"I did what 100 people tried to stop me from doing, and in the end…"
Lotte Giants outfielder Hwang Seong-bin faced one negative issue after another last season. May 5, Children's Day, was the start of the tragedy. In the first inning of the May 5 game against SSG at Sajik, while head-first sliding at first base, he suffered a fracture of the fourth metacarpal in his left hand.
He underwent surgery and had to miss about two months. Before the injury he had been blazing hot with a .327 batting average (110 at-bats, 36 hits), 12 RBIs, 18 runs and 10 stolen bases, OPS .751. But after returning from the injury he struggled to find his form. There were disappointing plays in the field, and he was criticized for actions in the dugout in which he could not contain his anger.
The Hwang Seong-bin who, in 2024, was manager Kim Tae-hyoung's assault captain and captured Lotte fans' hearts with his irresistible charm was nowhere to be found. Last year he appeared in only 79 games and finished with a .256 batting average (270 at-bats, 63 hits), one home run, 22 RBIs, 43 runs, 25 stolen bases and an OPS of .632. His salary was cut 29% from 155 million won last year to 110 million won.
Met during spring camp in Tainan, Taiwan, on the 31st of last month, Hwang Seong-bin lamented last season repeatedly. He said, "After last season ended I thought about a lot of things, and when I'm not myself my performance doesn't come out. When things aren't going well I become self-conscious and shrink, but this year I'm trying not to do that."
Although the finger fracture was ultimately regrettable, it became an opportunity for him to reflect on how his eagerness had gotten ahead of him. He said, "My performance was so good until I fractured it, and the team was in a good position. I rested for more than two months and couldn't be with the team when it was doing even better, and when I returned I played while continuing to feel pain. No matter what I did I couldn't control it well," and added, "People always have moments they regret, whether words or actions. I think I will regret the slide I made at first base for a long time."
There is a team-level fine for sliding at first base, but he didn't stop, and in the end the injury stopped Hwang Seong-bin. "While rehabbing I had many moments of becoming smaller myself," Hwang said, "My body reacted without me realizing it and I did what I was told not to do. I did what 100 people tried to stop me from doing, and in the end I got hurt," he said, reflecting on himself coldly. He added, "Because I hurt myself, I regretted it a lot. If I hadn't been hurt this badly I would have kept doing it. My body just reacted to survive. Now it has become a good chance for me," and said, "I can come back. But now I really don't want to do it anymore," conveying his resolute mindset.
Manager Kim Tae-hyoung said he intends to pursue baseball that is more focused on offense than defense. And he wants Hwang Seong-bin to stand at the forefront of that. Of course, if Hwang shows the same form as in the latter half of last year, Kim Tae-hyoung will have no choice but to turn away from him. Hwang knows that too. For that reason he visited Zainichi Korean outfielder Ahn Kwon-su, whom Hwang had followed in the past and who passed on his uniform number in an attempt to be together.
Ahn Kwon-su, who left the KBO League after the 2023 season because of the Nationality Act, was the role model who helped Hwang the most. Hwang said, "There were no contact hitters in the team similar to me. But after Kwon-su hyung came we gave each other feedback and shared good information; I have good memories of that. That was when I was most myself." Even after Kwon-su left for Japan they gave each other feedback through video calls. This time Hwang went to see Kwon-su. Ahn Kwon-su runs a baseball academy in Japan. He said, "Kwon-su hyung also has bright energy. I learned baseball from him, but I wanted to revive the version of myself and the better memories," and added, "This time infielder (Lee) Ho-jun also wanted to train with Kwon-su hyung, so we went together and trained."
Many experts predict Lotte will be in the lower ranks this year. Hwang, confident, said, "I think we can do it. The hitters will do well. We really can do it." About himself he said forcefully, "I think I just need to stay healthy and have a .380 on-base percentage."
He must compete with Jang Du-seong, Kim Dong-hyeok and Son Ho-young, who switched to the outfield, but he is confident. The swagger and boldness of the Hwang Seong-bin who had supreme confidence have returned. "If the team has many players it's good in itself, isn't it? But it doesn't matter. I will win all the competition. That's how confident I am. I'm someone who has come this far on confidence alone," he stressed, declaring his return as assault captain.
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