An industry official who knows Lee Woo-sung (29, KIA) well once said this. Whenever I covered the actual KIA game, I felt that Lee Woo-sung was a polite and humble player. I can’t help but feel better because I always treat reporters with a smile.
It is a case that has not received attention because he has not been so good at baseball. However, with the appointment of coach Kim Jong-kook,메이저도메인 Lee Woo-sung’s baseball career has changed completely. In an interview earlier this season, he also confessed that he gained a lot of confidence by playing in the first division nearly full-time last year.
Head coach Kim Jong-kook did not take Lee Woo-sung to the first division last year for no reason. The winner of last year’s left field competition was Lee Chang-jin. Lee Woo-sung was a thorough backup. Occasionally, if you go out as a large-scale ratio, you will notice a shrewd movement that does not suit your size. However, Lee Woo-sung did his best even in a small role. And I always prepared thoroughly for the game to get an opportunity that I didn’t know when it would come.
Coach Kim said, “I’m preparing well,” regarding Lee Woo-sung during this season. He comes out really quickly and gets ready. There was a possibility of hitting, and he seemed to believe in his swing mechanics. There was a lack of identity whether it was a slugger or a pinch hitter, but now contact has improved a lot. “I’m full of confidence,” he said.
Then head coach Kim said, “If I put contact first, there is even a long hit.” Swing without hesitation. A ball that enters the strike zone somehow results. “If a batter swings like that, it honestly makes it uncomfortable for pitchers to put the ball in the strike zone,” he said.
As head coach Kim said, Lee Woo-sung completely opened his eyes to hitting this season. Although his pace fell somewhat at the end of June, he actually led the KIA lineup with Choi Hyung-woo. Na Sung-bum is back, but he doesn’t miss a spot as the main outfielder. In 59 games, batting average of 0.306 with 5 home runs, 24 RBIs, 23 points, and 5 steals, OPS 0.810.
He is so alert compared to his size that he says, “I like playing baseball.” His base and defense are excellent. One-hit two-base has the main focus, and has a good sense of defense. He is a very helpful player for KIA in many ways.
Kiwoom manager Hong Won-ki, who takes the helm of Nanum All-Star at the All-Star Game, said, “I talked to the coaches and decided on the phone when asked about the recommended player ahead of the Gocheok NC match on the 4th. It wasn’t difficult,” he said. In the end, head coach Kim Jong-kook seems to have recommended Lee Woo-sung to head coach Hong Won-ki.
He is an all-star player. He did not see the light of Doosan and NC, and he was no different even after being traded to KIA in 2019. Although he was on the verge of becoming an ordinary Journeyman, his efforts did not betray Lee Woo-sung. For Lee Woo-sung, 2023 is a happy year. It can be regarded as a human victory. The selection of the All-Star Game may be a motivation for the second half.