Jason Martin (28), NC’s new foreign hitter, showed off his sluggish performance in the final game of the exhibition game and finally showed off a fierce swing. He cited the advice of Dinos one-club man Park Min-woo (30) as a factor that helped him survive the tough times.
Martin started as center fielder 4 times in the final match against KT Wiz in the 2023 KBO League held at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 28th, and led the team to a 3-2 victory with 2 hits and 2 RBIs in 3 at-bats.
Martin, who was in a slump with a batting average of 4.5 leagues (1 hit in 22 at-bats) before the game. In the first inning, when the score was 0-0, he hit a sacrifice fly with 1 out, 1st and 3rd base, and after 2 outs in the 3rd inning, where he was leading 1-0, he aimed for the first ball of exclusion and connected it with a heavy hit. The bat broke, but the ball passed through the infield with power. It was the second hit in an exhibition game after 5 games since the match against Kiwoom on the 21st. Afterwards, Martin appeared from 2 out 1st and 2nd base in the 5th inning with a 1-0 lead, hit 1 RBI and 2 bases against changed pitcher Son Dong-hyun, and even made his first multi-hit in the demonstration game.
Martin, who we met after the game, said, “During the demonstration game, (hitting) didn’t go the way I wanted, so I had a hard time, but I still got two hits today. His heart has become a little lighter, and I think he can start the regular season well,” he smiled brightly.
Martin is a proven giant who tied for first place in home runs (32) in the US Minor League Triple-A Pacific Coast League last year. He also has a rich career of 85 major league games and 849 minor league games. However, prior to this day, he played in 8 exhibition games and had only one hit while digesting 26 at-bats. His record was 1-for-22 with 1 RBI, 4 walks and 10 strikeouts. His batting average dropped to a whopping 4 pun 5 li, destroying his self-esteem.
what was the problem Martin said, “The American pitcher takes a smooth pitching motion in one motion, while the Korean pitcher has a stopping motion or slows down and then suddenly changes the speed at the end of the delivery. Also, in the U.S., he started the regular season with twice as many at-bats as in Korean demonstration games. There were fewer at-bats than in the United States, but I was fully prepared.”
However, there was no psychological anxiety during the demonstration game. The exhibition match is just practice. Martin said, “I came to the plate with the idea of adapting to a new season and a new league rather than feeling burdened or nervous. He tried to adapt quickly to the league through positive thinking,” he said. “I got used to their pitching form while watching many pitchers. The results were not good, but the process was positive.” 스포츠토토
The advice of Park Min-woo, a Dinos one-club man who signed a free agent contract for up to 14 billion won in 5+3 years last November, was also a great help. Martin said, “Park Min-woo advised me to focus on the regular season and prepare because it is just an exhibition game. He said that the demonstration game is just practice,” and thanked him, saying, “I prepared with the thought that I had to do well in the regular season by actually building my body well in the demonstration game.”
When asked how he understood Park Min-woo’s advice, he laughed, saying, “Park Min-woo’s English is definitely good, so it was easy to understand.” Martin’s interpreter, who was next to him, also said, “There is definitely a part of communication between the two players, so I did not intervene in the conversation between the two players.”
Martin, who successfully completed the final mock exam after suffering from heartache, said, “I will do my best for NC fans and NC this season. I will work hard to show everything on the ground.”