Kim Hye-sung (24), who served as interim captain in the past at Kiwoom Heroes, was appointed as the captain of the baseball team participating in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. The Korean Asian Games baseball team, led by head coach Ryu Joong-il, gathered at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul at 3:30 p.m. on the 23rd to conduct its first training session.
The Korean national baseball team is trying to win its fourth consecutive title in Hangzhou. Earlier, Korean baseball won three consecutive games, starting with the 2010 Guangzhou Games, the 2014 Incheon Games and the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games. Kim Hye-sung, who was appointed as head coach and captain of Ryu Joong-il, attended an official press conference before training and expressed his determination. Coach Ryu Joong-il, coaching staff and the team decided to appoint Kim Hye-sung as captain after internal discussions.
Kim Hye-sung is the main infielder of the hero corps, who has both offense, defense, and baserunning skills. He held a golden glove of glory as a shortstop in 2021 and a second baseman in 2022. Kim Hye-sung played in 134 games this season, posting a batting average of 0.335 with seven home runs, 55 RBIs, 102 runs and 25 steals, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.843 points. He ranks third in batting average, second in scoring, and first in the most hits (183 hits). In particular, in 2021, Kim Hye-sung served as the youngest captain in the KBO league at the age of 22 for his team Kiwoom.
Kim Hye-sung, who sat in front of the reporters ahead of the training, said, “I heard the news of the appointment of the captain for the first time the day before (the 22nd). Still, there are players who are experiencing national team for the first time in the national team. I thought I should tell them how I felt,” he said. 사설 토토사이트
Did Kim Hye-sung know why she was appointed as captain. In response, he said, “I’m quite old (in the field). As a result, I think he took charge of it,” he said after expressing his opinion, “I did not vote. I think the director decided it,” he said.
Regarding his experience as a captain during Kiwoom in 2021, he said, “I think captain is a position where I have to lead by example. If you show it in action rather than in words, I think it will follow well,” he said. Regarding becoming a teammate with the team that faced the enemy until the previous day, he added, “I was an enemy until yesterday, but now I am a teammate wearing the national team uniform and working together toward the same goal. I think we need to work hard with one mind,” he said.
Kim Hye-sung said, “All I talked to was the coach and the coach before coming to the baseball stadium. I think I have to talk a lot with the players before I go to Hangzhou,” he said.
Regarding the determination and burden of losing four consecutive tournaments, he said, “I’m just excited and determined to work hard rather than pressure. I have no choice but to make a do-or-die decision,” he said. “The title of a national team member is bound to come with a sense of responsibility. I didn’t do well on the WBC. I think I have to repay you with good grades this time,” he said again.
How much power analysis is being conducted on the opponent. Kim Hye-sung said, “Both Taiwan and Japan have heard that the players’ skills are not bad. I also looked for videos. There are a lot of good players. We are also united with good players. I think I have to work hard,” he said. “I received (power analysis data) in advance and watched it as a video. Since they are unfamiliar players, I watched them often because I thought it would be helpful to watch them as much as possible. However, such a video has a side that collects only well-made ones.(laughs) I think they’re really good pitchers. “I’m pondering how to operate it,” he added.
The national team has a short preparation period because it was called up while the league is in progress. Kim Hye-sung said, “Baseball is a team sport, so team play is important. I think we need to work well in a short period of time and prepare perfectly,” he said emphatically.
Kim Hye-sung also said to the players who were called up for the national team for the first time, “I want to say that it’s not easy to be selected for the national team. I hope everyone does their best with pride that they were chosen.
What did his teammate Lee Jung-hoo tell Kim Hye-sung. Kim Hye-sung said, “I just told him to work hard. So I said, ‘Okay,’ he said calmly.
On what she thinks is the most important thing in international competitions, Kim Hye-sung said, “Since it’s a short-term war, I think luck is the most important thing. Baseball is such a difficult sport. It’s a probability battle again. “I think the players and the team that increase the probability will win,” he said, showing sense and composure.
Meanwhile, the national baseball team will train and work together on the 24th, before taking a rest on the 25th. On the 26th, a practice match (broadcast restriction) will be held against Sangmu at 6 p.m. The national team will conduct another training session on the 27th and leave for Hangzhou, China, the site of the final match, through Incheon International Airport on the afternoon of the 28th.