“I have a longer baseball life ahead of me than the next seven years, but I will never forget these seven years when I first started in my heart”
Kiwoom Heroes’ Lee Jung-hoo went 0-for-1 as a pinch-hitter against the Samsung Lions in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Tuesday.
Lee, who is set to enter the Major League Baseball after this season, said goodbye to the fans at Kiwoom’s final home game. He signed autographs before the game and came up to bat for the final time this season in the eighth inning.
With Kiwoom leading 5-3 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Lee came to the plate as a pinch hitter and greeted the fans before stepping up to the plate. The Kiwoom fans cheered Lee’s last at-bat by singing his chants. Lee battled his former teammate Kim Tae-hoon for 12 pitches before being retired on a grounder to shortstop. Kiwoom went on to win 5-3, extending their winning streak to three games. With Hanwha’s loss, Kiwoom moved out of last place and into ninth place.
After the game, Lee said, “I was very nervous from yesterday until the game, but once I got to the plate, I relaxed. I didn’t have a sense of the game yet, but when I saw one or two balls, I hit them and fouled them off. Still, I want to give meaning to the fact that I was able to show my last appearance on the field (at home),” he said after his final game of the season.
“I tried to prepare as best I could, whether it worked or not,” said Lee, who added, “I came to the first team without completing my rehabilitation because I was traveling to show my last appearance, but I wanted to make sure I was in 먹튀검증 the best shape possible. Thanks to the consideration of the coach, I was able to take my last at-bat. I’m very grateful,” he said of his preparation for the game.
After the game, Lee said, “It was emotional (to say goodbye to the fans). I realized that seven years had passed quickly. I’m sure I’ll have a longer baseball career than seven years, but I’ll never forget these first seven years in my heart,” he said, reflecting on his seven years at Kiwoom.