The 2024 season was truly an eventful year for Lotte catcher Yoo Kang-nam. Ahead of the opening of the 2024 season, the automatic pitching system was introduced. It was unwelcome news for Yoo Kang-nam, who boasts of his strong framing. Yoo Kang-nam, who was nicknamed "Geumgang Bul-bul-bul-go" due to his strong physical condition, went to the operating table for the first time last year. Since mid-June, he had to lose his power due to a bad groin behind his left knee, and underwent a suture surgery for the internal meniscal cartilage in his left knee in mid-July.스포츠토토

It was a season in which all of Yoo Kang-nam's strengths disappeared.

After the surgery, Yoo Kang-nam was desperate. He managed his weight through rehabilitation and started the spring camp by losing 13 kilograms. It was not easy to lose double-digit weight, but it was the result of consistent exercise and diet management.

Yoo Kang-nam, who is now preparing to open the season in Miyazaki, Japan, the second spring camp site, said, "The pain cannot disappear 100 percent completely. This is an adjustment period, and it's something I have to overcome," adding, "I'm improving my condition by doing additional muscle exercises little by little."

"I decided to forget about the past year," Yoo said. "It was the first time in my life that I underwent surgery due to an injury in the middle of the season. However, it has already happened. I was upset, but it is a natural responsibility as a professional player to come up with countermeasures. I thought a lot about how I should prepare for that."

I have a lot of regrets about ABS, but it is something I have to adapt to. "Framing is a technique that I have developed through hard work since I was a child. I was disappointed when the result of constant efforts for my strengths disappeared at once," he said. "That doesn't mean I can't oppose the introduction. It is right to focus on other parts and make efforts."

Yoo Kang-nam came up with ways to increase his value again as a catcher. Besides framing, Yoo Kang-nam has many advantages.

The first thing that should be noted is the blocking of stolen bases. Yoo Kang-nam had a stealing percentage of 0.220 during the 2023 season. He was the fifth catcher to have played more than 100 games.

Yoo Kang-nam said, "Among the virtues that a catcher should possess, stealing bases is considered a yardstick for evaluating his skills. Last season, he had a good blocking rate in the beginning. I will supplement those areas."

There is also virtue that cannot be recorded. It creates an atmosphere where pitchers can throw their own balls comfortably on the mound. This is one of the advantages that Yoo Kang-nam has.

"It's a part that gets better depending on how much effort you make behind you," he said. "I think if you try and build trust in that part, you will feel proud and accomplished personally. In fact, I personally feel the best about that part after the season is over."

There are already pitchers who want to work well together from the camp. In particular, rookie pitchers are raising expectations. Yoo Kang-nam said, "I haven't received the ball yet, but rookies Kim Tae-hyun and Park Se-hyun are good at throwing. I even thought, 'What is this guy?'" adding, "I hope Lee Min-seok and Kim Jin-wook do well, too. Park Joon-woo has improved a lot."

In addition to his role as a catcher, he will also recover his role as a batter. When it comes to batting, he starts at "zero base." "I set my goal for the first time last season, but I was rather chased by it," Yoo said. "I decided not to set my goal and want to improve my performance every season. I will keep it simple."

Lotte manager Kim Tae-hyung has chosen Yoo Kang-nam as his starting catcher since the end of last season. "I felt very sorry for not being able to achieve a good result last year," Yoo said. "Now that the new season has come again, I want to tell you that we will make a season where we can make up for it and do well."