Six years after Lee Seung-yeop’s retirement…Choi changes KBO scoring history: “I didn’t make this record alone”
Six years after Doosan coach Lee Seung-yup retired, the KBO’s all-time leading scorer has changed hands. Choi Jung (36-SSG), who has become a “living legend,” has set a new KBO record with 1,356 career runs.
Choi hit a single to left-center field in the third inning of the Daejeon Hanwha game on April 6 and came home from third base on Guillermo Heredia’s double down the left field line. He scored his 1356th career run. Lee moved into second place on the all-time list, surpassing Lee Seung-yeop’s 1,355 runs.
Lee scored two runs with a solo home run in his retirement game against the Daegu Nexen on Oct. 3, 2017, when he was still a Samsung player. He ended his career with 1355 runs scored in 15 seasons in the KBO. Six years later, Choi broke Lee Seung-yeop’s record. It took him 2166 days.먹튀검증
SSG head coach Kim Won-hyung shook Choi’s hand in front of the dugout and gave him a congratulatory bouquet. He then happily high-fived his teammates and shared the joy of the new record. The KBO will present Choi with a commemorative award in accordance with its recognition policy.
After the game, Choi said, “Every year I try to do better than the previous season, so I feel like I’ve achieved the record for most goals. The record of scoring goals is not something that can be achieved by myself alone. I had a great group of teammates,” he said, giving credit to his 19-year teammates.
As Choi said, scoring runs in baseball is not a record you can set alone. If you get on base and the next batter doesn’t bring you in, you’re left stranded. It’s a record that’s built on the backs of good hitters, but Choi also has a lot of his own runs.
The percentage of home runs that can score runs is very high. His 454 career home runs account for 33.5% of his 1356 runs scored. He also has 172 stolen bases. He’s been active on the basepaths, putting himself in scoring position consistently.
[OSEN=Jamsil, Reporter Choi Kyu-han] SSG’s Choi Jeong-jeong exchanges greetings with coach Cho Dong-hwa after hitting a solo shot to left to take the lead again.
Choi said, “I will do my best to score more runs in the future because more runs help the team win. I am very grateful to the fans who always support me. I will try my best to play my best every game.”
Choi is a 19-year veteran who joined SK (now SSG) in the first round in 2005 after graduating from Yusin High School. A two-time free agent, Choi is a one-club man who has won three home run titles and eight Golden Gloves. He is completing his career as the best third baseman in KBO history.
A consistent double-digit home run hitter for the first 18 consecutive years of the KBO’s existence, Choi’s stats are only getting better with age. With his record-setting home run, Choi reached 1,300 career pitches (973 strikeouts and 327 walks). He is second all-time after Yang Jun-hyuk, who has 1380 career hits (1278 strikeouts and 102 walks).
He is also close to becoming the all-time home run leader. He is 13 home runs shy of Lee Seung-yup’s career record of 467. It won’t be easy this year, but it is expected that Choi will break the record at the latest during next season.