Professional baseball Lotte Giants started full-scale training in Ishigaki, Japan, the training ground for the second spring camp. Lotte plans to enhance its sense of practice in preparation for the opening of the 2023 season through field training in Ishigaki and the main island of Okinawa, as well as practice matches with Korean and Japanese professional baseball teams.
On the morning of the 20th, 31 Lotte players and coaches headed for Ishigaki via Okinawa, Japan from Incheon International Airport. After arriving in Ishigaki in the afternoon, I took a break without training. Lotte foreign pitchers Dan Strayley and Charlie Barnes, and outfielder Jack Rex arrived in Ishigaki on the 21st, a day later than the main team.
On the morning of the 21st, Lotte players wore their home uniforms at Ishigaki Municipal Baseball Field and started training by dividing them into pitchers and fielders. This season, 10 pitchers, including pitching team leader Koo Seung-min, who joined from the Ishigaki camp, improved their condition by pitching in the bullpen. After pitching in the bullpen, the pitching team went through conditioning training and weight training to prepare for the actual game. Field team players checked their condition by doing bunt training, T-ball batting training, and bunt shift training. 안전놀이터
Lotte plans to check its strength for the 2023 season through actual matches while staying in Ishigaki and the main island of Okinawa. The first game is against the 2nd division of Chiba Lotte of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), which will be held on the 22nd. Lotte will play two games against Chiba Lotte’s 2nd team in Ishigaki.
In the match against Chiba Lotte, Lotte coach Larry Sutton is expected to select the best players to play in each position this season. Coach Sutton formed a list of participating players for this spring camp, focusing on players who will participate in actual matches rather than practicing skills. Coach Sutton returned 15 of the 47 players who participated in the first spring camp to Korea.
Lotte will move to the main island of Okinawa on the 27th. Lotte plans to play six practice matches against KBO League Samsung Lions, SSG Landers, Hanwha Eagles, and KIA Tigers in Gushikawa, Okinawa’s main island.