Lee Jung-hoo aims to rebound in the second half
“The effect of pulling up faster than usual
“It’s an excuse to say it’s because of the changed batting form”
Changing his batting form has revived his batting.
Seven consecutive 100-hit seasons ‘youngest in history’
“Going overseas is for after the season
I will do my best for the team first” emphasis
Lee Jung-hoo (25, Kiwoom) is full of confidence. When we met at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 11th, he was confident despite the fact that both his individual performance and the team’s ranking were disappointing compared to last season. This is because he is confident that things are changing and that he can improve his performance. “It’s okay because the team and I have a lot of work to do,” he said.카지노
Last year, professional baseball was the stage for Lee, who won five batting titles and was named the regular season Most Valuable Player (MVP) after batting .349 with 193 hits and 113 RBIs, along with a .421 on-base percentage and a .575 slugging percentage. It was also a season that completely broke the perception of Lee Jong-beom’s son. “My dad gave me a lot of advice, but now he doesn’t say anything special,” Lee laughed.
Kiwoom’s Lee Jung-hoo delivers a hit in the eighth inning against KT at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on 11 November. With the hit, Lee became the youngest player in history to reach 100 hits in seven consecutive seasons. Yonhap
Lee Jung-hoo has announced his intention to join the Major League Baseball (MLB) ahead of the start of the 2023 season. “I didn’t feel any pressure in the new season because I was going to the MLB,” Lee said, “I thought I could be competitive if I showed my strength, which is contact, and I prepared for the new season with that mindset.”
In preparation for his move to the MLB, Lee modified his batting form this season to be more flexible against fastballs. He lowered his bat from above his face to chest level and narrowed his wide stance. He also minimised his take-back and right leg preparation. However, Lee failed to adapt to the new form. His batting average in April was poor, hitting just .218 (19 for 87).
“The story that my batting form was the reason for my slump is an excuse,” Lee said. “I was preparing for the World Baseball Classic (WBC), so I had to get my body up to speed faster than usual,” he said, “and I think the beginning of the season felt a little different than usual because I took a different routine.”
The problem is that as Lee’s form slumped, so did the team’s performance. After reaching the Korean Series last year, Kiwoom was ranked eighth by May. Lee, who had declared his intentions to play in the MLB and wore the captain’s armband, must have been worried. “I didn’t order anything or talk about our performance because I didn’t want to put pressure on my teammates,” he says, “but I thought we would rebound because they all had a strong will to win and were preparing step by step.”
As May progressed, Lee began to come alive. “As the season went on, my body got stronger and stronger, so I think I got back into shape,” he says, “and it was actually time for me to get some results because I was hitting so bad.” His batting average had risen to .315. He also reached 100 hits for the seventh consecutive year since his debut in 2017. He is the youngest player in KBO history (24 years, 10 months, 21 days), one month and three days ahead of Doosan manager Lee Seung-yeop (24 years, 11 months, 24 days).
When asked how much his baseball has improved this season, Lee said he hasn’t changed in terms of skill, just in terms of experience. “My age is already heading towards my mid-20s,” he said, “and now I’m focusing on gaining experience and bringing my skills to the peak rather than learning new ones.”
He’s also interested in what happens after the season. “I’m not thinking about special teams or leagues in the U.S., and going overseas is after this season,” he said, adding that he is determined to do his best for the team first.