He rose to the batting title, but suffered the worst slump in the next two seasons. Korean age forty-one. There were many sarcasm about whether it was time to prepare for retirement. In a situation where key hitters left one after another, the command tower expressed expectations for Choi Hyung-woo (40, KIA Tigers), a veteran of the war, and he perfectly repaid coach Kim Jong-guk’s trust.
Choi Hyung-woo started as the designated hitter in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League home game against the Doosan Bears at KIA-Champions Field in Gwangju on the 8th and hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the 5th inning. The pitchers were shaken, but Ko Jong-wook’s finishing hit came out and eventually won 7-6.
Choi Hyung-woo, who could not operate the cannon in the demonstration game, tasted the thrill of a home run in four games after the opening.
Outfielder Na Seong-beom, who participated in the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) as a national team member, missed the opening entry due to a calf injury, and infielder Kim Do-young suffered a toe fracture and is inevitably out of action for more than four months. Kim Sun-bin’s ankle is also in a situation where it is not normal. The weight of the line has been significantly reduced.
Manager Kim Jong-guk said, “There may be a break for the fielders, but the third base without (Kim) Do-young is (Ryu) Ji-hyuk, who played last year’s starting pitcher, or (Byeon) Woo-hyuk, and (B) Seong-beom, the center batting line is (Choi). I wonder if Hyung-woo, Woo-hyuk, Socrates, and Dae-in should exert more strength.”
Choi Hyung-woo, who has built a brilliant career for 20 years, showed off his strength by performing an incredible performance for his age in 2020 with a batting average of 0.354, 28 homers, 115 RBIs, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 1.023.
But after two seasons, it suffered ups and downs. In 2021, he had a batting average of 0.233 and 12 homers, and last year his batting average slightly increased to 0.264, but with 14 homers and 71 RBIs, he still fell short of expectations. He boasts a career OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.936, but only 0.729 yen and 0.787 yen over the past two seasons. The ‘Ace’ aspect has disappeared. It even raised the possibility of his retirement.
It seemed difficult to have high expectations. He has had a bad start this season as well. He went 0-for-4 in his opener against SSG Landers. The next day he had to start off the bench. He hit two RBIs and timely hits with a pinch hit, but was silent again with no hits in four at bats against Doosan on the 6th.
On this day, he went to base with a hit ball in the first inning and withdrew with a floating ball to the third baseman in the third inning. However, he played his part in the third at-bat after following a run in the bottom of the 5th when the team was trailing 2-4. Hyung-Woo Choi, who was at bat with 1 company and 1st base, hit a 135km/h fastball driven into the middle of Doosan starter Won-Jun Choi, and hit a 120m superior turnaround two-run gun.
After the game, coach Kim Jong-guk couldn’t hide a happy smile, saying, “Socrates and Choi Hyung-woo led the game by hitting home runs in the center line.”
Choi Hyeong-woo said, “(The opponent) is a pitcher with a good ball, so I hit the hitting point behind me in the previous at-bat, but the timing was delayed, so I got a bad ball.” It seems,” he recalled the home run situation.
Choi Hyung-woo, who only played 19 games last year as an outfielder, put effort into field training and defense training ahead of this season. Director Kim Jong-guk said it was a decision in case of an “emergency situation” such as an injury.
On this day, he came out as a designated hitter, but the day before, he started as a left fielder. Will there be any physical ups and downs? He said, “I prepared well in the off-season and am in good shape for the game.”
It is an important season for me personally.메이저놀이터 Hyung-Woo Choi added 2 RBIs that day and scored his 1465th RBI in his personal career. It is one step closer to the record (1,498) that Doosan Bears coach Lee Seung-yeop holds for first place in this category. It is a record that I have been greedy for since before, and it is a record that can be achieved enough if there are no injuries this season.
Of course, the premise that a minimum score comes out follows. Choi Hyeong-woo said, “The hitting feeling is not very good, but I think it will get better as I get good hits and hits.”