A cool double hit at the start of the game. He scored the first run by stepping on the home base with subsequent hitters. It is a disappointing result for Lotte Giants Ahn Kwon-soo, who was erased on the 6th as ‘no game’.
In the opening game against the ‘parent team’ Doosan Bears, he made a big success with 2 hits and 3 RBIs, including a timely hit to tie the score. He even showed off a splendid ceremony. He has a batting average of 5.7 and 1 in exhibition games, and even in the regular season, he is above 3.00 in the opening three games (3.8 and 4 hits in 13 at-bats). The bat is scary. His menacing running base play stands out even on base.
“Rather than feeling good, I just want to play well. I was very nervous before the opening game. The ceremony came out without my knowledge.”
During the Doosan days, it was not easy to break through the thick player base. He played mostly as a counter-defense and runner. He only had 41 plate appearances in 2020 and 47 plate appearances in 2021.
In 2022, I finally got my chance. For the first time since his debut, he exceeded 200 plate appearances, recording a batting average of 2.9 71 (71 hits in 239 at-bats) and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.712.
I got caught up in my stamina. He had a batting average of 3.5 and an OPS of 0.842 in June, but stayed in the 10% range in July and August.
It is also a painful memory for Ahn Kwon-soo. He said, “I’m used to the role of first hitter because I played a lot last year. My goal is to do well until the end of the season.”
Coach Sutton praised Ahn Kwon-soo, saying, “He has good contact and approach. He goes on base well. He deserves to be the number one hitter. He can hit and run, bunt, and steal. He is also good at defense.”
When asked why he woke up to the blow last year, he said it was a ‘trade secret’. There was a hitting point that I learned from Doosan. Ahn Kwon-soo expressed his pride, saying, “I was originally weak in the fastball. I studied how to hit the fastball well, and the results have been coming out since last year. I think I can hit the breaking ball anytime.”
This is the myth of being ranked 99th in the rookie draft. After going through the Japanese independent league, he is in the KBO league. He was released last year and changed his uniform to Lotte.
According to the Military Service Act, it is until this year that Ahn Kwon-su, a third-generation Korean in Japan, can play in the KBO league without military service. Military service is not an easy option for Ahn Kwon-soo, who has family in Japan. When asked about next year’s plans, he repeatedly emphasized, “I’m not thinking about it at all right now. I’ll just focus on this year.” 안전놀이터
Doosan is a team that has won the Korean Series for 7 consecutive years. However, after Ahn Kwon-soo joined the Doosan outfield, Kim Jae-hwan, Jeong Soo-bin, Park Gun-woo, and Kim In-tae-Jo Su-haeng supported the Doosan outfield. Ahn Kwon-soo was a ‘backup of backups’. Park Kun-woo’s transfer and Kim In-tae’s injury took advantage of meaningful results in the 1st team last year, only 9th place.
This year, Lotte is dreaming of fall baseball as well as beyond. That heart is desperate for Ahn Kwon-soo as well. It is already the center of team chemistry.
“I thought I would quit baseball after being released, but Lotte caught me. I just want to play for Lotte’s victory. There are many good hitters on our team.