Samsung Lions left-hander Paik Jung-hyun, 37, plans to travel to the United States for a month of off-season personal training.
Baek suffered an unexpected injury ahead of the playoffs against the LG Twins. During a self-evaluation game at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu on March 9, he was hit on the right hand by a Kim Heon-gon’s bunt that deflected and hit him in the left eye area. Baek immediately collapsed, and the batter, Kim Heon-gon, rushed to the mound to check on Baek’s condition. Baek was helped to the dugout by a trainer. Upon examination, he was diagnosed with a microfracture of his right thumb and a left eye socket contusion. He was not named to the roster for the Korean Series against the Kia Tigers, let alone the playoffs.
When we met Baek at Gyeongsan Ballpark on June 6, he was still wearing a cast on his right thumb. “I’ve improved a lot. I’m working hard on my lower body and doing upper body exercises within a range that doesn’t put too much pressure on my fingers,” he said. Baek suffered an unexpected injury before the Fall Festival. He must have been disappointed beyond words. However, he remained calm and said, “I regret not being able to join the team. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t be with the team, but it’s something that can’t be helped,” he said.
“I was so sorry and grateful when (Baek) Jung-hyun hugged me and said, ‘I’m fine,’ while my brother’s eyes were swollen shut, and that made me feel a little bit better. It made me realize that I should do better for my brother, and I felt more responsible.” In response, Baek Jung Hyun said, “Hun Gon is getting older and more tearful. He cries whenever he sees me,” he laughed.
Baek Jung Hyun was preparing for the next season by treating his injuries and rehabilitating.
While his teammates were trying their best to become the main characters of the fall stage, Baek Jung Hyun was preparing for the next season by treating his injuries and rehabilitating. “I watched the games and thought, ‘I would have pitched in this situation,’” he says. “The guys gave it their all, but we ended the season in second place. I’m preparing harder to help the team,” he said.
Baek Jung-hyun, who plans to spend a month in the U.S. for personal training from mid-December, said, “I always wanted to go to the U.S. after the season to learn things, but I couldn’t. This time, I have a good opportunity, so I’m going to exercise and study for about a month.”
It is not common for a veteran player who is close to retirement to travel abroad at his own expense, and it shows a strong will to improve his performance. 파워볼사이트 “There are so many things I want to learn in the United States. I’m planning to learn a lot about pitching mechanics as well as polishing the ball. I’ve been learning the ball by watching videos on my own, but it would be better to know it in theory,” he said.
“I want to be a coach after I retire, and it’s good to share my experience, but it’s more effective to know the theory and teach it. To do that, I need to study hard,” he added. “I need someone to help me interpret, but I haven’t found one yet,” he said.
We asked Baek what he enjoys reading these days.
“I read books of various genres. I read books on Buddhism as well as books on physics. If I don’t understand something while reading a book, I look up related books.” “I give advice to juniors who are struggling, but I also give them books that I think will be good for them,” said Baek, who is known to be a reliable mentor for juniors. Whether he reads it or not is up to him.”
Baek, who signed a four-year free agent contract with Samsung in December 2021 for a maximum total of 3.8 billion won ($3.8 million), is in the final year of his contract and wants to show even more improvement. “If we had won that game, we could have challenged for the top spot, but we lost, and it turned into an atmosphere that solidified us in second place,” he said, recalling how he was shaken after giving up five runs in 1⅔ innings as a starter against KIA in Daegu on Aug. 31.
“In the last year of my contract, I decided that I needed to step up. I don’t want to end it as it is, but I want to try my best and make a good performance.” Baek, who keeps a baseball by his bedside and often teaches himself how to grip a changeup when inspiration strikes, said, “In the second half of the season, I’ve been making changes to my existing pitches, including sliders, curves, and changeups. My slider hustle has been increasing. Until now, there have been few right-handed hitters inducing false swings, but I’m hopeful,” he smiled.
First-round rookie Bae Chan-seung cited Baek as a role model and said, “I want to emulate Baek’s crisis management ability and changeup perfection.” In response, Baek said, “What I have now is much better than when I was younger. I want you to keep pushing forward as you have been doing (since you were recognized as a professional). Don’t be swayed, believe in yourself, and if it doesn’t work, make changes.”