exiting the best-of-seven Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) championship in five games.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim expressed his disappointment, stating, "Finishing in second place is always disappointing. Our players did their best this season. I'd like to congratulate the LG Twins on their victory, and we will prepare for the next season the best we can." The Eagles have been pursuing their first Korean Series title since 1999.
Kim, who has accumulated over 1,000 regular-season victories, previously finished as the runner-up in the 2005, 2007, 2008, and 2016 Korean Series. Only the late Kim Young-deok has more runner-up finishes, with six. Despite not being considered title contenders early in the season, Kim emphasized that winning a championship is all that ultimately matters.
Reflecting on the team's performance, Kim expressed regret over their Game 4 loss, where they relinquished a 4-1 lead in the ninth inning, allowing six runs to lose 7-4. "It was our opportunity to grab some positive momentum, but we let the other team seize it instead," Kim noted. He highlighted this as a valuable lesson for the younger players, who he believes will be instrumental in the club's future success.
Kim commended his lineup for exceeding expectations during the series but acknowledged shortcomings in the pitching staff, particularly the bullpen's inability to maintain leads. "I just lost the series, and I don't think it's appropriate for me to say much now," Kim concluded.