Is it natural to lose? "You should be angry and get fired up." Kiwoom Heroes' veteran infielder An Chi-hong shares his sincere thoughts on 'The dignity of a veteran'.

*This content was translated by AI.

This season, Kiwoom Heroes is the only one of the 10th teams that has not yet reached the milestone of 30 wins. However, losing is not inevitable. An Chi-hong (36), a veteran who has experienced every kind of hardship on the team, continues to emphasize this point to his younger teammates while demonstrating the dignity of a veteran.

On the 5th, Kiwoom lost 1-8 in a home game against Doosan Bears at Seoul Gocheok Sky Dome as part of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season.

Kiwoom fell into a two-game losing streak and concluded the weekend three-game series against Doosan with one win and two losses. Their record for this season stands at 29 wins, 1 draw, and 55 losses. They currently hold the lowest position in the league standings.

Although their winning percentage has dropped below .350, Kiwoom continues to do its best in every game to secure a victory.

At the center of this effort is veteran second baseman An Chi-hong, who leads the infield.

An Chi-hong was selected first overall in the second round of the 2009 KBO Rookie Draft by the KIA Tigers. After the 2019 season, he became a free agent (FA) and moved to Lotte Giants. Following the 2023 season, he signed an FA contract with Hanwha Eagles and changed teams once again.

However, during his second year with Hanwha last season, An Chi-hong did not receive any significant opportunities. He played in only 66 games and eventually moved to Kiwoom through the KBO Second Draft held in November of last year. Selected first overall by Kiwoom, he became a member of the Hero Corps.

And now, facing the 2026 season, An Chi-hong has appeared in 73 games so far, recording a batting average of .281 (76 hits in 270 at-bats), 6 home runs, 12 doubles, 33 RBIs, 29 runs scored, 30 walks, 2 hit-by-pitches, 44 strikeouts, a slugging percentage of .393, an on-base percentage of .355, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of .748. His batting average with runners in scoring position is .290, while his pinch-hitting average stands at .500.

In a recent interview with reporters, An Chi-hong said, "As difficult situations have continued, it is true that our players are getting tired. Rather than just feeling the hardship, as we keep facing obstacles in situations where we need to resolve games, everyone seems to be gradually feeling more pressure." He added, "As veterans of the team, I believe senior players like me, Choi Ju-hwan and Seo Geon-chang should step up and break through the atmosphere. Only then can younger players relieve their burdens and approach the plate with confidence. That is why we are focusing on resolving situations whenever we get a chance."

When asked what advice he usually gives to his younger teammates as a veteran, An Chi-hong replied, "As the season progresses, I've noticed that our younger players, especially when there are runners on base, tend to feel significant pressure. In such cases, I believe it is better for us veterans to lead by example through our performance rather than offering too many words of advice. The more we talk, the more thoughts and burdens young players may accumulate. Of course, if they have questions and approach us first, we are always ready to share our thoughts."

Kiwoom has suffered more losses this season compared to other teams, a situation that would be difficult for even senior players. Whenever this happens, what kind of words does An Chi-hong offer his younger teammates? He stated, "Because we have lost so many games, there should be moments where we feel anger at the defeats and show determination against our opponents. At first, however, that attitude seemed somewhat lacking. That is why we have been emphasizing this aspect of our mindset. Still, things are improving significantly. I believe they will continue to improve throughout the remainder of the season," demonstrating the dignity of a veteran.

Finally, when asked about his goals for this season, he said, "I do not have any special thoughts beyond that. It is somewhat regrettable that I had injuries, but my goal is to stay healthy and complete the season without further injury concerns." He concluded with renewed determination.

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*This content was translated by AI.