*This content was translated by AI.
I have a hunch of a revival of the Home Run Corps. The two big guns, each with their own goals of growth and rebounding, are showing off their extraordinary chemistry at the first spring camp of SSG Landers in Florida.
SSG went on its way to Vero Beach Spring Camp in Florida on the 23rd of last month. Earlier on the 19th, head coach Lee Sung-yong and veterans got on the plane first as starters, among them, transfer student Kim Jae-hwan (38) was also listed.
Kim Jae-hwan made his debut with the Doosan Bears in 2008 and played as a one-club man until last year, but he became a free agent and signed a two-year, 2.2 billion won contract with SSG (including 600 million options).
Unlike last year's strong mound, SSG had to settle for third place due to its weak lineup. If the strength of the lineup was supported, we could expect a higher ranking, so the biggest task this season was to reinforce the lineup, and Kim Jae-hwan was brought to add strength.
SSG is well known as the Home Run Corps. The overall batting average is not high, but he scored the points needed to win with a hot shot. He topped the home run list for three consecutive years from 2017, 2018, and 2021.
Although there were many foreign hitters, including Choi Jeong (518 home runs), who ranked first in KBO's career home runs, there were many native hitters supporting them, which allowed them to gain the reputation of the home run corps. There are still Guillermo Herredia and Han Yu Island, led by Choi Jung, but more expectations are being paid to transfer student Kim Jae-hwan and Ko Myung-joon (24), who drew remarkable growth last year.
Kim Jae-hwan has nothing to explain in terms of slugging power, but he has recently drawn a downward trend. While expressing the burden on Jamsil Stadium himself, he moved to SSG, which uses batter-friendly SSG Landers Field as his home, and is highly anticipated this season.
Ko Myung-joon also hit 17 home runs, the most since his debut last year, and three home runs in fall baseball following the rise in the second half of the year, making him look forward to this season more.
Previously, Choi Jeong's shoulders were heavy, but Ko Myung-joon grew up and Kim Jae-hwan joined, which is expected to create more synergy.
Coach Lee Sung-yong said earlier, "I suffered ups and downs last year due to the hit, and I expect more synergy effects for the players as Jae-hwan comes," adding, "Jae-hwan will also have a strong heart."
Kim Jae-hwan, in desperate need of a rebound, reached out first to Ko Myung-joon, the future of SSG. After signing a contract with SSG, he greeted Ko Myung-joon, whom he met at the clubhouse, and proposed to work out together in the spring camp, and the club explained that Ko Myung-joon readily accepted the offer.
The SSG squad has been waking up early in the morning before dawn and opening the day with weight training, and Kim Jae-hwan and Ko Myung-joon went to work at the clubhouse at 6 a.m. and are sweating together. According to SSG, Kim Jae-hwan is transmitting his experience focusing on how to use power efficiently in the weight training process and movements that help hit. He led the training by explaining each movement himself, and Ko Myung-joon continues his training based on the advice of his senior.
Ko Myung-joon still needs to grow further based on experience, but he has enough potential. Manager Lee Soo-yong said, "Myeong-jun is now in his third year (full-time). I value my third year very much. You have to come up by then. I'm also thinking about finding someone else if I can't come up as much as I think," he said, but added, "I think I can hit more than 30 home runs. He stressed that he should keep trying to break that framework and pour everything into it.
In that respect, Kim Jae-hwan's proposal, especially as a big shot in the profession, was also very welcome to Ko Myung-joon. Ko Myung-joon said, "Kim Jae-hwan suggested that we work out first. It was really nice. He is a slugger who hit nearly 300 home runs in the KBO League. He was also named the home run king and MVP of the league. I just think it's great," he said, expressing his respect.
"I'm learning a lot of things while working out with such a senior. There are many things you gain by working out together. I want to build up my body like Kim Jae-hwan, he said. "The senior does weight training all three days except for rest days. I'm working on the same schedule. "If my body adjusts, I think I can make more spurt," he said.
Kim Jae-hwan also has something to gain. He said, "I suggested it first because I thought it would be nice to work out with Myung-jun. Myung-jun was also willing to accept it and train together. "I'm impressed that I'm good with my seniors because I'm sad, and I'm playing in the first team even at a young age," he said. "I also feel more amazing because I haven't experienced that at that age. I think I'm a player who will get better in the future, and I want to be a little helpful. However, we are trying to talk about hitting techniques in a way that does not burden us rather than giving too much detailed advice," he said.
Although he is a senior who is difficult to approach easily due to the difference of 14 years, this opportunity has allowed him to get closer and solve his questions. Ko Myung-joon said, "I'm going to ask a lot about baseball as well. When training batting, they also ask Kim Jae-hwan about "what kind of thoughts he hits" and "what direction he has." It's a great help," he said with satisfaction.
Manager Lee Sung-yong cited strengthening the batting lineup as the key to the rebound this season. Kim Jae-hwan and Ko Myung-joon, who know better than anyone else that they should stand at the center, are sweating heavily to create synergy by strengthening each other.
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*This content was translated by AI.
