Samsung’s Lee Sung-gyu on ‘Dreaming of Giant Potential’
Samsung Lions’ Lee Sung-kyu, 30, who is showing off his untapped big-bat potential this season, credits his mindset as the key to his transformation.
Lee Sung-kyu went 1-for-3 with one home run, two RBIs and two runs scored in Samsung’s 6:30 p.m. game against the SSG Landers in the 2024 Shinhan SOL BANK KBO League at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on Saturday. Samsung defeated SSG 12-4 in the top of the eighth inning, thanks in large part to Lee’s two-run shot to left field.
Lee made his first at-bat as a pinch-hitter for Oh Jae-il, the No. 7 hitter, in the top of the sixth inning when the team was trailing 2-3. However, he was unable to get anything going, as he grounded out to the pitcher.
In the top of the eighth inning, with the score tied at 3-3, he took a three-pitch fastball from SSG right-hander Cho Byung-hyun and launched it over the left-field wall for a grand slam. It was Lee’s sixth of the season. After Lee’s home run, Samsung scored seven more runs and demolished the SSG mound.
In his postgame interview, Lee said, “I was lucky. My fastball timing was late for both the first and second pitches, so I don’t know how I hit it,” he said humbly.
This season, Lee has finally shown glimpses of the majesty of a second-team home run king. In 2018, he put up a monster .366 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) of 1.280 with 31 home runs and 78 RBIs for the Police Baseball Organization, winning the Futures League home run title that year. In 2023, he hit five home runs in an exhibition game to become the exhibition game home run leader.
However, Lee struggled to crack the eggs. Poor accuracy held him back. This season, however, is different. His batting average is still low at 0.247, but he has been making a strong impression by hitting home runs at crucial moments.
“I’m still desperate, but I try not to be too desperate. If I get too 먹튀검증 desperate, it gets harder and I get discouraged. I’m playing with the mindset of ‘let’s go with the flow’.”
“Last season, I wasn’t confident and I was intimidated on the field. Nowadays, I really enjoy it,” he added.
A good team atmosphere is also a big help for Lee. “The younger players like (Kim) Hero, (Lee) Jae-hyun, and (Kim) Ji-chan are doing so well, so the team atmosphere is really good,” said Lee. Also, foreign batsman David McKinnon is playing a role. The team atmosphere couldn’t be better,” he explained.
With the arrival of Lee Sung-gyu, Samsung also has a good alternative batting resource. However, Lee Sung-kyu says that he is still not good enough. “I want to be a player who always does his best on the baseball field,” he said.