Kang Jung-ho, Who Helped Son Ah-seop Become The First Batting Champion
Kim Jae-hwan (Doosan), who dreams of revival, visits former major leaguer Kang Jeong-ho, who helped Son Ah-seop (NC) become the first batting champion in his career, and receives batting know-how.
Doosan's starting catcher Yang Eui-ji met with reporters after becoming the first winner of the Defensive Catcher Category at the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO Awards held at the Grand Ballroom of the Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul on the 27th and said, "I believe in Kim Jae-hwan's revival (next year) because he went to my friend." “I have no doubt,” he said.
'My friend' mentioned by Yang Eui-ji is former KBO League representative shortstop and major leaguer Kang Jeong-ho, who is retired from active duty and runs a baseball academy in Los Angeles, USA. A Doosan official told OSEN, “Kim Jae-hwan gave up his rest of his own volition and left for training in the United States. “I heard he is receiving batting training at the Kang Jung-ho Academy in the United States.”
Kim Jae-hwan, who suffered a severe slump for two years after signing a four-year, 11.5 billion won free agent contract, participated in the Icheon finishing camp held from October 31 to November 24 and underwent coach Lee Seung-yeop's man-to-man hell training. Normally, a large number of rookies who have not established themselves in baseball participate in the finishing camp, but the manager's request and the player's will combined to allow for an unusual finishing training for a 16-year veteran. Kim Jae-hwan dreamed of a revival in the third year of his free agent contract by learning the home run know-how of coach Lee, who was called the national hitter during his active years.
Kim Jae-hwan, unable to digest the hellish training, gave up his December break and voluntarily boarded a plane to the United States on the 26th. His reason was, “I want to join the spring camp in February while remembering well what I felt during the final camp in December and January.” And in order to maintain his sense of finishing training, he took on Kang Jeong-ho, who was well-versed in long shots during his active career, as his mentor.
first round by Hyundai in the 2006 rookie draft. Afterwards, thanks to his performance in 117 games with the Heroes, including a batting average of .356, 40 home runs, 117 RBI, and 103 runs in 117 games, he wore a Pittsburgh Major League uniform, hitting 15 home runs in 2015 and 21 home runs in 2016, becoming the Pirates' main hitter. took a leap Jung-ho Kang, who retired at the end of the 2019 season, has a career record in the major leagues of 297 games, a batting average of .254, 46 home runs, 144 RBI, 120 runs, and an OPS of .796.
Kang Jung-ho Academy has already become an issue once in the KBO League. Ahead of the 2023 season, Son Ah-seop, a key NC hitter, visited Kang Jung-ho to correct his batting form, which led to him becoming the first KBO league batting champion at the not-insignificant age of 36. Son Ah-seop said, “Kang Jung-ho helped me a lot in getting back to my good self. “He was able to find a normal swing trajectory,” he said of the Kang Jung-ho effect.
Did you say that Jisung is Gamcheon? The Doosan team appears confident of Kim Jae-hwan's revival next season. Just going through the hellish training at the finishing camp gave us a glimpse of his changed mindset, and he made the decision to go to the United States at his own expense during his inactivity, raising expectations for a different look in the 2024 season.
Yang Eui-ji said, “When I watched the video, (Kim) Jae-hwan played hard. We talked a lot about this and that in the middle of the season, and it was difficult. “Rather than telling Jaehwan to do this or that, I gave him mental advice so he could do well again,” he said. “I think he will overcome it.” “I don’t doubt it because he went to my friend (Kang Jeong-ho),” he said. .
Director Lee, who led the hell training, also said, “Now is the time for self-directed training. This is not a situation I can look after. “If you carry out the same training in December that you did during the closing camp, you will get better in January, and if you advance step by step like that, you will get better in February,” he said. “Your problems will come up again through spring camp and exhibition games, but you will figure them out little by little.” I believe that if I go, I will be able to achieve results that will completely forget the two years of poor performance. No, I believe it. “There is no place for Kim Jae-hwan to hide anymore,” he said, looking brightly at the 2024 season outlook for the 11.5 billion hit.
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