After suddenly taking the helm during the Australian spring camp in February, KIA Tigers coach Lee Bum-ho had deep conversations with each of the players. Veteran infielder Seo Geon-chang, who has been wearing KIA uniforms since this season, also confessed his inner feelings to Lee Bum-ho.
Coach Lee Bum-ho said, "The first part I asked when I called Seo Geon-chang during the Australian camp was, 'I saw you when you were young and I saw you play even when you were older, and I don't think there's any reason for you to lose your grades,'" he said. "Seo Geon-chang said his psychological problem was the biggest. So I told him to play baseball as comfortably as you want because I'll make that part no problem."
Seo Kun-chang is an indispensable player in the history of the KBO league. After graduating from Gwangju Jeil High School in 2008, he failed to be selected by eight teams in the rookie draft, but joined the LG Twins as a new player and entered the professional league.
Seo suffered from being released immediately after recording one at-bat and one strikeout in one game in the first division in the 2008 season, but he did not let go of baseball. After completing his active military service, he passed the Kiwoom Heroes' joining test, and got the opportunity to join as a rookie player.
Seo displayed a remarkable performance in 127 games in the 2012 season with a batting average of 0.266 (115 hits in 433 times at bat), 40 RBIs and 39 steals, securing Kiwoom's starting second baseman position. When he won the Rookie of the Year award and the Golden Glove in the second baseman category, he became a rookie.
Seo garnered 200 hits in a single season, an unprecedented number in the history of the 2014 season in the KBO League. With a batting average of 0.370 (201 hits in 543 times at bat), seven homers, 67 RBIs and 48 steals, he garnered a batting average and the most hits, and became the MVP of the regular season.
Seo had the golden glove in the second baseman category for the third time in his career with a batting average of 0.325 (182 hits in 560 times at bat) with seven homers, 63 RBIs and 26 steals in 140 games in the 2016 season. In the 2017 season, Seo maintained his reputation as a league-class second baseman with a batting average of 0.332 (179 hits in 539 times at bat), six homers, 76 RBIs and 15 steals in 139 games.
Seo Geon-chang was slowed down by injuries in the 2018 and 2019 seasons, but in the 2020 season, he was still a competitive second baseman in the KBO League with a batting average of 0.277 (134 hits in 484 times at bat), five homers, 52 RBIs and 24 steals.
However, he has been mired in a deep slump since he was traded to LG, the first team to play professionally in the 2021 season. His final record in the 2021 season was just 0.253 (130 hits in 513 times at bat) with six homers, 52 RBIs and 12 steals in 144 games. In the 2022 season, he also failed to play his part by posting a batting average of 0.224 (49 hits in 219 times at bat) with two homers, 18 RBIs and eight steals in 77 games.
Seo sought to take a leap forward after manager Yeom Kyung-yeop, who had been with him during his career at Kiwoom, took office last year, but received a poor report card with a batting average of 0.200 (22 hits in 126 times at bat) and 12 RBIs in 44 games. He was not included in the Korean Series entry list, and was notified of his release after the end of the season.
Seo quickly found a bird's nest. Kia has reached out to Seo to strengthen its infield depth. The team recruited Seo under conditions of a total of 120 million won (140,000 U.S. dollars), including an annual salary of 50 million won (44,940 dollars) and an option of 70 million won (64,940 dollars).
Seo Geon-chang, a native of Gwangju, has been gradually showing his revival after wearing the uniform of his hometown team. After swinging hard at the Doosan Bears match in Jamsil on the 31st of last month with three hits in four at-bats, three runs scored, two RBIs and one stolen base, he continued his good batting performance with one hit in two at-bats against the KT Wiz match in Suwon on the 2nd.
Seo Kun-chang gained momentum and made three hits, one home run, three RBIs and two runs from four times at bat in the match against KT in Suwon on the 3rd. When Kia was losing 0-1, it had a timely hit to tie the game, a come-from-behind two-run homer in the top of the second inning, and a double in the top of the sixth inning to get on base and even scored a point. In fact, the victory was achieved through Seo's bat.
It is the first time in 560 days that Seo Kun-chang has hit a home run in the first division game since Sept. 21, 2022, when he was a member of LG. Coincidentally, the opponent team that asked if he hit a home run was KIA. He has washed away the disappointment of hitting no home run last year from the beginning of the 2024 season by wearing the KIA uniform.
KIA is unable to operate its full lineup as the core Na Sung-beom of the lineup left just before the opening of the regular season due to injury and first baseman Hwang Dae-in was injured in the match against Lotte Giants in Gwangju on the 27th.
It was a crisis that could have weakened its offense, but as Seo Geon-chang gained strength right after the opening, there were more cards that could be used to operate the regular season.
"I think Seo has become mentally relaxed as he came to my hometown team. It's definitely different from playing in a relaxed mood," coach Lee Bum-ho said. "I think Seo will be able to go in a better direction going forward."
"I'm not sure where Seo was kicked out (when he was at LG), but he must have wanted to do better ahead of his qualification as a free agent, and I think he was shaken up in many ways," he said. "Fortunately, he got better when he came to KIA. I hope this season will be a season where I can show much more as Seo said."
BY: 스포츠토토