The captain of the LG Twins this season was Oh Ji-hwan (33). Oh Ji-hwan, the LG Twins’ franchise star, played the role of captain more faithfully than anyone else this season and led the team to victory. And there was a senior who silently supported Oh Ji-hwan behind the scenes. It was Kim Hyun-soo (35), the ‘spiritual leader’ who served as the captain of the LG Twins until 2021.
LG, which won the regular season for the first time in 29 years since 1994, had a particularly good dugout atmosphere this year. There was good harmony between the old and new, centered around Kim Hyun-soo, the fielder’s assistant, and Lim Chan-gyu, the pitcher’s assistant. Last August, LG coach Yeom Kyung-yeop, the head coach, even participated in the shoulder-to-shoulder ceremony with the players when the team hit a home run. It was a representative scene showing the atmosphere of the LG dugout this season.
Although Oh Ji-hwan wears the captain’s armband, LG has Kim Hyun-soo, one of the representative hitters in Korean baseball. At LG, Kim Hyun-soo is nothing short of a spiritual leader. Ahead of the 2018 season, LG signed Kim Hyeon-soo, his first free agent, for a total of 11.5 billion won over four years. Hyunsoo Kim led weight training training with his colleagues. He received favorable reviews for changing the team’s culture. In the end, LG signed another free agent contract for up to 11.5 billion won for 4+2 years ahead of the 2022 season.
What does Oh Ji-hwan, who is in his second year as captain, think of his ‘senior’ Kim Hyun-soo? Regarding Kim Hyun-soo’s help this season, Oh Ji-hwan said, “I think he really helped me a lot. So I talk to him a lot every year, and he’s just such a good senior. During my 15 years as a player, this guy will definitely help me even if I retire later.” “I think he’s someone I can remember,” he said.
Oh Ji-hwan said, “This is not just an empty remark, he is a senior who really puts in a lot of effort, is thoughtful, and knows how to speak on the player’s side. However, he does not just criticize the kids. He delivers what the juniors need. Yes. “For example, we are fielders. Then, we order bats used by players in the major leagues and show them one by one. We put in front of us the (types of) bats used by Fernando Tatis Jr., Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, etc.,” he said.
He continued, “Then the juniors go to Hyunsoo’s place (in the locker room). I guess Hyunsoo has an aura. From a sports perspective, there is a senior in front of them who is good at baseball and makes a lot of money. Then, from the juniors’ point of view, they see what Hyunsoo uses. “You want to see it and touch it, and then Hyunsu hyung gives you a separate gift. He helps you in both material and spiritual ways, so as a junior, you can’t help but feel grateful.”
Oh Ji-hwan said, “He may sound bitter and offended at first and say, ‘Oh, what? Why are you doing that to me?’, but when you actually listen, you can feel that he is giving sincere advice. That’s why the players follow him. Hyun-soo’s leadership is unconditional. I’m not saying it’s true, but the senior seemed really cool because he listened and helped so much. At a certain point, I realized that saying what I wanted to say directly like this had the power to lead other people, rather than being a senior who was aloof or always complaining. It’s the same.메이저사이트
Although he is the captain, there are seniors on the team who are the same age or older than him. Oh Ji-hwan said, “Actually, there are times when it is difficult to be the captain. For example, if you fail the application process, there are colleagues who empathize with you a lot. It is also a cold reality. Well, it’s inevitable because I’m older and have accumulated more years of experience, but it’s actually not easy for me to say to my senior, ‘I’ll be back (to the first team) soon.’ Even though he is the captain, he is a junior. Every time that happened, Hyunsoo came forward and spoke well. At the same time, he expressed his gratitude by saying, “I think I got there without too much trouble.” He also
repeatedly emphasized that Kim Hyun-soo is the senior who buys him food better than anyone else. Oh Ji-hwan said, “He really buys me baseball supplies and food all year long. Although pitchers and fielders are different parts, each pitcher is also given a glove. I think I would really be grateful to see it. Also, I don’t think anything is taken for granted given my personality. I am determined to be as good to this senior as I have received from him. So, whenever he says something, it seems like (the juniors really follow Hyunsu hyung) very well,” said Oh Ji-hwan, adding, “I
think that’s the case as well. When you buy your own food, you eat a lot more. Always at the end, ‘Hyung, aren’t you going anymore?’ “If you ask, he says, ‘I’m eating right now.’”
Oh Ji-hwan repeated the word ‘real’ several times. And it was the sincerity of the ‘captain’ who could feel the power of ‘real spiritual leader’ Kim Hyun-soo.