SEOUL, The catcher is widely considered the most demanding position in baseball, and the level of difficulty goes up a notch or two in the postseason.

From behind the plate, catchers have to help pitchers navigate opposing lineups game in and game out, as they map out attacking plans together. And some catchers are also asked to contribute with their bats.

For the KT Wiz this fall, Jang Sung-woo has been just the type of all-around catcher that championship teams need. Two games into the Korean Series against the LG Twins, the 33-year-old is leading the team with three RBIs and is tied for the lead with three hits. One of those was a two-run double in the first inning of Game 2 on Wednesday.

Jang Sung-woo of the KT Wiz celebrates his two-run double against the LG Twins during the top of the first inning of Game 2 of the Korean Series at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Nov. 8, 2023.

Jang also threw out the speedy Shin Min-jae attempting to steal second base in that game. The backstop has drawn praise from his coaching staff all postseason for his game-calling chops, especially after the Wiz's 3-2 win in Game 1. Starter Ko Young-pyo went six innings of two-run ball despite regular season woes against the Twins.

In a media scrum before Game 2 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, Jang said constant praise and positive feedback from his coaches help him get through the grind of the postseason.

"They are always positive with me. And they mostly leave it up to me to work with the pitchers, because I know those guys the best," Jang said. "And that gives me a strong sense of responsibility and drives me to do better. And our pitchers aren't easily rattled in big games like these. They deserve a lot of credit too."

When the Wiz won their first Korean Series title in 2021, Jang batted .250 (4-for-16) with a double and had four RBIs, tied for the second-highest total on the Wiz in their four-game sweep of the Doosan Bears. Jang also worked some magic with his starters from behind the dish, as the Wiz became the first club to have four starters each win a game in a Korean Series sweep. They gave up four runs in 24 1/3 innings for a sparkling 1.48 ERA.

Jang said the key to his game calling is to figure out early whether to rely on his pitchers' strengths or exploit opposing hitters' weaknesses.

Source: Yonhap News Agency