Choi Hyung-woo, 41, of the Kia Tigers of the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO), remembered his worst game in the first half of the season to strengthen his resolve for the second half.
Choi Hyung-woo started as the No. 6 designated hitter for the Nanum All-Stars in the 2024 Shinhan Bank SOL Bank KBO League All-Star Game at SSG Landers Field in Incheon, South Korea, on June 6 and went 3-for-4 with a double, home run, two RBIs and one run scored. He led the Nanum All-Stars to a 4-2 victory and became the oldest All-Star Game MVP in history (40 years, 7 months, and 4 days).
Choi Hyung-woo, the veteran who graced the star-studded festival, said in a postgame interview, “Honestly, when I first came, I felt embarrassed because I was too old. My family came and I decided to enjoy it for the last time, but I’m glad I got a big award. (The idea of winning the MVP) was in the back of my mind since I hit the home run. I just wanted to get the last hit and close out the eighth and ninth innings. I told Jeon Sang-hyun that I’d get in trouble if he scored, so I told him to keep him out,” Choi said after receiving the award.
Choi was born in December 1983, making him the fifth oldest veteran in the KBO after Choo Shin-soo (SSG), Oh Seung-hwan (Samsung), and Kim Kang-min (Hanwha), who were born in 1982, and Ko Hyo-joon (February 1983). In 2142 career KBO games, he batted .301 with 389 home runs, 1615 RBI, 1273 runs scored, 19 doubles, and a .932 OPS (7749 hits, 2408 at-bats).
Choi earning a spot on the All-Star team.
Choi, who said he plays every year as if it could be his last, continued his strong play this season, batting .286 (85-for-297) with 16 homers, 73 RBIs, 49 runs scored and an OPS of .882 in 77 games, earning a spot on the All-Star team. In a pregame interview, he said, “I really thought last year was my last, and I was going to go out on a high note at the All-Star Game. I didn’t expect you to call me until this year, so I’m really grateful,” Choi said, thanking the fans and players for selecting him as an All-Star.
Choi Hyung-woo still leads the team as KIA’s No. 4 hitter. Thanks to Choi’s performance, Kia finished the first half of the season atop the league with 48 wins, two ties, 33 losses, and a .593 winning percentage. “We finished in first place, so I’m satisfied with the way the first half went. 바카라사이트 추천 “There were a lot of twists and turns, both for me personally and for the team, but we ended up in first place, so I’m satisfied,” he said of the first half.
Kia has been playing well this season, beating the second-place teams whenever they happen to meet them. Fans even joke that they shouldn’t touch the tiger’s butt. Choi Hyung-woo says, “At first, we didn’t do it, but about a month ago, we realized it was funny. If we think about it, if we meet the second place, we win, but it’s funny when we meet the second place when it’s really important, when we’re only down by one or two games. From then on, I think we become conscious and play with a little more fight,” he said.
Kicking off the second half of the season on Sept. 9,
Kia will play a three-game series against the LG Twins at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul. LG has 46 wins, two ties and 38 losses this season for a .548 winning percentage and is in second place, 3.5 games behind Kia. “We’re playing LG again on the 9th, which should be fun,” Choi laughed.
Despite being in first place in the first half, KIA hasn’t been without its share of disappointing games. This year, they have struggled against Lotte. They have lost three wins, one draw and seven losses. In particular, against Lotte on June 25, they failed to protect a 13-point lead after a 14-1 run and allowed the game to come from behind, eventually drawing 15-15. It was the first time in KBO history that the team failed to protect a 13-point lead.
“The team atmosphere was really bad. It was a portrait,” said Choi Hyung-woo, who recalled the disappointing game, “It was more ridiculous than bad. It was more than just a bad mood, it was ridiculous. This match also made me realize that I shouldn’t relax when I play Lotte this year. We still have a lot of matches left, so I have to work harder.”
Choi Hyung-woo was reticent about his outlook for the second half of the season, saying, “I really don’t know. I will do my best in the second half. I think the match on the 9th will be an interesting one,” Choi said, vowing to continue his performance for the rest of the season.