LG Twins outfielder Hong Chang-ki (30), who won the Golden Glove in 2021, is moving his position again in a year. After the 2021 season, he moved from center fielder to right fielder as Park Hae-min, a free agent (FA) outfielder considered the best center fielder in the league, joined.
This position change could have hurt Hong Chang-ki’s pride. Coach Yeom decided that a right fielder with a strong shoulder was needed to strengthen the defense, and came up with the idea of entrusting a new foreign hitter, Austin Dean, as right fielder in place of Hong Chang-ki.
Coach Yeom left for the United States for spring camp on the 27th and said, “To win the game, you must prevent the opposing team from advancing. In particular, the left fielder must not allow the opponent’s first base runner to advance to third base too easily. “We need a strong left fielder so that opponents can feel picky when they meet us,” he explained.
Hong Chang-ki, who missed the right field spot ahead of the new season, pledged a new start. In an interview held at Incheon International Airport on the 30th, he said, “My pride wasn’t hurt too much. I think it’s right for a player to follow the picture the coach wants.” It seems to be,” he said.
He also said, “The LG outfield is always a place where competition is fierce.
Hong Chang-ki seeks to restore his honor in a new position. He said, “The coach has been newly appointed and I was also sluggish last year, so I am very determined to come to the camp. I am working really hard to get back to the way I was before.”
He had his best year in 2021, winning the on-base king and winning the Golden Glove, but faltered in 2022 with a batting average of 0.286, 125 hits, 1 home run, 51 RBIs, 76 runs scored, an on-base percentage of 0.390 and a slugging percentage of 0.355 in 118 games. The problem was that his performance plummeted after suffering a side injury in June of last year.
Hong Chang-ki said, “Some people say that they suffered damage due to the wider strike zone rules, but I don’t think so. Although the number of walks has decreased (to 59), the number of games and number of at-bats has decreased as much (due to injuries). What I did had an impact,” he said, looking back on last season. 스포츠토토
He added, “Especially after the injury, the batting balance was broken and it got worse,” adding, “So during the off-season, when I did well, I focused on training to find it while watching the video.”
Director Yeom emphasized, “Hong Chang-ki must come back to life to reach the top this season,” and Hong Chang-ki expressed confidence in his rebound.
Hong Chang-ki said, “Last year’s slump was due to the aftermath of injuries, so I have to prove this season’s performance. I’m full of confidence,” he said.
He said, “I was sluggish in fall baseball last year, but it’s a season where I learned a lot. I still lack a lot. I’m trying to make up for it,” he said. “My goal this season is to play all games without injury.”