SSG Landers Choi Jeong is taking a commemorative photo after hitting his 468th career home run in the top of the 5th inning in the 2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League away game against the Lotte Giants held at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on the 24th.
SSG Landers Choi Jeong hits his 468th career home run in the top of the 5th inning in the 2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League away game against the Lotte Giants held at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on the 24th.
Choi Jeong (37, SSG Landers) is now ranked first for the most home runs in the KBO league history. After 20 seasons of his professional debut, he finally became the all-time home run leader.
Choi Jeong-eun started as the team’s third hitter and third baseman in the 2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League away game against the Lotte Giants at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan at 6:30 p.m. on the 24th, and hit a left-field solo home run off opposing starter In-bok Lee in the top of the 5th inning.
Choi Jeong-eun, who was retired by a fly ball to shortstop in his first at-bat in the first inning, was out in the second inning by a fly to left field. However, in his third at-bat in the top of the fifth inning, he targeted Lee In-bok’s 127 km/h high slider and hit a home run that went over the left wall. He had a distance of 110m, an exit speed of 153.3km, and a launch angle of 37.5 degrees.
After confirming that the batted ball hit the stands, Choi Jeong-eun calmly walked around the field. Choi Jeong, wearing a flower necklace prepared by SSG coach Lee Soong-yong, shared her joy by high-fiving with her SSG teammates lined up outside the dugout. Afterwards, he received a bouquet of flowers from the captains of both teams, Choo Shin-soo (SSG) and Jeon Jun-woo (Lotte), and greeted them with a big smile. Choi Jeong-eun took a commemorative photo in front of the trophy prepared by the team and then returned to the dugout.
SSG Landers Choi Jeong (center) hits his 468th career home run in the top of the 5th inning in the 2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League away game against the Lotte Giants held at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on the 24th, followed by captains Choo Shin-soo (left) and Jeon Jun-woo (right) of both teams. Taking a commemorative photo.
This home run was Choi Jeong’s 468th home run in his personal career. Before this day’s game, he was tying the career record of ‘Lion King’ Lee Seung-yeop (48), the current Doosan Bears coach. On June 20, 2013, when he was a member of the Samsung Lions, in a game against Incheon SK, Manager Lee hit a 3-run home run against Yoon Hee-sang in the top of the 3rd inning, recording the 352nd home run in KBO history, surpassing Yang Jun-hyuk’s career high home run (351 home runs). He retired after hitting 467 home runs.
Choi Jeong-eun, who graduated from Daeil Elementary School, Pyeongchon Middle School, and Yusin High School, joined the professional team in 2005 after being selected in the first round by SK Wyverns, the predecessor of SSG. On May 21 of that year, against the Incheon Hyundai Unicorns, at the age of 18 years, 2 months, and 23 days, he hit his first home run 8 games into his debut. After hitting one home run in his first season, he began his full-fledged production the following year, hitting 12 home runs in 92 games. In 2010, he reached the 20 home run mark for the first time, and on September 30 of the following year, he reached his 100th career home run in the Incheon Samsung game.
Choi Jeong, who gradually increased the number of home runs, hit 40 home runs in 2016 and became a slugger representing the league. He was the league’s home run leader for two consecutive years, reaching 46 home runs in 2017. He was consistently hitting around 30 home runs, and following 200 home runs in 2016 and 300 home runs in 2018, he reached the 400 home run mark in his personal career in the Gwangju KIA game on October 19, 2021.
Choi Jeong. /Photo=SSG Landers
There was no intention of the home run pace dropping this season either. Choi Jeong-eun, who hit two home runs in the opening two-game series against Lotte held on March 23 and 24, also hit home runs for two consecutive days in the match against Hanwha on the 28th and against Samsung on the 29th of the same month. Even in April, he still showed his senses and hit a multiple home run in the game against KT on the 14th, and then hit a tying solo home run against Hae-young Jeong in the bottom of the 9th inning against KIA on the 16th, putting him on par with manager Seung-yeop Lee.
However, in the game the next day, Choi Jeong was hit on the side by KIA starter Will Crowe’s two-seam fastball in the bottom of the first inning. His initial diagnosis was that he had a microfracture of his left rib, and he was expected to need a month of rest. However, a day later, after further examination, he was diagnosed with a simple bruise to his ribs. Accordingly, he accompanied the first team entry and returned to the starting lineup in the game against Sajik Lotte on the 23rd. Even though his record was lost due to rain, he found his senses by hitting a double in his first at-bat, and finally achieved the record in one day.
After the game, SSG coach Lee Soong-yong said, “I sincerely congratulate you on your great record. I am honored and happy to be with a great player.” He added, “(Choi) Jeong took good care of his body and achieved his 500th and 600th (home run) in the KBO League. “I look forward to achieving great achievements that no one can surpass,” he said.
