San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin, who connected 51 times with 51 times in the past, spoke about the meeting between the two.
In an interview after the Cactus League away game against the Seattle Mariners at Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Arizona, on the 11th (Korea time), Melvin talked about the meeting at the clubhouse before the game.
Melvin specifically brought outfielder Lee Jung-hoo to the team’s away game against Seattle. He now works as an assistant for the Mariners owner to meet Ichiro Suzuki, who he worked with as a Seattle manager.
“It was a great moment,” Malvin said, explaining that he had been preparing for the meeting for a long time. “It was nice to have Ichiro come and talk to him in person,” he said, thanking Ichiro for giving time to the opponent.
Ichiro even visited the Seattle dugout during the game. He had one hit and one strikeout from three times at bat while Lee Jung-hoo was watching.
“Lee Jung-hoo was probably a little nervous in the first two innings, because Ichiro was watching from the opposing team’s dugout,” Melvin said
Lee Jung-hoo said he had prepared a question, but he forgot everything because he had Ichiro. Instead, he seems to have asked about preparation for the game and pride in wearing the number 51. Regarding how Lee Jung-hoo felt about meeting his idol, he said, “It was a good conversation, and I think Lee Jung-hoo received the message well.”
As Melvin said, Lee Jung-hoo stepped down with a strikeout and a fly ball to left field in the first two at-bats, but he had a heavy hit against left-hander Taylor Socido in the fifth inning.
Melvin praised Lee’s performance, saying, “I had a hit against a struggling left-hander. I think there was a sense of stability as the game progressed. He looked a little nervous in the beginning, but we forgot how much game he experienced and how successful he was.” 와이즈토토
San Francisco lost the game 3-8. Starting pitcher Tommy Romero was sluggish, allowing six runs in 1 2/3 innings, but then pitchers Carson Seymour, Juan Sanchez and Nick Avila went two innings each.
Melvin said, “Seymour looked great. He hit the low course well with a sinker and he hit the high course well. He had a good curveball, too. Sanchez had a good season last year and he is adjusting well to this camp. Good changeups and fastballs go well together. He praised the pitchers, saying, “This is another player I have been keeping an eye on this camp.”
As for shortstop Marco Luciano, who has had no hit in three times at bat and a batting average of 0.059, he said, “My speed is a little slow. I just want to watch the ball now. It’s nice to see you focus on watching the ball without rushing even if you’re a little late.”