Ha-seong Kim (27, San Diego) had the best season of the year after advancing to the major leagues. Above all, as San Diego entered the postseason, Kim Ha-seong was also able to join the fall baseball festival.
Especially in this postseason, Kim Ha-seong received a lot of applause from his home fans. The crowd gathered at Petco Park, San Diego’s home stadium, enthusiastically chanted “Ha-sung Kim” whenever Ha-seong Kim entered the plate. There were many other star players in San Diego, but above all, the home fans generously supported Ha-sung Kim’s hustle play.
Why did Kim Ha-seong receive special love from San Diego fans?
Director Yeom Gyeong-yeop (54), the “teacher” who raised Ha-seong Kim through the joys and sorrows of Nexen (currently Kiwoom) Heroes, talked about the reason as follows.
“When I see Ha-sung Kim play, I still feel the earnestness. Ha-sung Kim does his best in every single play, even when he runs base. San Diego fans like that. The club also likes Ha-sung Kim very much. Fans All players are the same. There are absolutely no fans who say anything to a player who works hard. It is the same in Korea and America.”
Coach Yeom left for coaching training in San Diego, Major League Baseball in the U.S. in February last year and learned a lot and came back. He was talking about what he had seen and heard firsthand.
Kim Ha-seong debuted in Heroes in 2014. After digesting 60 games in the first year of his debut, he took part in 140 games the following year and established himself as a starter. At that time, the commanding tower holding the baton was 메이저놀이터 Yeom Gyeong-yeop, the current LG Twins coach. Manager Yeom entrusted Kim Ha-seong with a heavy responsibility when shortstop Kang Jung-ho (retired) left for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2015 season. He committed 21 errors, but gave opportunities with steady faith, and finally developed into the top shortstop in the KBO League and was able to advance to the major leagues.
It is expected that there will be no major change in Kim Ha-seong’s position in the next season. In fact, San Diego acquired Xander Bogarts (30), a super-sized shortstop with a ransom of 280 million dollars (approximately 365.7 billion won) in this Stove League. As Ha-seong Kim’s position overlaps, a crisis may come to the main competition. However, according to manager Yeom, the San Diego club told Ha-seong Kim the story of (recruiting Bogarts) first when recruiting Bogarts. It means that the club is not neglecting Kim Ha-seong and paying more attention.
In fact, San Diego plans to send Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) to the outfield next season and use Bogatz as shortstop and Kim Ha-seong as second baseman. AJ Preller, who led the recruitment of Kim Ha-seong in the past, emphasized at a press conference at the time of Bogatz’s recruitment, “If there are no major changes to the roster, Ha-sung Kim will at least spend a lot of time as a second baseman next season.” In the next season, the crowds at Petco Park are expected to continue their fervent support for Ha-seong Kim.