Cha Yu-ri hit a home run outside the new stadium, "I'll hit a lot to set up a net in Daejeon City."

Cha Yu-ri hit a home run outside the new stadium, "I'll hit a lot to set up a net in Daejeon City."

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Hanwha Life Insurance Ballpark in Daejeon, the new stadium of the Hanwha Eagles, has been opened to fans for its accessibility. For example, the distance between the outfield stands on the left side of the stadium, the parking lot outside and the road is closer than expected. When an off-the-shelf home run is launched, however, the Hanwha captain Chae Eun-seong changed his mind and expected more off-the-shelf home runs.

The Hanwha team held an opening ceremony of its new stadium at Hanwha Life Insurance Ballpark in Daejeon on Friday afternoon. According to the Daejeon Metropolitan Government, the ballpark, which cost 207.4 billion won (15.7 million U.S. dollars) for the project, was born as a state-of-the-art stadium with a total floor space of 58,594 square meters with 20,7 seats from the second basement to the fourth floor after three years of massive construction.먹튀검증

It is the first asymmetric stadium that Hanwha attempts in the KBO league. The team agonized a lot from the construction stage to create various attractions for fans and an environment favorable to the home team. While planning to install a double-layered bullpen session for the home team on the first floor and the away team on the second floor, the team naturally had to pull the outfield fence forward. The asymmetric ground was formed with 99 meters wide, 95 meters right, and 122 meters high throughout the center, with the bullpens and pentagonal shaped outfield fence. The shorter driving distance raised the height of the fence, and the monster wall measuring 32 meters wide, 8 meters long (7 meters high for media glass) in the right outfield was created.

Naturally, it became difficult for left-handed hitters to seek home runs, and it became difficult for right-handed hitters to push them over the fence. The height of Monster Wall would also be burdensome for right-handed hitter Chae Eun-seong, who has hit double-digit home runs for seven consecutive seasons since 2018 and has a career-high 139 home runs.

Asked by reporters about the Monster Wall before the opening ceremony, Chae said, "I haven't seen it yet (because I arrived in Korea at 9 p.m. on April 4). I will have to practice on April 6 to learn how it looks," but added, "I think it is better to hit it with a close distance (left fence) where you can hit it well than to cross it to the Monster Wall." "I will have to see who is more favorable to me."

The left outfield at Hanwha Life Ball Park in Daejeon looks relatively easy to aim for a home run as you can see buildings and roads outside the stadium from the stands on the first base side. In fact, the space between the left outfield stands and the outside parking lot is less than 10 meters, and there are concerns that citizens who are passing by may be injured or damaged when an off-the-field home run is hit.

According to an official from Hanwha, however, it will not be easy for an outdoor home run to occur. The Hanwha team explained that since the ballpark's ground is about nine meters below the flat ground, it needs a larger angle of launch than existing stadiums in order to hit an outdoor home run. Of course, since there is a possibility, the team has come up with countermeasures in case of an outdoor home run.

The Hanwha captain went even further and expected more home runs outside the stadium. When asked by reporters, Chae Eun-sung said, "I think it would be great if our players hit the ball well and flew it to the road. If all the players hit many home runs and sent them to the road, wouldn't Daejeon also set up a net there? I think it would be even better if such a situation comes out."

Chae Eun-sung's wish is also in line with this year's goal of Hanwha coach Kim Kyung-moon. According to News 1 and Newsis, upon arriving at Incheon International Airport on Monday afternoon, Kim said, "The color of Hanwha has long been the dynamite lineup. At the exhibition game, we will focus more on offense and strengthen our defense."

The new stadium, which reflected the Hanwha players' opinions, is also full of enthusiasm. "We talked a lot about locker room, indoor practice range and moving routes where players can relax before games," Chae said with a smile. "Since everyone has been in such an old facility, I was like, 'Wow' as soon as I saw it. We didn't even know where to go as it was our first time here, but we were amazed and saw this and that. Everyone liked it."

"I feel blessed to be able to play in a new stadium as a player. There is no pressure just because the facilities have improved. There is always pressure, and it is the same in any situation that requires good performance. It is better to know that good facilities have provided conditions to do better than to feel pressure. I will try my best to match that," he said.