Fate facing you again, “Prove yourself
I had a dreamy year. He seemed to have passed the winter that pushed himself fiercely and entered the spring of his life.
But the injury nightmare bothered him. Young rookies were already attracting attention in the returning team. Hwang Sung-bin of the Lotte Giants is in a position to prove himself once again.
Hwang Sung-bin was Cinderella, who emerged as the hope of Lotte’s outfield last year. Before the season, he was indifferent enough to be only two outfielders who were not invited to the first-tier spring camp, but at the end of the season, he became a “attack leader” with a batting average of .30% and a double-digit steal, exceeding 0.7 OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage).
The offense, defense, and details are somewhat clumsy, but it was refreshing to see them united with competitive spirit. The way he bullied his opponent like a hard worker and threw his whole body to first base brought concern and admiration together. It was a catalyst to change the mood of the team.
In April of this year, he hit a monthly batting average of .353 and opened his eyes to the batting in earnest. Along with Ahn Kwon-soo, he served as a table setter that led the team to the top of the league.
An ankle injury at the end of April blew away a golden opportunity. He returned a month later, but the fierce hitting before the injury disappeared. In June, the monthly batting average dropped sharply to 161. July-August had to be spent on the bench and in the second division. In the meantime, juniors such as Kim Min-seok and Yoon Dong-hee have emerged as promising players not only for the team but also for the entire league.
The motto in the helmet, “I’m much stronger than I think,” drew keen attention last year. The mindset and will remain the same. I just believe in myself as always. “I can’t end this season like this. It is full of determination to prove my use in the first division.
Hwang Sung-bin said, “Is it a little brazen?” and emphasized, “It helps me to think as positively as possible.” While suffering from a slump for a while, seniors teased him, saying, “Did you leave that belief in Japan?”
“Even if my heart is hot, I should always be calm, but I couldn’t. A lot of hands came out of the bad ball. I think my preparation was complacent. As usual, I’m trying to get on base somehow and bully my opponent. “
Lotte’s acting coach Lee Jong-woon has also recently started Hwang Sung-bin one after another to give him strength. If Kim Min-seok’s physical strength, who will make his debut season, is noticeable, and Ahn Kwon-soo fails to recover his condition at the beginning of the season, Hwang Sung-bin’s use will inevitably expand. The batting judgment ability, which has improved compared to last year, is also outstanding.
Acting coach Lee explained, “I’m in good condition right now, and it also means supplementing the defense.” Lotte is a rifle hitter with only Jeon Joon-woo (14 players) recording double-digit home runs. This is why it is important to go to the first base and shake the opponent’s defense like Hwang Sung-bin.
He led the team to victory by hitting two hits in five at-bats in the Kiwoom Heroes match, which he won after a bloody overtime fight on the 15th. At the end of the game, he laughed after a long time, recording two steals.
Expectations are different from a year ago. Competitors are also formidable. I’m used to the questioning look at myself now. Just the desire to prove that the idea is wrong makes Hwang Sung-bin even more fiery.