The man behind the dramatic reversal of his batting average
The man behind the dramatic reversal of his batting average
“I wanted to show, I wanted to do well, I wanted to make sure I stayed in the first team for all 144 games.”
The master’s determination is sometimes quick and sometimes unexpectedly patient. But his decisions are decisive. There is no hesitation.
That’s why the 2024 Giant Legion has a lot of ups and downs in the first and second divisions, as well as a lot of injuries. From captain Jeon Joon-woo to co-captain Yoo Kang-nam, the main players are constantly moving in and out of the second team.
Aside from foreign players, there are two batters who have been trusted by coach Kim Tae-hyung since the beginning of the season and have never been dropped from the first team. They are Yoon Dong-hee in the outfield and Park Seung-wook in the infield.
However, their positions are completely different.
Yoon Dong-hee is a hitter that Kim Tae-hyung nailed down as the backbone of the team before the season, along with Jeon Jun-woo and Yoo Kang-nam.
Park Seung-wook, 안전놀이터 on the other hand, is a player who started as a utility player at the beginning of each season and has been able to secure a spot in the main infield. He has also experienced the heartbreak of being released, so he doesn’t get frustrated easily. He has a wife and child, and he gets back on his feet.
Last year, he reached a career high after 12 years since his professional debut in 2012. He batted .733 with an OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) of .733. His 123 games played and 290 at-bats were also career highs.
So his early season slump hurt. By April, he was batting just 1-for-7 with a .567 OPS. He was only getting on base a handful of times. I was in a rush and my defense wasn’t working as well as I wanted it to.
But May was a different story. In May, he went 3-for-4, and in June, he went 3-for-6. His OPS for the month of June is now over .900.
Park’s performance in the second game of the doubleheader against the SSG Landers on June 9 also shined. He went 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI, including the game-winning hit that tied the game at 2-2.
“I had two pitches, both of which were foul balls,” Park said after the game. I was worried, ‘Will I react late because it’s a doubleheader?’ But I didn’t miss the next pitch,” he smiled.
He is the only one who knows that there is no first-team roster spot.
“I always prepared hard to repay the coach’s faith in me,” Park said.
“Honestly, I was feeling chased because the results weren’t coming. I wanted to watch the game as long as possible. I prepared well without being impatient, and as a result, I’m happy that I’m climbing back up. Every match I think I’m playing and I try to be in perfect condition.”
There are also many who see last year’s Career High as a ‘flash in the pan’. That’s exactly what was said about Park Seung-wook when he struggled at the beginning of the season. “I wanted to show it, I wanted to do it,” Park recalls telling himself.
“The evaluation is after the season, right? Let’s not worry about it now. Let’s see after 144 games. I’ll stay in the first team for the whole season, and then they’ll recognize me. That’s what I was thinking.”
This season, Park has been bouncing back and forth between second base and third base. “I’m always grateful for the fact that I get to play,” Park said with a smile.
In his first year with Lotte, he was a lone wolf.
Since last year, he has been living in Busan with his wife and child, and his performance has been improving. His family is his blessing.
“They really help me. Whenever things don’t go well, my wife helps me. The food is delicious, especially the soup she cooks for me. When I receive that, I feel very strong.”
Lotte is still in eighth place, but the squad is energized. 바카라사이트 “It’s definitely changed,” says Park Seung-wook. We’re winning one- and two-point games, and that gives us confidence.” ”The younger players (Hwang Sung-bin, Go Seung-min, Na Seung-yup, Yoon Dong-hee) are doing a good job. They don’t have much experience yet, but I hope they can overcome it,” he added.