Участник:스포츠 토토킹
‘Awesome Kim’ Kim Ha-seong, who had the best season, said, “There are many points of improvement... need to be sorted out.”
Kim Ha-seong (28, San Diego Padres), who showed the most outstanding performance since his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut, was confident of a better 2024 season.
Ha-seong Kim returned to Korea through Incheon International Airport on the 11th. In his third MLB season, he played in 152 games full-time, batting .260, 17 home runs, 60 RBI, and 84 runs batted in. Both of these categories recorded career highs. He also showed off his unique defensive skills. Even though he played second base, which is not his main position, he took charge of San Diego's center line without any problems. He is also being mentioned as a Gold Glove candidate for this position.
Ha-seong Kim said, “The goal is always to show growth compared to the previous season. He said, “I think it was good that the performance improved compared to the 2023 season,” but “It is somewhat disappointing that the performance was poor in the last month of the regular season.” Kim Ha-seong, who recorded a batting average of 0.277 until August, suddenly suffered from abdominal pain and other physical conditions, and his batting average was only 0.184 in September.
Regarding this, Ha-seong Kim said, “I played more defensive positions than before and stole a lot of bases, so I think I had a physical problem. “We will make up for this as well,” he said, raising his voice.
His biggest achievement this season was his development as an 'offensive infielder'. Although his pace slowed in September and he was unable to reach the 20 home run mark, the fact that he added 6 home runs compared to last year is significant. He also attempted to become the first Korean infielder to join the 20 home run-20 stolen base club.
Ha-seong Kim said, “It’s unfortunate that I wasn’t able to achieve 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases, but I plan to use it as an opportunity to become a better player.” Regarding the improvement in slugging ability, “During the off-season, I focused on improving my slugging ability by training a lot with coach Choi Won-jae (individual hitting). He also changed his batting stance.” Kim Ha-seong, who again mentioned the slump at the end of the regular season, said, “It is half a success. He also found many points of improvement. “I think we need to pay more attention to that in the off-season.” Regarding specific points of improvement, he said, “It needs to be sorted out.”
Baseball fans were able to greet each day in a good mood thanks to Kim Ha-seong, who raised the status of Korean baseball. Ha-seong Kim also said, “Thanks to the constant support, he played harder and worked harder overseas. He expressed his determination, saying, “I will bring even greater pleasure and joy in the 2024 season.”