SEOUL, Nov. 5 (Yonhap) -- Seeking a turnaround amid his second-half swoon in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), Samsung Lions pitcher Yang Chang-seop changed his walk-up song to "Crazy Train," the first solo single by Ozzy Osbourne in 1980 following his departure from the heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath.
Yang said he had not always been a fan of heavy metal but he fell in love with the iconic opening riff of the song that remains a staple across sports stadiums in North America.
"It just sounds perfect for a walk-up song," Yang said Wednesday before Game 2 of the Korean Series against the KT Wiz. "I think my taste is changing. I now listen to some heavy stuff before games. They get me all fired up and get my adrenaline flowing."
Samsung Lions reliever Yang Chang-seop pitches against the KT Wiz during Game 1 of the Korean Series at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on Nov. 3, 2026. (Yonhap)
Samsung Lions reliever Yang Chang-seop pitches against the KT Wiz during Game 1 of the Korean Series at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on Nov. 3, 2026. (Yonhap)
Yang, 27, said he got a heavy dose of adrenaline rush Tuesday, as he made his Korean Series debut as the first pitcher out of the bullpen in the opening game at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, just south of Seoul.
He pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings and struck out two batters, but he also issued four walks as the Lions lost 8-7.
It was Yang's first game since his final regular-season appearance on Oct. 12. He did not pitch once during the Lions' five-game victory over the Kia Tigers in the previous postseason round.
"It was tough pitching after such a long layoff," Yang admitted. "I did not have good command of my pitches. I would have preferred to give up hits. I was not happy with all those walks. But now I know what I need to work on moving forward and I will try to fix my problems before my next outing."
As hard as Yang was on himself, his manager Park Jin-man said after the game he liked what he saw from the right-hander. The Lions' starter of Tuesday's game, Choi Won-tae, was shelled for five runs on five hits in only two innings of work, prompting Park to remove him from the rotation for the rest of the Korean Series.
Park said he will consider starting Yang when Choi's turn in the rotation comes up next, likely in Game 5 scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday.
"I will be so honored if I get a chance to start," Yang said. "Whenever I watched Korean Series games growing up, I kept telling myself I wanted to be out there myself. If I get that opportunity, I will try to compete and make my pitches with a sense of pride."
Samsung Lions pitcher Yang Chang-seop listens to a reporter's question before Game 2 of the Korean Series at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on Nov. 4, 2026. (Yonhap)
Samsung Lions pitcher Yang Chang-seop listens to a reporter's question before Game 2 of the Korean Series at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on Nov. 4, 2026. (Yonhap)
During his decorated amateur career that included two consecutive MVP awards at one of the top national high school tournaments, Yang pitched in several championship finals.
The No. 2 overall pick from the 2017 draft said the Korean Series has been a far different experience compared to his amateur days.
"This is professional baseball and we get paid to do this," Yang said. "I think we all have to live up to our contracts with our performances and earn our keep."
For the first half of this regular season, it could be argued that Yang more than earned his keep and might even have been a bargain at his annual salary of 85 million won (US$63,370). He had a perfect 7-0 record with a 4.26 ERA in 11 starts and three relief outings. He even tossed a one-hit shutout on May 24 against the Lotte Giants -- one of just four complete game shutouts in the entire KBO this season.
However, in 15 games in the second half, Yang only posted a 6.40 ERA. He was moved to the bullpen in August and has stayed there since.
Yang attributed the downfall to mental issues. As a starter, Yang said he was not stressing over allowing a run or two, because all he wanted to do was to eat up innings. As a reliever, though, he said he found himself trying too hard not to give up anything, which ended up backfiring on him.
Yang said not all was lost from his second-half woes.
"I am trying to look at it as a glass half full. I will try to use that experience as a stepping stone to become an even better pitcher," he said. "The problems I experienced forced me to work even harder and I have been able to stay resilient."