Park Kyung-Oan, International “Drop-Knee” Master
March 16, 2009I’m still digging the WBC. There was a whole lot of cool stuff to see in the Korea – Mexico matchup last night. For me, the best part was watching the Korean catcher, Park Kyung-Oan do his thing. This guy can really catch. He’s a bit older (36) but is very active, moves well, and is very entertaining to watch. Other than a lot of glove movement as the pitch is coming (which I’m not too in to), his receiving technique and glove mechanics are very solid. Check him out the next time they’re on.
By far the best thing Park does though is his “drop-knee” technique. What? You don’t know what the “drop-knee” approach is?!!! How many times do I have to tell you to buy my book “The Art of Catching”? Stop reading now and go back to the main page of the website and buy the book now. Buy one for you and one for your best friend. When you’re done you can come back and finish reading.
Did you do it? Good. Thank you for your business. So I was saying about Park’s drop-knee approach….even though I think he does it a bit much (just about every pitch), he does it the right way. I wonder if he read my book? Maybe they got Kansas City Royal games in Korea! I’m not saying he ripped off my style, but…..the Drop Knee technique has definitely gone international! If you’re a kid or coach make sure to watch the next game that they play so that you can see the proper way to do it and then add it to your catching repertoire.
Unfortunately I forgot to take a photo of him, but here’s an image of Park Kyung-Oan hitting. Yep, he’s definitely a catcher alright. Thank God he can play the D.
Nice pic. Thats a jam sandwich on Texas toast.
Nice blog here Brent.
Wondering what you think of Dr.Mike Marshall and his pitching academy down in Florida? He had 111 appearnces one year but claims he could go 162 with his maxline techniques. I guess he had a pitcher that was with the Drays but claims the mlb has him blackballed? He has some cool stuff on youtube.
I checked out the Marshall’s stuff on YouTube. Interesting. I love that “outside the box” thinking. Is it effective? I’ve got no idea. As a side note…I think it would be cool to see Tom House and Mike Marshall go toe to toe in a 12 round boxing match.
What do you think about the WBC? It’s been getting alot of bad press…”USA loses and country shrugs it’s shoulders” and negative reaction around the country “waste of time” “players get injured before the REAL games are played” etc…Should the pros be playing?? Should it be like the old Olympics, and only minor leaguers (I know they are still pros) be allowed to play? Money seems to be the determining factor….will fans come to support minor leaguers? Should a team be able to control the fate of a player? “Sorry Pal, but I pay you $30,000,000 a year to play for me, not them” Has the US lost all pride, in it’s pastime?
The US hasn’t lost pride in it’s pastime; it’s our National Pastime, not our international pastime. Can we keep something for ourselves, we send teams to international competitions on all levels. Our major league season is what is important to us, is that a crime or lack of patriotism? How about after the World Series the team from each country that wins it’s professional world series plays in a tournament for all the marbles, when our guys are at the peak of their game and timing?
I like you’re lust for the defensive Royce, but they were just posed as questions. I’d be hard pressed to find a team without foriegn players…and albeit named after a newspaper, it is still called the World Series. I don’t think the people of Seattle are pissed that Ichiro signed with them, or an Ortiz, Pudge, KROD, etc. It’s a big part of the game now and winning sells tickets. Just like Jackie Robinson or Curt Flood, the game has now changed this way. I just think the US should give a crap about losing. We’re number 1, remember? It just seems to me that an Olympic type of a tournament should garner the same enthusiasm as a “Phelps wins the 200″, because it is the national pastime.
They do give a crap, the timing of the tournament is terrible for the major league player…has your body ever experiened 140 to 160 games in 200 days?
That’s why I posed the question….headlines like “US loses and country shruggs shoulders” tells me that people don’t care about that tournement…I don’t live in the states anymore, so I asked a question, about the feeling around the nation
I bought your book at your son’s school gift shop.
Hey Brent, thanks for getting a book. With a name like that, you’ve no doubt got great taste.
Yeah,its cool having the same name.Do you Shigetoshi Hasegawa?He played on the Angels/Mariners.His was on our travel ball team!