"Please write it like a slave." Worst season → Returning the break, Choi Jeong-eun, the 'No. 1 home run in South Korea' with a long sense of pride, grated her teeth [Incheon set]

*This content was translated by AI.

He has a batting average of 0.244 with 23 home runs and 63 RBIs in 95 games.

It was a disappointing season for Choi Jung (39, SSG Landers), who hit 518 home runs in total and is the main character of the KBO League's all-time home run. He couldn't shake off the aftermath of his injury at the beginning of the season and eventually accepted the poor report card of career low.

Although he spent 21 seasons as a professional, 2026 is expected to be a more urgent moment for Choi Jung. He expressed his strong determination not to repeat last year's nightmare again.

Choi Jong-un left Incheon International Airport for the first camp in Vero Beach, Florida on the 19th. Along with head coach Lee Soo-yong, Kim Kwang-hyun, Kim Jae-hwan, Han Yu-sum, Moon Seung-won, Oh Tae-gon, and Jihoon Choi, he first boarded a flight to the U.S.

This is in contrast to the fact that Choi Jung and other veterans built themselves at the second-tier camp in Kagoshima, Japan, last year amid coach Lee's consideration. He took autonomy, but as a result, he had the worst season, so he decided to voluntarily go to the Florida camp one step ahead.

Choi Jeong returned the break ahead of the camp. "This time, rather than the concept of building a body, I thought it was a season and kept training even after the season," he told reporters before leaving the country, adding, "I wanted to keep my body in the season." "I was injured before the season and I couldn't play much in the game, so I tried to do it a little differently this time and I think my body has been built well so far," he said.

Except for the time when he went through some adjustment period at the beginning of his debut, he always reigned as the best hitter in the league, so this slump is unfamiliar. There are many things that I realized through the failures that came late. I felt deeply that health is the most important thing from the standpoint of looking at the bullseye.

Choi Jung-eun said, "After getting injured, I would rather start the season healthy and not play baseball is less stressful than not being able to play in the game because I'm sick," adding, "I'm thinking of only entering the season as healthy as possible (in the off-season)."

Fortunately, I have built a body that can start training in earnest. "(He's in good shape). Even after returning from injury, I was fine, but I had a lot of bad feelings, and that continued," he said. "Now, the pain that I felt was not good has become very dull. So I think I'll be in good shape now. If you ignore it, it will be okay," he said confidently.

He also expressed his strong will to coach Lee Sung-yong. Manager Lee said, "I think (Choi) Jung will be much better than last season. In fact, there was a time when the season was over. He said, "I don't have that kind of personality, but I think my body will follow me a lot if I come and talk to him first," and added, "Now I will take care of my body and I will do better." "I felt so sorry for the team last season and I felt so sorry for the coach, so I said something nice this season that I would be able to keep up with my body and mind more only if I spoke with that kind of heart," he said with a smile.

Another part of Choi Jung's expectations is that he will build a stronger lineup with transfer player Kim Jae-hwan, Ko Myung-joon, who is steadily on the rise, and Guillermo Herredia, who once again remained. It has become a long time ago that only Choi Jung was in intensive check, which means that Choi Jung can also have more opportunities at bat.

It was only when I approached the bullseye that I was able to let go of my greed. Choi Jung-eun said, "My goal this season is to play as many games as possible without resting," adding, "The responsibility is so embedded that I don't have to think about it anymore." "I wish I could play baseball well, but I may not be able to play, but I think it will still help the team a lot if I don't get injured because I can't play or be careful like last year."

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*This content was translated by AI.