Exhibition Opener: Crushing the Wiz and Cementing Starters

In spring camp, growth was the priority, but exhibition games were when we truly decided on the starters we'd entrust with the 2015 season. That meant the players' determination and passion ramped up big time. Established starters were safe and sound, but those fighting for spots were in a blood-pressure-spiking stretch.

On our team, the only locks for everyday roles were first baseman Park Byung-hyun, second baseman Seo Geon-cheol, catcher Park Won-dong, and outfielders Yoo Jun-han and Lee Geun-taek. Everyone ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠else was locked in an endless competition. Shortstop Kim Seong-ha looked like a near-lock, but third base would be a season-long battle between Yoon Min-seok and Kim Seong-min. Kim Su-ji, Seo Dong-hun, and Yoo Jae-sin could handle any infield spot, ready for backup duty anytime. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠The real headache was the outfield.

We had too much talent stacked up. Kang Hyun-jun, Kim Kang-jun, Park Do-heon, Im Byung-yoon, Go Jong-hoon—five guys waiting in the wings. Throw in foreign slugger Snyder, and our depth was insane. That's why we could trade Lee Woo-ram without a second thought.

I was second-guessing putting Kang Hyun-jun in the outfield instead of third during spring camp. I hadn't predicted our outfielders would level up this much. So, my plan was to shift Kim Kang-jun to the infield. With his elite plate vision, maybe he'd thrive on agile defense? For now, with his outfield skills still raw, using him as DH while training defense made sense. Kang Hyun-jun's outfield glove was already superior.

Our first exhibition foe was the expansion Suwon Wiz, now making ten teams total. We wouldn't know their big-league readiness until we saw it in action.

I built it around power hitters over speed demons. Neither our Heroes nor the Wiz drew huge crowds, so the stands were sparse. A shame for last year's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠second-place team, but consistent wins would change that soon enough.

The Wiz starter was Oxspring, a late-140s km/h guy with a deep arsenal of breaking stuff. He'd logged years with Seoul Twins and Busan Giants, so he was familiar.

Our ace, Van Hekken, cruised through the first with steady pitching.

Bottom of the first, our bats came alive. Kim Kang-jun took a deep breath stepping in—exhibition or not, first crowd meant nerves. His elite eye shines in calm zones, not tension; I worried he'd swing wild.

Sure enough, he whiffed on three straight. Head down, he trudged back. I called out encouragement.

"Nerves end here, right? Nail it next time."

"Yes, sir!"

"And quit staring at the dirt coming off. What, you commit murder?"

"Got it!"

Chewing out hitless bats poisons the next at-bat. Hitting .300 is elite—that means failing two-thirds of plates. I always preached swagger; baseball's a mental marathon.

Next, #2 Kim Seong-ha—fearless vet with big-league reps—smashed a clean single off Oxspring's four-seamer.

#3 Seo Geon-cheol knew Oxspring well, eyed him down, and ripped a double with his funky swing. He'd snagged league MVP last year with single-season hits and runs records. Still don't get how that form works, but it clicks for him—no need to fix it.

Runners on second and third for cleanup Park Byung-hyun. Oxspring dodged, pitching around him with the bag open—smart against our hot slugger. Byung-hyun looked pissed, but it was intentional.

Snyder snorted stepping up—skipping ahead to face him stung. But he just flied to the outfield. Still, Kim Seong-ha and Seo Geon-cheol tagged up for two runs, loading bases with two outs.

Oxspring's jam wasn't over—#6 Yoo Jun-han, another bomber. Wiz pitched carefully, not fully avoiding like with Byung-hyun. Bait ball territory: whiff for the out, walk's no biggie.

Vet Yoo Jun-han read it, laid off the junk, drew the free pass. Bases loaded, two down for #7 Yoon Min-seok—prime shot to seize third base over Kim Seong-min.

He delivered, uppercutting a liner.

Crack!!

The rip echoed. Sparse crowd made it sharper. Our home, Mokdong Baseball Stadium, was small and homer-friendly—that's why I stacked power.

The ball rocketed over the wall. Grand slam on his first hack!

"Raaargh!!" Yoon roared circling the bases—a fuck-you to skipping Yoo for him. Wiz couldn't complain; walking someone to face you burns.

Our bombers exploded early, Van Hekken held firm—7-0 through four.

Top five, I yanked him. Exhibition rules: test fresh arms over a polished vet.

New arm: Choi Tae-won. Spring starter flop, but bullpen warmup could earn rotation nods—or a 2G demotion.

Score cushion meant no sweat.

Shuffled D too: Yoon out at third for Kim Seong-min. Yoo Jun-han yanked from center for Go Jong-hoon; Lee Geun-taek from right for Kang Hyun-jun.

New guys' eyes blazed—prove-it mode. Pure competition sharpens skills, accelerates growth. Love it.

Fired up? Choi Tae-won blanked the frame, handed off ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠clean.

Subs brought fire on D, at bats, bases—felt late entry meant starter snub. True, but close enough; no need to say. Misunderstanding sparked synergy.

We demolished Suwon Wiz 13-2, killer exhibition start.

Rode the momentum to 10-4 overall. Could've padded if maxed out, but even finale tested starters. Still dominated.