The Lotte-Keum game in Busan on the 23rd was a noisy affair.
A day earlier, on the 22nd, there was also a controversial call in the Samsung-KT game in Daegu. However, no one was convinced, so it went quietly.
The situation was this.
Leading 2-1, KT batted in the top of the seventh inning.
With runners on first and second, Kim Sang-soo stumbled backwards in surprise at a 142-kilometre fastball from Kim Tae-hoon at 2B1S. He narrowly avoided a major accident by sweeping backwards.
The umpires called it a body ball. Kim Sang-soo reached first base, scoring the second run.
The umpires deliberated for two to three minutes before deciding to call the call. KT manager Lee Kang-cheol and Samsung manager Park Jin-man met with the umpires one by one. Umpire Lee Min-ho said, “It was a body ball. KT asked for confirmation that the ball did not hit the helmet, and it turned out to be a changeup, so there was no headshot ejection.”바카라사이트
The next day, on the 23rd, we conducted an interview to understand the situation.
KT Wiz manager Lee Kang-cheol checking the headshot. SPOTV2 broadcast screen
Samsung Park Jin-man asks whether it was a video review or a consensus of the referees. SPOTV2 replay
“At the time, I thought it was a headshot and asked if it was a headshot. The players in the dugout said that there was a sound, so I thought it was a helmet, but when I looked at the screen after the game, I saw that it was not. Even Kim Sang-soo was puzzled that he didn’t get hit.”
Samsung coach Park Jin-man said, “I asked if it was a video review or a consensus call. When I heard the sound, I immediately thought it was a hit.”
Both dugout managers and players were confused. Umpires can be confused, too. There were even multiple witnesses who said they heard the sound at that moment.
However, it is unfortunate that the call was ultimately overturned, even though there was plenty of time to check.
The video review process is carried out at the request of the managers of the two clubs, but it is important that the footage is available and can be used quickly in situations like this. The most valuable thing is not a rigid system, but an accurate call.
Samsung’s Kim Tae-hoon pitches against the KT 22s. Photo: Samsung Lions
Kim struck out Alford with the bases loaded to end the inning. Samsung scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to turn the game around and win 5-2. If Alford had given up a run-scoring single, it would have been a fatal blow for Samsung. The seventh inning could have been a tough one. The dizzying moment when they could have been swept in the first three games of the second half passed quietly.