After being released from the Lotte Giants in 2021, Kim Kun-guk (35) made a fresh start with the KIA Tigers after a year-long hiatus. Last year, he participated as a representative of Busan Metropolitan City in the city and city baseball competition hosted by the Korea Baseball Softball Association (KBSA) and led the championship.

“There was nothing I could do on my own. I thought I could do it if I struggled alone, but when I didn’t get in touch, I despaired a lot and blamed myself a lot, saying, ‘Am I really only that good?'” looked back on

Still, I made a resolution to ‘let’s do a workout without regrets, without wishing’, and with the help of Lee Ji-mo (former Lotte), who runs a personal training center, and agent Songsan (former KIA), I was able to steadily build my body for a year. In the end, the first test was conducted at the end of November with the provincial baseball competition, and the final decision was made while training camp in December. In the final entry test held on the 5th, it surprised KIA officials by spraying up to 145 km at maximum speed.

He said, “Throwing the ball in the crossfit baseball tournament helped me lift my body. There are so many people who helped me in the process. ) Jimo hyung, even the people who invited me to participate in the provincial and provincial baseball tournament by chance, it seems that coincidence became inevitable and became fate, so I was able to return again.”

However, in the process of preparing for returning as a player, Kim Kon-guk was able to go through the easiest path. Last year, there was a person named Son Seung-rak (41), who was appointed as KIA’s power reinforcement coordinator and even coached the Futures team in 2023.

During his Lotte days, Son Seung-rak was very fond of him, and Kim Kon-guk also followed Son Seung-rak a lot. They were close friends who always stuck together. He was a ‘close older brother’ who could have asked for his entrance test at any time.

However, Kim Kon-guk refused the ‘personal opportunity’. He confidently took the entrance test and pierced the door to re-employment on his own. He said, “I did not contact Director Son Seung-rak on purpose. I thought that he would be in trouble because of me. I didn’t want to hear these words around ‘I’m going in through the line’. So I got in touch with the KIA front desk through my agent. I didn’t even know I was being tested.”

I confidently finished the test in front of coach Son Seung-rak. He handed over a word with many meanings to Kim Kon-guk, “Thank you.” Regarding the meaning of Director Son’s thank you, Kim Kon-guk said, “If my performance was bad, even a close brother should tell me calmly. It is,” he said, “isn’t it a situation where you can’t help even if you want to help. So I was so grateful that you said ‘thank you’ in one word. You seem to have a lot to say, but shouldn’t you do that again?” pointed out

They are close friends, but try to cool themselves down. He smiled and said, “Now I can’t easily call you older brother or younger brother, but I’m the coach.” He smiled and said, “If I appeal well in front of Coach Son and get good results, he will be able to recommend me to the first team. I’ll show you with my skills.” said forcefully.

He did not give in despite his one-year hiatus and held the word retirement in his heart, but did not say it. He expressed the joy of returning as a player again, saying, “In the meantime, I think it was similar to the feeling that office workers carry a resignation letter in their inside pocket. But now, I’m so happy that they didn’t say, ‘I will stop playing.’

However, I feel sorry for his wife and family who supported him. Now throw again for the family. He said, “I’m really sorry for my wife. It was the first time I came to Busan, a foreign country after I got married, and I’m in a situation where I have to see my children alone. I’m very sorry.” Since I started playing baseball again, I want to do my best and give my wife a pretty ring.” 메이저사이트