Kiwoom Heroes player Song Seong-moon (29) is preparing for the second half of the season, reassuring his teammates and remaining calm amid the turbulence facing the club.
After team training at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 15th, Song Seong-moon said in an interview, "While I am surprised, ultimately, it is the players who play baseball. There is nothing more we can do. We just need to commit ourselves to the games and train hard, and that won’t change."
Kiwoom announced on the 14th, "We informed Hong Won-ki, the manager, Ko Hyung-wook, the Director General, and Kim Chang-hyun, the head coach, of their termination of positions." Kiwoom finished the first half of the season with a record of 27 wins, 3 draws, and 61 losses, resulting in a winning percentage of .307, likely marking the team’s third consecutive last-place finish. As the poor performance continued, they ultimately made the shocking decision to dismiss the manager, Director General, and head coach all at once.
As the team captain, Song Seong-moon stated, "I think this situation arose because our team did not achieve good results. With 53 games left in the second half, I told the players to focus more on the remaining games."
When asked if he had spoken with former manager Hong Won-ki recently, Song Seong-moon responded, "I called him yesterday. I am very grateful for everything he has done for me. Since I was discharged from the military, I have been with the manager, and I believe I received many opportunities and grew thanks to him. He is a truly grateful mentor. I feel thankful and also have a feeling of regret that if we had performed better, this wouldn’t have happened. The manager reassured me, saying that if we work hard as we usually do, it would be great to see."
Regarding the dismissal of the manager, Song Seong-moon said, "It weighs heavily on my heart, but such changes can happen to any team. It’s not just our club facing this situation. I also think that if the players become unsettled, that is not very professional. Since we are starting the second half this week, I came to the baseball field with a resolute mindset as usual. A new manager and coaches have come, and we have made a commitment to have a more hopeful season."
Acting manager Seol Jong-jin urged the players in a team meeting that he did not feel a sense of urgency from them, asking for them to play with more desperation. Song Seong-moon said, "Everyone has different perspectives and standards. If the manager feels that way, then it means we should have been more desperate. Baseball is played by the players, but the manager is the most important person in the field, so the team must align with what the manager wants. The players need to prepare well to show the team the manager aims for."
Acting manager Seol Jong-jin emphasized running baseball and strategic baseball. Song Seong-moon said, "In the end, both strategic and running baseball shine when they increase the likelihood of success. Even if the manager presents strategies, it is up to the players to execute them, so we need to prepare diligently and reliably, albeit in a short period. I believe we can become a better team with new baseball in the second half."
Acting manager Seol Jong-jin set a target of a winning percentage of 40-50% for the remainder of the season. "Ideally, I want to achieve a winning percentage above 60%, but baseball is not easy," said Song Seong-moon. "Before the season, our goal was to have a winning percentage above 50% and reach fall baseball. This applies to players, managers, and coaches alike. We want to win, but it’s not easy. Honestly, our team doesn’t seem easy to beat for anyone. I think breaking away from that perception is our biggest goal. It’s crucial to make it so that other teams hear that Kiwoom is not easy to face. As we do that, our winning percentage will also improve."
Song Seong-moon remarked, "Since the previous performance was quite poor, the good appearances we showed in June and July were not highlighted. However, if we look closely, we have certainly improved compared to the beginning. I believe the second half will be noticeably better than the first half."
"I have only one thing to say to the fans, and that is I am always sorry," said Song Seong-moon, bowing his head to the fans. "The fans ultimately want to see winning baseball, regardless of who the manager is, and they wish for us to become a stronger team. I want to show the process of becoming the cohesive and strong team that the fans desire, alongside our new manager Seol Jong-jin in the second half."
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