“It was as joyful as a home run.”
The KIA Tigers celebrated a 7-6 victory against the Samsung Lions in Daegu on the 23rd. There was a player who made a decisive contribution comparable to Kim Do-young, who hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the 8th inning with the score tied at 4-4. The protagonist was outfielder Oh Sun-woo.
In the 7th inning with one out and runners on first and third, tied at 4-4, Oh caught Kim Sung-yoon’s pop-up and made a perfect throw to stop Lee Jae-hyun’s home plate advance. After the game, manager Lee Beom-ho praised him, saying, “Oh Sun-woo’s home plate assist played a critical role in turning the game around.” Meeting with reporters ahead of the game on the 24th, Oh Sun-woo smiled brightly and said, “It was as joyful as a home run” regarding his home plate assist.
Oh Sun-woo has played in 30 games this season, recording a batting average of .316 (30 hits in 95 at-bats), 3 home runs, 13 RBIs, 17 runs, and an OPS of .830. He said, “After playing about a month in the first team, I feel that I can’t keep performing well. I’m learning the know-how to maintain good condition from the veterans. Even if I can’t achieve good results offensively, I want to help defensively.”
Having risen as the league’s best hitter after years of perseverance, ‘living legend’ Choi Hyung-woo (outfielder) does not hold back on giving advice to Oh Sun-woo. Oh noted, “Hyung-woo sunbae often shares a lot of good advice. Yesterday, I batted fifth, and he told me, ‘While it’s good for the fifth batter to get many hits, it’s important to come through when the opportunity arises.’”
As he performs on the long-desired first team stage, he is keenly sensing the importance of physical management. He emphasized, “Even though we are playing the same baseball, I feel exhausted after the game. The concentration difference between the first and second teams is very large. A single small mistake can determine the outcome, so we can’t afford to leave any openings.”
Also, he mentioned, “Even though I eat a lot, I lose weight. After games, I lose about 1 to 2 kg. I’m pondering how to resolve this issue,” adding, “When I feel weak, my bat feels heavy. Since the three-game series against KT, I’ve been using a lighter bat.”
Oh Sun-woo’s performance serves as great encouragement to Future players. There is also a significant sense of responsibility to perform better. He said, “When I was the Future team captain, I often told players moving up to the first team, ‘You guys need to perform well for future players to get their chances.’ So, I have a very strong sense of responsibility. I need to perform well to create more opportunities for Future players.”
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