Why did Song Seung-gi (LG Twins), who is qualified for the Rookie of the Year award and is ranked first in local earned run average and wins, say, "I have no desire for the Rookie of the Year" while waving his hand?

On April 22, left-handed pitcher Song Seung-gi of the LG Twins started in the 8th game of the season against the Doosan Bears in the 2025 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul, achieving 6 innings with 6 hits allowed (1 home run), 3 walks, 4 strikeouts, and 1 earned run, securing his 8th win of the season (4 losses). It was a valuable performance that led the team to break a 2-game losing streak and a 13-5 victory.

After the game, Song Seung-gi said, "I’m getting a little used to interviews now. But every time I feel like I’m saying the same things." He smiled and added, "From the warm-up today, my changeup was good, and (Lee) Joo-heon said he thought I could just throw changeups. So I used a lot of changeups today."

In his previous appearance on April 15 against the Hanwha Eagles, Song Seung-gi suffered a loss with 5 earned runs in 4⅓ innings. What was the issue, and what did he improve? He explained, "I should be using my fastball high, but I kept throwing low. I didn’t even realize it. Today, I threw everything high, and the batters seemed to struggle with my pitches. They didn’t make solid contact. The changeup dropping made it harder for them to hit."

If there was a flaw in the day’s game, it would be the home run hit by Kim Min-hyuk, who led off in the 5th inning. The second pitch thrown from a 0-Ball, 1-Strikes count was a high fastball at 145 km/h, which resulted in a left-field home run of 129.1 meters, marking the 6th home run allowed this season.

Song Seung-gi remarked, "It seems like the opposing batter hit it well. (Lee) Joo-heon said he was sorry for not managing the pitch selection well, but I said it was unavoidable since it was just a hit. When we met again in the 6th inning, I had to put more effort in." He laughed and added, "If they hit my good pitches, I acknowledge that they hit well. Then I quickly move on to think about the next batter."

After just one game, Song Seung-gi managed to reclaim the form of a primary starting pitcher, ranking 3rd in earned run average (2.57) and tied for 4th in wins (8). When limited to domestic players, he ranks first in both earned run average and wins. Particularly impressive was that he surpassed the national team’s right-handed pitchers Won Tae-in (2.59, Samsung Lions) and Im Chan-kyu (2.61, LG), making his accomplishment even more significant.

However, the player himself was indifferent to the records. Song Seung-gi stated, "I don’t care about individual stats anymore. The most important thing is for the team to win." He continued, "Last time, (Im) Chan-kyu hyung said he was defeating me, and we talked about having a rivalry match. So when I meet him now, I’ll say I won."

Song Seung-gi, who was drafted by LG in the 2nd round, 9th overall in the 2021 rookie draft after graduating from Yatap High School, is now challenging for the Rookie of the Year award after completing his military service. He has made just 7 appearances in 2022 and 1 appearance in 2023, thus qualifying as a rookie this year.

Given the current momentum, it’s certainly a situation where he can aim for the Rookie of the Year award. Nevertheless, Song Seung-gi waved his hand and said, "Honestly, I have no desire for the Rookie of the Year at all. I really have no desire. I just don’t think about it."

Song Seung-gi’s strong competitor for the Rookie of the Year is right-handed slugger Ahn Hyun-min of the KT Wiz. Known as 'Muscle Man,' Ahn Hyun-min has showcased his firepower this season with a batting average of .331, 13 home runs, 43 RBIs, and an OPS of 1.085 over 46 games, establishing a two-way competition with Song Seung-gi for the Rookie of the Year. Coincidentally, a three-game weekday series against the KT Wiz is scheduled to take place in Suwon from the 24th.

Although the series in Suwon was canceled, Song Seung-gi expressed his desire to face Ahn Hyun-min in a direct showdown someday. He said, "I’ve watched a lot of videos of Ahn Hyun-min swinging his bat. If the opportunity arises in the second half, I would like to face him. I think it would be a good matchup."

Song Seung-gi also did not forget to express his gratitude towards manager Youm Kyoung-youb, who has used him as the 5th starter, allowing him to be in the Rookie of the Year race. He said, "The manager believed in me and used me as the 5th starter, so I always try to give trust and belief back. I just do what the manager says in every game, and as I do what I need to, it feels like things are really going well, so I’m just trusting the manager and focusing on each game. I’m really grateful."

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