Lee Woo-sung (31), who was classified as a backup resource for the outfielders of the KIA Tigers ahead of the 2023 season, displayed impressive performance after the season opened, and took the main spot in one month. He did not miss the opportunity that he had come to him and hit .300 for the first time since his professional debut. Lee, who is full of skills, is attempting to transform into a first baseman to erase his team’s weaknesses.
Last year, Lee Woo-sung was a hit product of Kia. He alternately played left field and right field, posting the best performance since his professional debut. He played in 126 games with a batting average of 0.301 107 hits, eight homers, 58 RBIs and eight stolen bases with an OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage). Moreover, he also had the honor of being selected as the first All-Star in his career.
“I’ve never had a season like this before,” Lee said in a recent phone call with Newsis. “I always dreamed of playing well and I was able to do it because I endured hard. Even when I wasn’t good, my coach gave me a chance. I was grateful and happy every day. I followed my routine of training at the ballpark from the morning to make good habits, and I gained confidence,” Lee said.
What has changed noticeably is the batting performance. Lee Woo-sung, whose overall batting average remained in the low 20s for six years since his debut in the first division in 2016, showed his competitive edge by hitting a batting average of 0.292 in the 2022 season. Last season, he surpassed the .300 mark in batting average and emerged as a key outfielder.
Regarding batting, Lee Woo-sung said, “I practiced the part that the hitting coaches told me to do. In the past, I tried this and that, but it was not good. Even if the things that the coaches told me didn’t go well, I tried to do it consistently.”
Lee Woo-sung drew attention by conducting both defense training at the first base at the finishing camp held after the end of last season. He has no experience as a first baseman in a pro league, but volunteered to train as a first baseman to address concerns his team had. Currently, Kia does not have a solid starting pitcher at first base. Hwang Dae-in (0.213 batting average), Byun Woo-hyuk (0.225 batting average), and Oh Sun-woo (0.179) who played first base last year all met expectations. 랭크카지노
“Closing camp is a process to prepare for the next season. I told my coach first because I thought it would be helpful for the team if I practice defense at first base,” Lee said. “Since I am far from a batter in the outdoors, I have some free time when I play defense, but I felt very close because I was in the infield. I need to practice more. I am constantly preparing for it.”