It was none other than his mother's text message that caused KT outfielder Bae Jung-dae (28), who went through a difficult time early this season.
Bae Jung-dae started as the ninth batter center fielder in the second game of the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League against Doosan three consecutive games during the week at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 16th. He led the team to a 5-2 victory with one hit and two RBIs in four at-bats, including one home run.
With a 2-0 lead, Bae Jung-dae hit a home run in the top of the second inning with two outs and a runner on first base. He hit his third fastball of 145 kilometers per hour by opposing starter Kim Dong-joo and fired a two-run home run with a distance of 120 meters over the left fence.
After the game, Bae Jung-dae said, "When I hit, my upper body went out first, so I trained with my lower body today, and I think that part came out of the game unconsciously." He then said, "I feel good that I got a good result, and I'm very happy that I hit my first two-run home run this season."
It was his first home run of the season and his first thrilling touch since the match against Samsung on October 5 last year. Bae Jung-dae smiled, saying, "I'm not a batter who hits a home run, but I don't have much thoughts about hitting a home run after a long time," adding, "I want to give meaning to the fact that I contributed to the team winning."
He also left an impressive scene in defense. In particular, Kang Seung-ho's long-hitting ball, which flew from the second base with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, was caught by his teammates.
In response, Bae Jung-dae looked embarrassed, saying, "I think I caught it well after a long time." "I'm not the type to chase Kang Seung-ho without looking at the ball, but I think I was able to catch Kang Seung-ho's ball by catching the drop point well," he recalled the situation at the time.
Son Dong-hyun, who was guarding the mound at the time, did not express his gratitude to Bae Jung-dae, who played well to prevent losing a point. However, Bae Jung-dae laughed, saying, "Just as it is work for a pitcher to throw a ball from the mound, I have to show good performance in defense or at-bat," adding, "I think the team can win if they do well."
Bae Jung-dae showed a strong body and sincerity that was not easily injured enough to play in all games for the previous three consecutive seasons. However, this season, he was able to play since early June, two months after the opening, due to a fractured finger after being hit by an opposing pitcher's pitch in an exhibition game.
The unfamiliar injury period was a difficult time for Bae Jung-dae. He said, "It was a big motivation for me to play in all games, but I felt that it was gone this season"It was a record that was cut anyway, but I think it was very difficult at the beginning of the season," he said.
I was able to overcome the hard time thanks to my mother's sincere support. Bae Jung-dae said, "My mother sent me a text message whenever I had a hard time," adding, "I don't need anything else." He said, "All I need is a son." "I was very touched and choked up. "My family is still a great help," he said.
He did not show good performance even after returning from injury, but he regained his skills thanks to his steady performance with the trust of the head coach. Bae Jung-dae has a batting average of .46 (13 hits in 32 at-bats), one home run, five RBIs, and seven runs in the last 10 games.
Bae Jung-dae also did not forget to thank KT manager Lee Kang-chul. "I continued to be sluggish even after I returned, but the coach kept giving me a chance and waiting for me," he said. "Thanks to your trust, I was able to hit a home run today."
With the victory, kt achieved its ninth consecutive winning series with four consecutive wins. With 55 wins, 2 draws, and 45 losses, he is still in third place with a winning rate of 0.5%, but he closely chased second-place SSG by one game. On the same day, SSG lost to Lotte 4-7 and fell into the mire of two consecutive losses. 스포츠토토
At the beginning of the season, it hovered around the bottom, but it has already reached the second place. Bae Jung-dae said, "I think my colleagues who have overcome difficult times and have continued to accumulate wins are really amazing," adding, "I don't think it makes sense to show such a performance."