Seo Geon-chang (35), who joined the KIA Tigers on the 15th, showed confidence that he could quickly adapt to the new environment.
Seo Geon-chang graduated from Gwangju Jeil High School and Gwangju is his hometown. He had no ties to the Tigers.
Still, there are many people who are connected by the comfort of their hometown environment, the welcome of hometown fans, and school ties.
It’s his first time wearing a Tigers uniform 16 years after his professional debut, but these are things that will help him adjust. Seo Geon-chang said, “Kim Tae-gun, Kim Sun-bin, and Na Seong-beom are my friends.
There are also staff members with whom I have a relationship. I don’t think there will be any problem in adapting.”
All of them, including Seo Geon-chang, were born in 1989. We couldn’t help but become close friends as we played together in high school and professionally. 카지노사이트랭크
What’s interesting is that Seo Geon-chang is in the same position as his friend Kim Seon-bin. Kim Sun-bin is an unwavering starter who transformed from a shortstop to a second baseman.
Seo Geon-chang played as a second baseman for Nexen, and in 2014, he had 201 hits, was the batting champion, and was the regular league MVP.
He also won the Second Base Golden Glove Award three times (2012, 2014, and 2016). A friend and competitor of the same age joined the team.
The strange situation had been anticipated since the end of last year’s season. When Seo Geon-chang was released from the LG Twins, KIA was also selected as one of his destinations. He was also interested in Director Shim Jae-hak,
but did not show it outwardly. At that time, Kim Sun-bin received his second free agent qualification and entered into negotiations. Negotiations reached a deadlock and entered a long war.
Nevertheless, Director Shim did not pursue the recruitment of Seo Geon-chang. The reason was that it was not polite to Kim Sun-bin.
If Seo Geon-chang had been signed for no reason, it would inevitably have affected the remaining negotiations with Kim Sun-bin. It could be interpreted as KIA’s intention not to sign a contract with Kim Sun-bin.
Kim Sun-bin’s retention was considered a top priority, and he actually signed a three-year free agent contract worth up to 3 billion won in the new year. Including the 4 billion won from the first FA, it earned 7 billion won.
Kim Sun-bin’s stay was something that coach Kim Jong-guk also desperately wanted. He is a batter with a career batting average of .300. He was the main hitter last year, appearing in 119 games and playing regulation at-bats, recording .302 (6th) and an on-base percentage of .308 and 1.
He plays his part no matter where he is placed in the batting order, up or down. He has excellent pitching vision and cutting ability, harassing opposing pitchers. He is expected to have a batting average of over .300 again this year. He is an absolutely indispensable hitter.
One of the reasons KIA recruited Seo Geon-chang is that he can replace Kim Sun-bin. It is true that she has been on a decline in recent years and her batting and defense are not as good as they used to be.
However, it is clear that Seo Geon-chang’s wealth of experience is his competitive edge. Moreover, my physical condition has improved through intensive training throughout the winter.
Seo Geon-chang also expressed confidence, saying, “Personally, I prepared well. I feel good, perhaps because I prepared comfortably.”
Kim Sun-bin was also not a perfect full-timer due to frequent injuries in recent years. There is room for Seo Geon-chang to squeeze in. First of all, he is classified as Kim Sun-bin’s backup power,
but it is clear that he is a potential competitor. Kim Sun-bin is the undisputed starter with a career batting average of .303. Seo Geon-chang was also a talented batting player who achieved the first 200 hits.
An invisible competition for veterans is poised to take place from the first day of spring camp. The best scenario is that they stimulate each other and create a synergistic effect.