Wouldn’t it be wrong not to dream about a bigger stage? Na Kyun-an (26) of the Lotte Giants also has a yearning for a bigger stage. As all of his friends who lived together leave for a bigger stage, thoughts about dreams are cautiously blooming.
Na was a member of the youth national team at the 2016 Asian Championships. Na Jong-deok was showing off his potential as a promising catcher. Not only Na, but also the other members were very interesting at the time. When they won the bronze medal at the Asian Youth Championships, most of the players were nominated in the top round in the 2017 Rookie Draft, and most of the players have been reborn as key members of the team. Then, two of them left for the Major League.
After Lee Jung-hoo conquered the KBO League, he signed a six-year, $113 million contract with the San Francisco Giants. And Ko Woo-seok also established himself as the closer who led LG to the unified championship and signed a two-year, $4.5 million contract with the San Diego Padres to achieve his challenge.
And Kiwoom’s Kim Hye-sung is also dreaming of a major league challenge through posting after this season. Other members at the time were Kang Baek-ho (KT), Park Chi-guk (Doosan), Park Sung-han (SSG), Kim Sung-yoon (Samsung), Kim Hyung-joon, Ha Joon-young, and Kim Tae-hyun (NC).
Na had experienced growing pains as a catcher after joining the pro league, but changed his position to a pitcher, and his career was in full swing. In April last year, he got off to the best start of the season by winning the league’s monthly MVP award in his third year of full transition to a pitcher. Since then, he has suffered ups and downs due to elbow inflammation and hamstring injury, but he was not unreasonable to be selected for the national team at the Hangzhou Asian Games, and won a gold medal. He has also been given special exemption for mandatory military service.
He recorded six wins, eight losses, and an earned run average of 3.80 in 130 ⅓ in 23 games, and created the season with the most wins per individual and the most innings per individual. He showed off his strong ball control, allowing only 2.90 walks per nine innings. He quickly settled down as a pitcher, minimizing possible confusion that players who switched positions would experience. He is nearing the pinnacle of his career as a pitcher, not as a catcher.
Therefore, the gold medal with the Hangzhou Asian Games national team was even more special to Na Kyun-an. There was a special military service, but it was also an opportunity to be with Lee Jung-hoo and Ko Woo-seok, who grew up laughing together since childhood. It was the first time in about seven years since the 2016 youth team that they were wearing the Taegeuk mark and seemed to be in harmony. However, as Lee Jung-hoo was eliminated due to an ankle injury, he failed to achieve his wish. Nevertheless, Na Kyun-an and Ko Woo-seok enjoyed their joy by showing off their friendship by immediately making a video call with Lee Jung-hoo after hanging the gold medal around their necks.
The two players will now leave Korea and play in the Major League, a bigger stage. Na Kyun-an, who watched them leave, said, “I should have gone with Jung-hoo at the Asian Games, but I was very disappointed because I got injured. Still, we were happy to win the gold medal and had video calls together,” adding, “The three of us have talked a lot since we were young as we went to the youth national team together.” We talked a lot while going to the Asian Games with (Go) Woo-suk. “It’s a happy occasion to go to the Major League. I feel better because I spent a lot of time together,” he said smiling at his friends’ challenge.
Na carefully talked about the dream she had in her heart. “It felt great to see my friends leave for a bigger stage and I felt like I had a clear goal,” Na said. “I like the U.S., but I wanted to challenge myself to the Japanese stage. I like American baseball, but I want to experience it in Japan.” Na said, referring to her dream of playing in the Japanese professional baseball.
Coincidentally, Na had an indirect experience with Japan last year. He had a week-long joint training with his sister team, the Chiba Lotte Marines, and even had an exchange game with the Chiba Lotte second team. At that time, Na was the starting pitcher.
Na Kyun-an pitched a perfect pitch with 41 pitches and three strikeouts in three innings. Although he was in the second division, he was not very easy in terms of the lineup at the time. There were Katsuya Gakuinaka, who was the batting king twice in 2012 and 2016, Takashi Ojino, who was the most hit and stolen base king in 2021, and Seiya Inoue, a huge hitter who hit 20 home runs in 2018-2019.
Looking back on this time, Na Kyun-an said, “At the time, I thought I wanted to throw better with the Japanese team. I wanted to face Japanese batters as well. Although it was a short inning, I think I felt a lot that Japanese batters were a little different,” he said, giving a review of his indirect experience.
Since he spent a considerable amount of time as a catcher, he has already completed the five-year period for Na to become an FA. If you spend two more years of the season with more than 150 days of registration, you will be eligible to challenge the overseas stage through the posting system, and if you spend three more years, you will be able to become an FA. In the not-too-distant future, Na will have an opportunity to realize your dream.
However, it still doesn’t feel real. “I don’t think I’m aware of the free agency. I have about two years left after this year’s end, so I think I’ll be a little different then,” he said with a smile.
Although he said there was no harsh transition period and wandering period, it is not that he did not have time with his concerns. Therefore, Na Kyun-an prepared more thoroughly and won the results. People around him acknowledged that this year’s performance and selection at the Asian Games were no coincidence, and he is proud of himself.
“I felt sorry for my injury last year and it was also my fault. I should have paid attention to it, but I realized the importance of taking care of my body once again,” he said. “Actually, I couldn’t help but be conscious of the Asian Games last year. I had a goal that I wanted to go, so I worked really hard. My coaches also said, “Because you worked hard, you followed as much as you worked hard.” I’m sure it’s luck, but I think it’s because I prepared hard and gained it. These were the times I grew and experienced again as a pitcher,” he stressed.
Leaving aside the period when he was a starting pitcher and bullpen pitcher, he has settled in as a starting pitcher now. He has played quality starts (more than six innings and less than three earned runs) 12 times in 23 games. He has played in 19 games or more. He pitched in only four games before five innings. As a starting pitcher, he found that he enjoys playing in many innings.
“The more innings I played at the beginning of this year, the better I felt. I felt proud that I was playing the role of starting pitcher, and I thought it was proof that I prepared well,” Na said. “The more I play quality start games, the more I feel and create opportunities to increase my self-worth based on that. My confidence always increased. It also affected the next game 마카오카지노도메인.”
He also stressed this year, “I’m always thinking about how to do it more consistently with the goal of playing the full-time season and how I can play my role as a starting pitcher.”
Na is also set to become the fifth head coach this year as he meets Kim Tae-hyung. All of them are virtually confirming Na as a member of the starting rotation. However, Na never gets complacent.
“Coach, coach, front desk staff have all changed. It’s a challenge for me, too. I think it’s my first time to show it,” he said. “Since it’s my first time to see the coach up close, I think I’m also a challenger and I think I should appeal more in a new way. I think I did a good job last year, so I will never think that I have a place for myself.”
