Reporter Kwon Hyeok-joon = KT Wiz’s signature hitter Kang Baek-ho (25) was on his way to Korea to prepare for the new season with the World Baseball Classic (WBC). Suffering from injuries and sluggishness last year and having his annual salary cut drastically, he said, “I will show you that salary is not everything.”
Kang Baek-ho departed for the United States through Incheon International Airport on the 31st. Kang Baek-ho devotes himself to training by holding the WBC national team spring camp with his team KT.
Kang Baek-ho, who met with reporters before departure, said, “It’s a year with pre-season competitions. It’s new to participate in spring camp as a member of the national team. That’s why I started building my body faster than in other seasons.” There seems to be nothing else,” he said.
Kang Baek-ho, who has been walking on a solid road since his 2018 debut, had his worst season last year. He started only 62 games and was sluggish with a batting average of 0.245, 6 homers and 29 RBIs.
His annual salary, which has risen without hesitation every year, has also been drastically cut. Kang Baek-ho, who received 550 million won in the 2022 season and recorded the highest annual salary and tie received by Lee Jung-hoo (Kiwoom) in the 5th year, renewed the contract for 290 million won in the 2023 season. His 47.3% (260 million won) compared to the previous year was cut, showing a reduction rate close to half.
The reason why only Kang Baek-ho left the country alone while the main team of the KT team left the country on the 29th was because salary negotiations were delayed. Kang Baek-ho concluded the negotiations only one day before the team’s departure. 토토사이트
Kang Baek-ho still had a resolute expression on his face. He said, “I don’t care much because I don’t think the salary is (explaining the player’s value),” he said.
Furthermore, he emphasized, “I will show you this season that the annual salary does not divide the player’s ‘class’.”
As I struggled with an injury last year, my goal this year is to play the season healthy first and second. He said, “My biggest goal is not to get hurt,” and promised, “When I looked back on the season, I regretted not being able to play because I was injured. This year, I have to take good care of my body.”
It was the worst season, but he looked back and said that he learned a lot from it. Kang Baek-ho said, “I learned that skills are not everything, but details are also important.”
Kang Baek-ho, who boarded the WBC team following the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, said he would also engrave the responsibility of the ‘Taegeuk Mark’ in his heart.
He said, “I am grateful for being chosen, but in the end, I have to prove it so that the fans can accept it.” “he said.
“All sports and all players have some level of burden. I put on the Taegeuk mark and prepare harder than anyone else,” he said. Emphasized.