Lee Jung-hoo and Go Woo-seok enter MLB together and get married early this month. Leaving the country with my wife
Bae Ji-hwan (25, Pittsburgh Pirates), who is aiming for a solid starting position in the Major League Baseball (MLB), has many things to be ‘motivated’ this year.
The number of Korean players who will play together on the big league stage has increased, and he has also met his life-long partner.
Bae Ji-hwan showed his extraordinary determination to prepare for the 2024 season as he departed through Incheon Airport on the 11th.
2023 was a meaningful year for Bae Ji-hwan. He debuted in the big league in 2022 and made a mark by recording a batting average of 0.333 in 10 games, and became a full-time big leaguer last year. He appeared in 111 games and had a batting average of 0.231, 2 home runs, 32 RBI, 24 stolen bases, 54 runs, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.607.
He is also mentioned as a candidate for Pittsburgh’s starting second baseman, but he cannot be considered to have firmly established himself as a starting player yet.
Bae Ji-hwan also said, “It’s hard to say that my status within the team has improved. I am not a player with a multi-year contract or a veteran. “I don’t think there is a clear position yet,” he said. “Everyone competes in MLB. “I am preparing this year with the same mindset as last year,” he said.
The increase in the number of Korean players playing on the big league stage this year makes the ‘resolution not to go to the minor league’ even stronger. 안전 토토사이트
Last year, there were four Korean players who played in MLB: Bae Ji-hwan, Kim Ha-seong (San Diego Padres), Choi Ji-man, and Ryu Hyun-jin.
This may change depending on the fate of Ryu Hyun-jin and Choi Ji-man, who are free agents in MLB, but new Korean players have joined this year. They are Lee Jeong-hoo and Go Woo-seok.
Lee Jung-hoo signed a large six-year contract with the San Francisco Giants for $113 million (approximately 148.6 billion won) in December last year.
Go Woo-seok, who played as a closing pitcher for the LG Twins, agreed to a contract with San Diego earlier this month. Two years, a total of $4.5 million is guaranteed, and when the option is exercised in 2026, the amount increases to three years, $7 million (about 9.2 billion won).
Bae Ji-hwan, who graduated from Kyungbuk High School and went straight to the American stage by signing with Pittsburgh in 2018, could not hide his joy at the increase in the number of Korean big leaguers. Although we don’t see each other often since we’re not from the same district, it’s nice to see that there are Korean players.
Bae Ji-hwan said, “There are not many Asian players in the U.S. minor league and MLB, so he is happy to see only Japanese players. Every time he heard news of a contract, he felt happy. “I’m so happy that there are more Korean players,” he said with a bright smile.
“But if I go down to the minor league, having more Korean players will be of no use. He did not hide his motivation, saying, “I am a big fish,” and “I have a desire to play on the big league stage together.”
The fact that he has become the head of a family is also a motivating factor for Bae Ji-hwan. Bae Ji-hwan got married on the 6th, and on this day, his wife also left the country.
Bae Ji-hwan said, “There is one more person to take responsibility for. “I think it will be reflected in the baseball stadium,” he said. “If I played only thinking about myself before, now I have to feed my wife and even my children.” “It has become more earnest,” he emphasized.
Although he suffered from a decline in stamina at the end of last season, which was his first time playing full-time, he feels even more confident now that he has a wife who can help him.
Bae Ji-hwan said, “The uniform was tight at the beginning of last season, but towards the end of the season, it became loose. “Now that I’m married, I have expectations that my weight and physical strength will get even better,” he said, adding, “I will work hard to show maximum performance even at the end of the season.” 카지노사이트