“Let’s try it once and see what happens,” he said.
Kim Ha-sung, who has been in his third year in the big leagues, is considered the best player in San Diego in 2023.
The Athletic, a U.S. sports media outlet, published a long article on Kim Ha-sung on the 9th (Korea Standard Time).
It features the voices of not only Kim Ha-sung and his San Diego teammates, but also various officials, including Park Chan-ho, the first major leaguer in Korea, Bobby Dickerson, the current Philadelphia Phillies coach who watched Kim Ha-sung’s first season in the big leagues, and Jake Brigham, who played with the Kiwoom Heroes in the Korean professional baseball league.
Kim Ha-sung entered the big leagues in 2021 with a contract with San Diego for up to $39 million in 4+1 years.
However, in his first year, he played as a backup, batting .202, eight home runs, and 34 RBIs in 117 games.
This is the time when Kim Ha-sung confessed, “It was psychologically bottom.”
It was a frustrating time, but Kim Ha-sung did not give up. For now, he aimed to settle in the big leagues with his strong defense.
“Kim Ha-sung always listened to me with his eyes shining,” said Decerson, who was the San Diego defense coach at the time.
Kim Ha-sung said, “Coach Deckerson helped me to have a big league level of defense.”
Park Chan-ho, a San Diego adviser, also tried to give Kim a sense of mental stability.
There was also a thrilling moment.
On June 20, 2021, Kim Ha-sung played in the fifth inning of a home game against the Cincinnati Reds at Petco Park in San Diego, California, and hit a two-run shot to the left of the final in the bottom of the eighth inning when he faced the Cincinnati Reds 5-5.
At that time, home fans shouted “Ha Sung Kim” when Kim Ha-sung entered the batter’s box, and Kim Ha-sung responded with a winning home run.
Kim Ha-sung said, “I was a backup player at the time. Such support was burdensome, he said. “However, fans’ support soon became a motivation. I’m really grateful to the fans. Such support makes me a “hustle player.”
Kim Ha-sung raised his batting performance to a batting average of 0.251, 11 home runs, and 59 RBIs last year, and was also considered a candidate for the National League shortstop Gold Glove, establishing himself as a “full-time big leaguer.”
He is considered the best player in San Diego this year.
Kim Ha-sung batted 0.271, 17 home runs, 55 RBIs, and 31 steals until the 8th, and also played the core of the San Diego infield in defense.
The Athletic predicted, “Kim Ha-sung may be the first Korean big leaguer to win a gold glove.”
In a mock vote for the best player released by MLB Dotcom on the 8th, Kim Ha-sung also succeeded in “voting.”
Park Chan-ho introduced, “Kim Ha-sung is already a superstar in Korea.”
Kim Ha-sung, who succeeded in making a soft landing in the big leagues, now gets more energy by recalling his Korean baseball juniors who use him as their role models.
Kim Ha-sung said, “Kim is the most common surname in Korea. I hope many people remember me as “Kim Ha-sung,” he said. “There are many talented young players in Korea. If I am recognized in the Major League, my interest in juniors will also grow. It’s the biggest motivation for me at the moment. “In the future, we will see more Korean players in the big leagues,” he said.
““Let’s try it once and see what happens,” he said.”에 대한 2개의 응답
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