"Dad, are we going to 'bang!'?" A .300 hitter's secret to leading NC's big comeback, greeted by his 2-year-old daughter holding a bat [Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

NC Dinos outfielder Lee Woo-seong (32) expressed gratitude to baseball fans and players who warmly welcome his young daughter, allowing her to play happily.

Lee Woo-seong is one of the core hitters for NC this season. In 60 regular-season games, he has recorded a .352 batting average (76 hits in 216 at-bats), 4 home runs, 26 RBIs, 21 runs scored, a .389 on-base percentage, a .472 slugging percentage, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.861. His recent 10-game performance shows strong momentum with a .352 batting average (15 hits in 42 at-bats). Thanks to Lee Woo-seong's consistent performance, NC can launch a big comeback at any time.

A successful trade is also cited as a key factor. Lee Woo-seong was traded from the KIA Tigers to NC in July last year. After playing for NC from 2018 to 2019, he returned to the team six years after being traded to KIA. While his steady performances have earned him the support of NC fans, there is another figure beloved by Changwon fans.

His daughter, Iroa (2). Iroa, who cheers for her father alongside her mother and plays with other players' children, has become another source of joy for fans visiting ChangwonNC Park. When Lee Woo-seong met StarNews recently in Suwon, he couldn't hide his smile when Iroa's name came up.

He said, "Since Iroa mostly stays at home and at daycare, I bring her to the baseball field so she can play outside. But I was surprised that fans have shown so much affection for Iroa. This is the first time something like this has happened..." he laughed.

He continued, "They pretend to be her aunt and uncle, play with her, and give her many gifts. I am truly grateful. In fact, it seems she receives more than I do. All the gifts have been brought home and carefully stored. (Taking this opportunity) I want to express my gratitude again," he bowed his head.

The sight of children running freely in the baseball field now reflects a shift where the stadium is no longer a space for a specific generation but a place for families to enjoy together. Children who build good memories at the baseball field will eventually become the foundation that strengthens the KBO League.

Even young Iroa is gradually learning about baseball. Lee Woo-seong said, "I thought she was too young to know about baseball. But the more she comes to the field, the more she asks to play her uncles' cheer songs at home. Among the uncles, she likes (Park) Min-woo the most. Maybe because he plays well with her and meets us often, she frequently asks to play Min-woo's cheer song."

He added, "I have a practice bat at home for swing training, and now Iroa holds it and swings. When I leave, I tell her, 'Dad will go to work and come back,' and she says, 'Dad, are you going to 'bang!' now? See you at the baseball field!' as she sees me off," he smiled.

ChangwonNC Park has also become a special place for Iroa. Lee Woo-seong said, "Recently, my parents came to the baseball field, and Iroa, who was in the back seat of the car, proudly told them, 'This is where my dad works.' He also mentioned, 'When we come to the baseball field, we play catch together.'"

Thanks to his daughter's support, his father's performance is soaring. Lee Woo-seong said, "Holding the bat shorter seems to help me. Also, Coach Lee Ho-jun established a single batting form that prevents me from overthinking, which has helped reduce my distractions." He added, "When he was a batting coach (in 2019), he helped minimize unnecessary movements in my swing. It seems I can now respond well to the faster pitches of today's players."

He also expressed gratitude to NC's first-team batting coach Jo Young-hoon (44) and first-team batting assistant coach Jeon Min-su (37), who always check his batting condition. Lee Woo-seong said, "The batting coaches help me maintain my form as soon as I arrive at work. Coach Min-su told me that in the past, if I couldn't hit for a day, they would only talk about my batting form. But now, I focus on fixing my form and concentrating on timing and facing pitchers. Thanks to that, things are going well, but the season is still far from over. I need to keep working hard," he emphasized.

Wherever he goes, Lee Woo-seong is a player who receives praise from coaches. This is because his attitude of always considering the team's situation over his own is evident in his actions. The player himself also states that his good performance this year is not due to the effects of his trade.

Lee Woo-seong said, "As I get older, I find meaning in being able to play baseball in a first-team stadium where fans cheer for me. It's not about which team I'm on, but this moment is good and meaningful to me." He added, "I got a hamstring injury before the first half of 2024 ended. So, my first goal is to avoid further injuries during the remaining first half and spend happy time with my family. I believe that if I perform well, our team will rise with me," he resolved.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.