“My grades have not been good so far, but I think I have to live up to what you trusted me. Since I went to the bottom, there will come a time when I go up. I want to play baseball while thinking that way, and I want to repay you.”
Catcher Park Se-hyeok (33) signed a free agent contract with the NC Dinos for 4 years and 4.6 billion won after last season. Last year, in 128 games, the batting average was 0.248 (87 hits in 351 at-bats), OPS 0.636, 3 homers, and 41 RBIs. As Yang Eui-ji (36), who was the main catcher in this free agency market, transferred to Doosan Bears as a free agent, NC immediately needed a catcher with rich experience in the first team.
NC coach Kang In-kwon strongly recommended Park Se-hyuk to the club. I knew the strengths and weaknesses of Park Se-hyuk better than anyone else because I taught him myself when I was a battery coach at Doosan. Director Kang said, “Park Se-hyuk felt underestimated this year compared to his skills. It was because of his injury (orbital fracture in 2021), but his previous performance was not bad. There must have been self-reflection while being evaluated by the market. It must have been a good stimulus. He said, “I didn’t doubt the disciple’s rebound.
Park Se-hyuk said, “I can’t do it if I can’t really do it. When I was a backup after I went to business, the coach guided me as a coach. At that time, I had good grades in business and came back and said, ‘I can do it now’. The coach made me realize that it was not that. I was afraid of the coach because I trained to be sweet (laughs). After I went to another team, I felt that the time I worked out with the coach was great as I started talking more comfortably. I will never forget the time we sweated together. As much as he trusted me. I can’t do it if I’m not ready. I’m trying to prepare a lot.”
All winter, he trained with former coach Park Chul-woo, a senior baseball player and his father. Since he signed a contract and it is difficult to go down to Changwon right away, the training facility is not suitable, so he is getting help from his father. Former coach Park, who was a Korean Series MVP in 1989, has a good batting record, and had the experience of being traded from the Haitai Tigers to the Ssangbangbangul Raiders after the 1993 season.
Park Se-hyuk said, “Even though I was on the same team 카지노 (Doosan) as my father, I have never had time to exercise like this. I am having fun exercising while talking a little more, and I am receiving a lot of help. My father knows a lot about bats. T-ball. He expressed his gratitude, saying, “I am working out like that. My father says a lot that I will do well. I did free agency anyway, and I will have some room in my mind, so he tells me to think that I can do well.”
As a catcher, I have a strong desire to meet the pitchers quickly and receive all the balls. Pitcher Lee Yong-chan (34), who ate a pot of rice at Doosan, decided to help. Lee Yong-chan first transferred to NC in May 2021 as a free agent, and is now the best pitcher in the pitching team and an irreplaceable finisher.
Park Se-hyeok said, “(Lee) Yong-chan is my reliance. He said, ‘It’s a good team, and I can comfortably play baseball well. He will help me.’ I think I can live while doing it. There are so many young and good pitchers that I can’t pick anyone from Koo Chang-mo, Song Myeong-ki, Shin Min-hyuk, and Kim Si-hoon. I’ve never transferred schools while playing baseball, and this is the first time I’ve changed teams. Rather, I’m a young player. I think I need to listen more to what they say and get to know the team.”
We want to repay everyone who gave us the strength to take on new challenges in Changwon. Park Se-hyuk said, “I have to live apart, but I have to repay my wife and parents who supported me even though I was newlywed. I have to live up to that belief. My grades were not good so far, but if I went to the bottom, I will play baseball believing that the time to rise will come.”
Park Se-hyeok must now lead the team with Park Min-woo, Park Gun-woo, and Son Ah-seop as the main pillars. He said, “In NC, I entered the senior level. I think I need to put more effort into raising the bench atmosphere at Dougout. As I have been receiving from my brothers in Doosan, I feel that now I have to take the lead. , I think we need to make it possible to go to a higher place than that. I think it’s more important to have good team results than individual results.”
NC will hold Park Se-hyeok’s initiation ceremony at Changwon NC Park on the 16th. Park Se-hyeok plans to make a new start in NC in earnest wearing a uniform with the number 10 on his uniform that he has been using since his days at Doosan.
Park Se-hyeok said, “I didn’t think there would be an initiation ceremony, but I’m really grateful that you arranged it. Because you care so much, I think I have to work harder and feel a lot of responsibility. I know that Do Tae-hoon wore the number 10, but I got it. I would like to express my gratitude to Do Tae-hoon if he has a gift he wants.”