The NC Dinos ended the first half by reversing the stagnant atmosphere. In addition, the center hitter Park Geon-woo (33), who had a distance from the command tower, increased the possibility of returning through the All-Star Game.카지노

NC finished the first half in 4th place overall, recording 39 wins, 38 losses and 1 draw (0.506 win rate) in 78 games of the season before the All-Star break. There were many twists and turns, but the last series of the first half was decorated with two consecutive wins and a refreshing finish.

It’s definitely a result close to a ‘miracle’. Ahead of this season, NC was evaluated as a lower rank, missing internal FA (free agent) resources such as Yang Eui-ji (36, Doosan Bears) and Roh Jin-hyuk (34, NC Dinos). In addition, during the season, starting resources such as Koo Chang-mo (26), Lee Jae-hak (33), and Choi Seong-young (26) had a hard time leaving due to injuries.

Nevertheless, by June, NC had a win rate of well over 50% (0.529) and jumped to third place. However, NC, who had lost 5 consecutive matches since the match against Changwon LG on June 21st, was put into a difficult situation by recording another 5-game losing streak in early July. In particular, in the series with the lowest-ranking Samsung Lions held at home on July 8-9, they failed to raise a point throughout the two games and suffered a sweep loss (one game was canceled in the rain), and the 50% win rate was also broken.

Meanwhile, issues arose within the team. Park Gun-woo, who was active in the center of the batting line, suddenly went down to the second group on the 3rd. He wasn’t injured, he wasn’t sluggish or any other accident, so he raised questions. Coach Kang In-kwon (51) said the next day, “Senior players need not only skills but also virtues to match them. As a coach, we hoped that even senior players in our team would not stray from the One-Team. I grew up and felt I needed time to think on my own.”

Park Kun-woo requested a replacement in order to adjust his condition ahead of the 8th defense against KT in Suwon on the 2nd. It was a situation where the game continued in a close match, so he had no choice but to be regretful. Coach Kang acknowledged that “the decisive factor would have been Sunday (2nd)” ahead of the Gocheok Kiwoom match on the 4th, but “as a coach, it is absolutely not the level of taming players or discipline the team. As we always do, get away from my principles I wanted to send a message that it is not good,” he said.

Park Gun-woo had a batting average of 0.286, 7 homers, 41 RBIs, 6 steals and an OPS of 0.816 in 69 games in the first half of this season. He was in a situation where he was gradually improving his hitting sense after his sluggishness at the beginning of the season. Even at the time of expungement, he was the only team leader in home runs. It was an important presence in the team to that extent, but it could not break the command tower’s will to create the original team.

Some raised concerns that the goal of the conflict was deep, as coach Kang said, “(After the expulsion of the first team) I did not meet the player.” Director Kang, who started evolving by saying, “I hope it won’t be over-interpreted,” said recently, “There’s no such thing as reflection. I don’t want to put meaning to things like reflection and forgiveness.”

The awkward atmosphere turned into a thawing mood at the All-Star Game. Park Kun-woo, who was selected as one of the Dream All-Stars’ Best 12, said before the game, “I met the manager and talked to him a little earlier.” According to a team official, Park Kun-woo and manager Kang In-kwon had a conversation on the 7th at the Samsung match in Changwon (cancelled in rain). “It’s a conversation with the director, so I don’t have anything else to say,” he said sparingly, but it was a part where I felt that something had changed.

Park Gun-woo, who had a dark expression even before the event or entering the ground before the game, seemed to regain his smile during the game. After two deaths at the end of the first inning, Park Kun-woo, who survived with a left-handed hit, celebrated with a fist bump with coach Kang, who was out as a first base coach. Director Kang also greeted Park Kun-woo with applause. Park Gun-woo bowed at a 90-degree angle to director Kang, who was accepting the protective equipment. The two smiled lightly.

Sharing All-Star Park Gun-woo (left) delivers equipment to first base coach Kang In-kwon (NC) after getting a hit in the bottom of the 1st inning at the 2023 KBO All-Star Game held at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on the 15th.

Sharing All-Star Park Kun-woo (right) delivers equipment while bowing his head 90 degrees to first base coach Kang In-kwon (NC) after getting a hit in the bottom of the 1st inning at the 2023 KBO All-Star Game held at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on the 15th.
Park Gun-woo, who survived with a hit in the 4th inning, received applause from director Kang once again. It was a part where you could see that the distance between the two people who had been growing apart had narrowed to some extent.

As a result, Park Gun-woo, who seemed uncertain, seems to be able to make a quick comeback. He could already be registered for the first team on the 13th, but coach Kang decided to finish the first half without Park Kun-woo. NC pulled out a whopping 24 points in two games in the last series with Lotte, raising the stagnant sense of hitting. If Park Gun-woo joins the team, the good performance of the early season can be reproduced again.

Coach Kang said on the 11th, “(Park Kun-woo) is being reported to Futures coaches.” At the time, he explained the call-up criteria, saying, “We are also receiving reports on the attitude toward training.”

The NC 1st team players start training immediately from the 16th, the day after the All-Star Game. It was Park Gun-woo, who was uncertain whether he would join the first team during the All-Star break, but in this atmosphere, an early call-up in the second half along with participation in training is not an impossible scenario.