"Director, how was I?" Director Lee Kang-chul, 59, laughed at the outspoken 21-year-old too much talker

"Director, how was I?" Director Lee Kang-chul, 59, laughed at the outspoken 21-year-old too much talker

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"At first, I was embarrassed, too, but now I'm used to it. (Won) Sang-hyun is doing really well."

KT Wiz manager Lee Kang-chul (59) is the second oldest among the 10 KBO league team leaders. Manager Lee Kang-chul is truly proud of right-hander Won Sang-hyun (21), who is approaching him without hesitation.메이저놀이터

Asked about Won's recent performance ahead of the match against the Suwon LG Twins on Thursday, Lee said, "Won Sang-hyun needs to do well to hold on. It's really important to have a solid middle pitcher like Kim Min (who left for SSG), but I was able to send him (to SSG in a trade) because I had (Won) Sang-hyun. He is doing better than I thought."

After graduating from Gasan Elementary School (Busan Jingu Little), Gaesung Middle School, and Busan High School, Won joined KT as the seventh in the first round of the 2024 KBO Rookie Draft. His fastballs with speeds of up to 153 kilometers per hour and his curveballs attracted a lot of attention. However, he had a tough debut season last year. He allowed seven runs in a game, and due to his shaky control, he finished his first professional season with 22 games, two wins and five losses with a hold of 7.03 ERA and 31 walks and 59 strikeouts in 65 ⅓ innings.

Last year, he also shed tears while experiencing a high-quality professional stage. Won Sang-hyun, who met with Star News earlier this year, said, "When I allowed seven runs in two innings against SSG on April 13, I really thought my life was over. I cried in front of my fans and showed them a lot of weak hearts and gold sides."

He has completely changed this year, however. He has played a key role in the team's victory by allowing no run in five consecutive games since allowing one run in the ⅔ innings of the opening game. What is most encouraging is that he is not allowing a single walker except for a ball that fits his body. Until the end of the game on Thursday, his performance was 1.50 ERA with two holds without a loss in six games and seven strikeouts in six innings.

The head coach, who is well versed in training pitchers, attributed his improved mental strength to his growth. "Sanghyun (Won) was the type to grumble on his own. But he has changed significantly this year as he got along well with pitching coaches and players. Now he has become a good fit for the team by laughing and joking," Lee said.

Now, he has become a "too much talker" who approaches first and talks without hesitation. "Sanghyun (Won) has a very serious attitude toward baseball," said Lee Kang-chul. I think I have a lot of questions. When the game is over, they ask me, "Coach, how was my slider?" I'm not trying to appeal to the manager. "I just ask," he said, "It was hard to imagine how good I was at that time before. I was embarrassed at first, but now I am used to it. I found those questions interesting later on."

According to Won, it was possible because he was a reliable adult who could open up his mind honestly. Manager Lee Kang-chul is one of the coaches who is more interested in fostering and developing pitchers than anyone else. Last year, he also watched Won's pitch carefully and taught her two-seam fastball on the spot, making her endure the second half of the year when she lost strength. It was possible because he noticed that Won's arm swing matches the two-seam fastball. He also meticulously checked Won's finishing camp and paid attention to the young pitcher's mentality by giving compliments and encouragement.

Won Sang-hyun, who met with manager Lee Kang-chul after an official interview, said, "In baseball, I haven't had a hard time approaching the manager and coach first since high school. I had a lot of conversations with coach Lee Kang-chul about pitching form since the closing camp, and such communication helped build trust, he said. "Coach and coach always watch my pitching. I think I want to get more confirmation that I've changed this year because there were many games that were lacking last year."

Won still firmly believes in Lee's compliments, saying, "If one catches two strikes, no one can hit four curves (afterwards)." That is why the pitching design also enabled him to make good use of the main weapon curves. The fact that change-up skills have increased along with the pitching of four-seam fast balls, which have the tip of the ball, is also helping the team's early advancement.

"I'm not physically tired at all. I'm ready to play anytime. I'm in good condition," Won said. "I'm also practicing two-seam fastballs, but now I keep throwing four-seam fastballs because of my good pitching capabilities. I practice changeups a lot, and I'm taking advantage of my curves and fastballs. Last year, I had a lot of running away pitching, but this year, I'm gaining confidence, so I'm taking advantage of my ball count," Won said.

The increasingly hot support from KT fans gives the 21-year-old pitcher more strength. Won Sang-hyun said, "It's a great help for the fans to keep coming and supporting us. In baseball, fans need to be there. Every word of support from the fans is really important and I'm grateful," adding, "I'm asking you to follow the brothers and set a good routine. I think if I do my best in each game without being complacent, I'll get good results. I'm also in my second year, so I'll eat more and try to throw a ball in a more mature form."