Because it is (evaluated) as a result…”
Kang Baek-ho (24 kt Wiz) attended the ‘2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League Media Day’ held at Grand Hyatt Seoul, Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul on the 30th.
Kang Baek-ho went through many twists and turns last year. He was unable to play for about two months due to an injury prior to the season opener, and a month after his return, he was again knocked down with an injury and was sidelined for 30 days. Entry cancellation period only 79 days.
The off-season 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) team also failed to reverse the atmosphere. In the first round of Group B of the ‘2023 WBC’ group stage against Australia, after one out at the end of the 7th inning when the team fell behind 4-5, Choi Jeong-ui stood at bat. He hit a double that hit the middle fence and fell, but fell off the base during the ceremony and was tagged out. He received a lot of criticism for his play that instantly poured cold water on the heated team dugout.
Kang Baek-ho, whom we met after the official Media Day event, emphasized the ‘result’ of his play. And he felt the weight of the result more desperately than ever, so he pledged to rebound.
Kang Baek-ho said, “All players always do their best when preparing for competitions. I can tell you properly. I had to accept the result, but the result was disappointing. It wasn’t good for me, and it was regrettable that it was bad for the fans. Still, I saw great potential in it, and I learned a lot. Not only me, but the team prepared well, so please look forward to the team as well.”
“I had a lot of injuries last year, so I prepared diligently for the season. I also think that I need to take better care of my body (as much as I suffered from injuries). Rather than record this season, I want to do without injuries. Also, as I mentioned earlier, I will play the game with one mind, looking at a higher place than fall baseball with the players without injury because it is evaluated by the result.” 안전놀이터
Off-season Kang Baek-ho changes his position. He gets out of the infield, puts on his outfield glove, and goes out on the field. It is the first full-time outfielder since the 2019 season. “The team has the best first baseman (Byeong-ho Park) in the KBO League. I thought it would be better to rotate the defense rather than the designated hitter to ease the burden on the players. I think he made a good decision for the team rather than a personal judgment, so I will prepare well and prepare hard to show that the team is a team that can look forward to the great power.”
Lastly, Kang Baek-ho said, “The biggest goal is not to fall out of the first team entry. And I will show a good image in front of many fans. I don’t have a specific goal, but I think the power that the team can win is enough, so I’ll work hard with winning as the biggest goal.”