Lee Woo-seong (29‧KIA) was always a player with a lot of worries. Every year, the worry started, looking at the names of the team’s roster and position contenders, “Will I ever make it to the first team?” Worry called trouble, and worry called worry. Soon, he shrank with a conclusion mixed with a sigh, “Of course I won’t be able to go in.” Lee Woo-sung recalled himself as “one of the really negative people”.
He was a good hitter during his amateur days. His nomination ranking (2013 Doosan 2nd round overall 15th overall) proves this. His dreams and hopes were big. However, rather than the positive word of hope, he became a player more familiar with the negative word of worry than at any moment. His impatience increased when he failed to leave any noteworthy results in the first team before his military service. The more he tried to show, the deeper the swamp seemed.먹튀검증
The two trades in succession (Doosan → NC in 2018, NC → KIA in 2019) may have pressed Lee Woo-sung’s ‘concern button’ harder. He had to show the reason why he chose him, but he seldom came or took advantage of the opportunity. After one season like that, the pattern of worrying about whether he could be included in the camp roster for the next season, whether he could enter the first team, and whether he could survive in the competition for the starting lineup was repeated.
But then electricity came. He said that his thoughts began to change last year. Lee Woo-sung said, “For 10 years (in the first team entry), I honestly thought a lot about whether I would be able to enter or not,” he said. It was a useless idea even if I did it,” he recalled calmly.
It was a lesson learned even more valuable because he was a player who had been worried and worried for a long time. Lee Woo-sung said, “I don’t know what the real baseball will be like, but it’s not something I can control. It’s just that playing baseball every day is the same anyway.” Regardless of whether you were worried or not, the same routine was happening every day. So I clearly divided what I could do and what I couldn’t do and focused on the former. Then, going to the stadium became fun, and in the process, I started to see something.
Lee Woo-sung recorded a batting average of 0.292 in 80 games last year, his best performance since his professional debut. He was not a steadfast starter, but he went out when the team needed it and played a great role. He was also convinced that there was no need to worry unnecessarily. He hadn’t given much thought to a first-team entry this year. He did only what he could. He felt relieved that whatever the outcome was, it was not something he could control.
Instead, he tried to keep his promise to himself. I went out early in the morning to exercise. He never compromised. Lee Woo-sung said, “My grades were really bad, but since 2020, I have been coming out in the morning and training steadily. Until now, I have kept my promise.” I have to do it’, and I’ve been keeping that much from 2020 to 2021. I go indoors first, do batting training, and warm up.”
The result of his hard work and changed mentality is his outstanding performance this season. Lee Woo-sung has played 133 at-bats in 43 games of the season until the 10th, with a batting average of 0.319, 4 homers, 14 RBIs, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.859. He falls slightly short of the regulation plate appearances, but it is difficult to overlook as he has accumulated a considerable number of over 100 plate appearances. In particular, he hits a long hit at the decisive moment and fills the void left by the main outfielder or Seong-beom. If KIA achieves the desired results this season, Lee Woo-sung’s performance in the early and mid-season must be remembered.
He felt that pulling the hitting point forward or modifying some of the hitting mechanics would have led to a different hitting performance. However, Lee Woo-sung’s answer breaks our common sense. Lee Woo-sung said repeatedly, “I hit the same way.” Lee Woo-sung, who struggled with a batting average of 20%, and now Lee Woo-sung’s baseball mechanism are the same. Of course, he did not forget and was grateful that he received a lot of help from the coaching staff and power analysis, but KIA may realize that a change in thinking can completely change a player.
KIA has the potential to add to the outfield. Choi Won-joon, one of the team’s top hopefuls, is being discharged. On the 13th, he will be registered for the first team entry. Na Seong-beom, a steadfast main player, is planning to return in late June or early July at the latest. Suddenly, the outfield is crowded again. The position you’ve worked hard for now may fly away again. In such a situation, you can become sensitive and worry. More than human However, Lee Woo-sung is well aware that that is also an area he cannot control. So he smiled and said he wasn’t worried.
Lee Woo-sung said, “Of course, to be honest, I want to keep my seat. But now, I’m honestly happy to come out to the baseball field like this every day. Then, I’m happy again when I win.” It’s my wish to go out to the arena on the stage where the fans come. That’s why I try to think a lot of good things instead of worrying unnecessarily. I only think about winning and being thankful.” Although it is the same player, fans are also relieved of their worries about Lee Woo-sung by seeing the results and attitude created by others.