"I wish I did a good job so I wouldn't be in charge of number 4"…"KIA's new foreign hitter" Choi Hyungwoo's wish for Wisdom

"I wish I did a good job so I wouldn't be in charge of number 4"…"KIA's new foreign hitter" Choi Hyungwoo's wish for Wisdom

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Choi Hyung-woo (42) hoped for a good performance by the new foreign hitter Wisdom (hereinafter KIA Tigers).메이저사이트

Choi, who joined the pro league at the behest of the Samsung Lions in 2002, is an experienced right-handed and left-handed veteran outfielder. He has been with the Kia Tigers since the 2017 season and posted a batting average of 0.310 (2442 hits in 7,877) with 395 homers and 1,651 RBIs in 2,181 games until last year, with an on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) of 0.930.
In the 2024 season as well, Choi showed great presence. He played 116 games with a batting average of 0.280 (425 at-bats, 119 hits in 425 times at bat), 22 homers, 109 RBIs, and an OPS of 0.860, taking the lead in KIA's V12.

Choi has been busy this off-season to promote his team well. He set up a mini-camp with his own money in Guam in early January, and worked hard to elevate his physical condition with Lee Woo-sung and Ryu Ji-hyuk. However, the effect was not as great as expected.

Choi Hyung-woo, who met before leaving for Irvine, California, where KIA's first spring camp site is set up, said, "I did the same (as I've been doing in Guam). I couldn't come up easily because I was old. I didn't get as much results as I wanted," and added, "I have a lot of time anyway. What I originally planned was to go to (spring camp) and do it all out, but I don't think (my body) is that bad. I think I have to take my time and take my time."

"(Players who went there with me) did a great job. Players who go there every year have no choice but to do their best. They will be scolded if they don't do it. They have to do the basic schedule that I have set. They have no choice but to do their best," he said with a happy smile.

"My mindset for the new season is the same. As I mentioned before, I will play with the mindset that it's the last time," Choi said. "If you do that, you will see the result. Rather than focusing on the outcome, I will do what I usually do. I will try to do it with the same mindset."

Choi Hyung-woo has been active in batting order four times. He expressed his desire to put it down for a few years, but there was hardly a replacement for him.

Against this backdrop, Wisdom, which Kia recruited this time, is a strong candidate to pull down Choi from No. 4. Wisdom, who was called by the St. Louis Cardinals as the 52nd overall in the first round in the 2012 draft, has been a right-handed utility resource since then after playing for the Texas Rangers and the Chicago Cubs. He posted a batting average of 0.209 with 88 homers and 207 RBIs in 455 games in the U.S. Major League Baseball, and posted 28 hits out of the fence in 2021 when he was wearing the Cubs uniform. Since then, Wisdom has displayed strong slugging capability by launching 25 homers and 23 homers in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

"I don't trust foreign batters," Choi said. "I have high expectations. I hope he takes (my luggage). I hope he does well. I need to do well so that I don't have to go up."

In addition, Choi's ultimate wish was for a Korean batter to take his place. "As I always say, I don't need personal things. In order for KIA to develop and become better, a player like me needs to step down a little bit now, whether he is good or not. It is too late now. I should have retired three years ago. That way, young players can play as the center of batting order, and our team can continue to develop," Choi said. "The old should not be in charge there. New players should do well. I hope he can do well and take No. 4. (RBI production) can be done in No. 6 batting order as well."

This season marks the last year of his one-plus-one-year contract. Choi will decide whether to extend his contract or retire depending on the results of the 2025 season and his physical condition.

"I will continue to do my best as a player for now. I haven't decided when to retire. I will try (as a player) rather than my life afterwards," he said with a hearty laugh. "I still draw the line, 'I'm still a player,' when I talk to coaches. I'm only two to three years younger than my coaches. They say I'm not a coach yet. I told them I'm still a player. I asked them to call me when it's over."

Finally, Choi said, "(Of course) I have plans to extend my active duty. But I am thinking of retiring. It's been a long time since I feel empty. If the result comes along, of course, I am willing to extend it. I don't want to retire immediately," Choi said, adding, "If I think I shouldn't dwell on my physical condition, location or anything else, I will stop. If I still have competitive edge, I will do it again."