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Which pitcher has hit the most home runs against Choi Jeong? ‘Ahn Young-myeong 8, Park Se-woong and Yang Hyeon-jong 6’
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Choi Jeong. /Photo=SSG Landers
Let’s analyze the 468 home runs hit by Choi Jeong. By stadium, Incheon SSG Landers Field, which is also the home stadium, has the most with 253 (1,099 games). It is followed by Daejeon (34), Jamsil (31), and Sajik (26). Also, by opposing team, the Hanwha Eagles allowed the most home runs with 68, followed by the Samsung Lions with 63 and the Doosan Bears with 56. He also hit 5 goals against the now-defunct Hyundai Unicorns.
The person who gave up the most home runs to Choi Jeong was Ahn Young-myeong (retired), who has allowed 8 so far. Among active players, Park Se-woong (Lotte) and Yang Hyun-jong (KIA) had the most with six. By type, there were 302 right-handed pitchers, 118 left-handed pitchers, and 48 underhand pitchers.
What about each situation? Choi Jeong hit the most home runs, 88, in the first inning, 30 in the 9th inning, and 1 in the 12th inning. He hit 152 home runs with no outs, 148 home runs with one out, and 168 with two outs. There were 265 solo home runs, 130 two runs, 60 three runs, and 13 grand slams. As for the direction of hitting, 265 were to the left, with 32 hitting to the other side.
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Choi Jeong “I’m so relieved to have achieved the record, I’m greedy for 500 home runs… I think I’m a lucky guy.”
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SSG Choi Jeong is posing with a commemorative ball after achieving a new record for the most home runs in KBO history (468 home runs) in the game against Sajik Lotte on the 24th. /Photo=Reporter Yang Jeong-woong
Choi Jeong-eun, who set a record, said after the game, “I feel so relieved.” This is because the two records (most home runs in KBO history + double-digit home runs for 19 consecutive years) overlapped. He said, “I was wondering if the pressure was too much because of this and things were not going well for baseball,” and added, “I’m glad I came out sooner than expected and feel good.”
Choi Jeong, who recalled the moment of achieving the record, confessed, “It wasn’t a ball that I thought went over as soon as I hit it.” He said, “I was running fast because I was afraid I would get hit because the fence was high,” and “the moment I crossed over, there was a ceremony given by the club, so I ran while worrying about that.” What was not achieved at the home stadium remained a disappointment. He said, “I feel a little sad and embarrassed to leave the away stadium. It would have been nice to have been congratulated in front of the home fans.”
Since there was a short hiatus after the injury, my feelings were not very good. Choi Jeong said, “The day before the game (the 23rd), I tested by batting outside and came straight to my post. I wanted to get a feel for it while playing the game.” He laughed, saying, “The bat was spinning better than yesterday,” but “I felt bad in the first and second at-bats. It wasn’t a good feeling. In the end, I guess it was 1 hit in 5 at-bats.”
Choi Jeong said what she wanted to say to herself was, “You’re a lucky guy.” He said, “I am grateful to my parents who gave me this ability. I got hit by the most balls on my body and didn’t have any major injuries. I’m lucky that I was able to get hit so many times and not get seriously injured.”
Choi Jeong from the SK Wyverns in 2012.
Of the 468 home runs you have hit so far, which is the most memorable? Choi Jeong mentioned, “In the 2012 game against Nexen (now Kiwoom), I hit the ball from Kang Yun-gu (name changed to Kang Ri-ho) and passed it to the center.” The home run he was talking about was the four home runs he hit at home on September 9, 2012. He said, “It was a home run that became a turning point that changed the hitting mechanism.” He went on to say, “I suggested changing the striking mechanism, but I practiced so as not to forget the feel and still try to maintain it.”
In addition, Choi Jeong, who mentioned his first home run since his debut in 2005, turned the tables by saying, “I passed it to the home run zone and put 1 million won in cash in a ‘007 bag’ and gave it to him as a prize. I thought, ‘This is a professional.'”
Choi Jeong-eun praised himself for surpassing coach Lee Seung-yeop’s record, saying, “I am so honored. I never thought about such an incredible record while playing baseball. I can’t believe I achieved it. I am proud of myself.”
Choi Jeong says she is not greedy when it comes to personal records. However, two records showed interest here. He said, “I don’t think I’ll be able to hit 600 home runs. I’m greedy for 500 home runs,” and “I plan to continue my career as a player with a big goal.” Also, regarding double-digit home runs for the 19th consecutive year, he said, “It’s the only record I’m greedy for. It feels great to keep breaking my own records. I’m glad that I can now comfortably play the season.”
SSG Choi Jeong (right) is receiving congratulations from his younger brother Choi Hang (Lotte) after the game against Lotte on the 24th.
[저작권자 @머니투데이, 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]
Tags: history KBO Choi Jeongs goal home runs .. lucky guy dont feel Ive achieved record comprehensive
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