KBO manager maintains 'glass half-full' outlook amid losing streak

Kiwoom Heroes' rookie manager Son Hyuk is an optimist by nature. Even with his Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club mired in a four-game losing skid heading into Sunday's action, Son is maintaining his "glass half-full" mindset.

"In the past two, three seasons, we had mediocre starts and then picked things up in the summer," Son noted before facing the LG Twins at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul. "As long as we stay afloat, I think we'll be just fine."

The Heroes won four consecutive games before dropping the next four, starting on Wednesday. They lost both games of the double header against the Twins on Saturday. They blew a 3-0 lead in the second game to fall 5-3.

Son, a long-time pitching coach, said managing a team has brought on a whole new level of stress, and he's only getting by because of his players.

"I think these guys are making me stronger, and I am grateful for that," Son said with a smile. "This is such a difficult job. Sometimes, things don't go quite the way I want them to, but there are also times when things go better than I expected. There is a lot more that I have to pay attention to than I thought."

Son will be without his starting center fielder Lim Byeong-wuk for up to eight weeks. Lim suffered a hamstring injury while trying to run out a bunt single in the second game of Saturday's double header.

"I thought he was going to be in for a big year, and it's really disappointing," Son said. "But I still have a lot of great players on this team. I just have to make sure I don't get too impatient in the dugout." (Yonhap)