Kim Kang-min (42) changed his number from ‘0’ to ‘9’ after nearly 20 years with the Hanwha Eagles. Why did he ask to change his number when he could have worn a 0 at Hanwha?
Kim Kang-min, who became a Hanwha man, departed for Melbourne, Australia, for spring training on the morning of the 30th with the Hanwha Eagles team through Incheon International Airport Terminal 1.
“It’s a tiring time, but I have expectations and excitement. I’m going to Australia for the first time, and I’m looking forward to many things.” “It’s the first time I’ve switched teams. I’m looking forward to playing baseball with the players of the new team and the first camp I’m going to,” he said.
Kim was selected by Hanwha with the 22nd overall pick in the fourth round of the KBO Secondary Draft last November. Kim was a one-club man who spent 23 years with the Wyverns and Landers after being drafted by SK with the 18th pick in the second round of the 2001 rookie draft, and was considered a candidate for the club’s permanent signing. For SSG fans, both the waiver and the transfer came as a shock.
Hanwha explained the reasoning behind the move at the time
saying, “We believe that fourth-rounder Kim Kang-min has the skills to strengthen our outfield depth and serve as a pinch-hitter, and we also believe that he has a lot of empathy for our young outfielders and can help them grow.”
After debating between retirement and an extension, 카지노사이트 Kim visited the Hanwha club office at the Daejeon Hanwha Life Eagles Park to announce his intention to extend his career. “Outfielder Kim Kang-min, who joined Hanwha through the second round of the draft, has decided to continue his playing career. Hanwha plans to include him in the list of pending players to be submitted to the KBO,” Hanwha announced.
“I’m a professional baseball player, so my focus is on playing baseball. I think I made a decision that allowed me to play as a player. I couldn’t afford to think about anything else. I thought about how I would look on the baseball field, so I started working out a little earlier,” he said, explaining his decision to extend his career.
When asked what it was like to wear the Hanwha uniform, he said, “It was a little awkward because the color itself changed from what I’ve always worn, but the material of the uniform was very comfortable (laughs). I think I’ll get used to it if I keep wearing it.”
Could he imagine stepping onto SSG Landers Field in a Hanwha uniform?
“I think it would be the same as any other team. But it would be a little different. “It would be a little bit different,” he says, “because in Hanwha’s home stadium, you go from third base to first base, and in Munhwa, you go from third base to first base. A lot of players talk about how it feels different to go to a place that was their home stadium when they were transferred. I’ve experienced it too, and I’ll be able to tell you after the first game.”
With his move to Hanwha, Kim also said goodbye to the number ‘0’, which he has worn since 2004. “The number 0 was the number I wore at SK and SSG, and since I came to a new team, I wanted to wear a new number. In a way, I think the number 0 will be the number that records me to the fans of SK and SSG in Incheon,” he said. “I want to do a little better with another number. I thought I couldn’t change my number, but now I have the chance. I want to be remembered by Hanwha with a different number.”
So why did he choose number 9? “Because it’s similar to the number 0. It’s simple. I wanted to wear a single-digit number, and among the numbers I had, I was a little more familiar with number 9.” “I also remember wearing number 9 because I couldn’t wear number 0 when I was on the national team before. I don’t know if it suits me or not, but it worked out.”
As always, Kim plans to use his veteran status at Hanwha to help the team and younger players grow.
“I’m a baseball player, so I have to think about performance first,” he said. “I have a lot of experience, so I’m going to take care of the inexperienced players who are curious and lacking. They may become much better players than me. I’m thinking about utilizing their strengths and helping them a little bit if they have questions. I don’t think I will interfere too much,” he explained.
Kim also thanked the Incheon fans for their unwavering support for over 20 years, starting in 2001. “I just want to say thank you,” he said, “I always remember, and I can’t forget that long time. I still love the teams SK and SSG,” he said, adding, “I don’t have any bad feelings because there are some juniors who have been with me for a long time. 카지노사이트 추천 That’s why I have a lot of good feelings for the fans. Thank you, and I hope to see you at the ballpark again in the future,” he said sincerely.