“He’s always trying.”

This is what an industry insider who knows Lee Woo-sung (29, KIA) well once told me. Whenever I cover a KIA game, I get the impression that Lee is a very polite and humble player. He always has a smile on his face, and you can’t help but feel good about him.

In the past, he hasn’t received much attention because he wasn’t very good at baseball. However, Lee’s baseball life has changed with the appointment of Kim Jong-kook. In an interview at the beginning of this season, he said that playing with the first team full-time last year gave him a boost of confidence.

It’s not like Kim Jong-kook kept Lee in the first team last year for no reason. The winner of the competition for the left wing last year was Lee Chang-jin. Lee was a solid backup. At times, when he was sent out to play defense, he was too agile for his size, but he made the most of his small role and always prepared thoroughly to take advantage of opportunities that might come his way.

Coach Kim said of Lee during the season, “He prepares well. He comes out and prepares really quickly. He can hit, and he seems to trust his swing mechanics. He didn’t have an identity as a long hitter or a shift hitter, but now he’s making a lot more contact. She is full of confidence.”

Kim continued, “I prioritized contact and the long ball came out. I swing hard. Anything that comes into the strike zone is going to get a result. When a hitter swings like that, it honestly makes it uncomfortable for pitchers to put the ball in the strike zone.”

According to Kim, Lee has really opened up his hitting this season. Although he slowed down a bit in late June, he and Choi Hyung-woo practically led the KIA batting order. Na Sung-bum is back, but he’s not missing a spot in the outfield. In 59 games, he batted .306 with five home runs, 24 RBIs, 23 runs scored, five doubles, and an OPS of .810.

“I like to play running baseball,” he says, and he’s agile for his size. Has a great base running and defense. He has the power to be a one-hit wonder on the basepaths and has a good sense of defense. He can help KIA in many ways.

Sharing at the All-Star Game When asked about the player he would like to recommend before the NC game against Gochuk on the 4th, Kiwoom coach Hong Won-ki said, “It was not difficult to decide after discussing it with the coaches on the phone. It was not difficult.” In the end, it seems that coach Kim Jong-guk recommended Lee Woo-sung to coach Hong Won-ki.안전놀이터

“He’s a very deserving All-Star. He struggled in Doosan and NC, and it was no different after being traded to KIA in 2019. He was on the verge of becoming a mediocre journeyman, but hard work never betrayed him. For Lee, 2023 is an auspicious year. It’s safe to say it’s a human triumph. An All-Star Game selection could be just the motivation he needs for the second half of the year.