“I am so grateful.”
Kiwoom Heroes infielder Lee Won-seok (37) signed a multi-year contract for the first time with the Heroes club on the 28th. His contract is 2+1 years, guaranteeing two years from 2024 to 2025, with an automatic one-year extension to 2026 if the option is met. The size of his contract is a condition of receiving an annual salary of 400 million won in the first year and a maximum of 1 billion won in each of 300 million won thereafter.
Lee Won-seok, who met with reporters before the start of the away game against the KIA Tigers at the Gwangju-Kia Champions Field on the 29th, said, “I heard about the multi-year contract the evening before the announcement. It happened immediately,” he said. He said, “My first thought was that I was so grateful. I was most grateful for making that decision during the season,” he smiled.메이저놀이터
The happiest people are the family. Lee Won-seok said, “My wife told me to sign the contract quickly. My family was very happy and congratulated me.”
Lee Won-seok said, “I’m older, so I’m playing the game thinking that one year, one year is the last. However, after signing a multi-year contract, the biggest feeling was that my mind was stable.” Born in 1986, 37-year-old Lee Won-seok announced that he would qualify as a free agent (FA) after the season ends next year, but he did not consider free agency.
Lee Won-seok said, “There was no guarantee that I would be able to play until next year, so he did not think of applying for free agency. I had a strong desire to play for one more year. During the season, for seniors like me, the first year is really precious because there are only a few days left to play baseball. However, I am grateful that the club signed a contract like this.”
Kiwoom Lee Won-seok runs to first base with a hit against KT starter Cho Yi-hyun at the end of the second inning against KT Wiz in the 2023 KBO League held at Gocheok Sky Dome on the 27th. Lee Won-seok’s first hit after being traded from Samsung to Kiwoom. 2023. 4. 27. Gocheok | Reporter Park Jin-up upandup@sportsseoul.com
Lee Won-seok will be 40 years old when he completes the contract period. He said, “I think running for a long time is the greatest blessing. It’s a 2+1 year contract, and I’ll try to fill the option for 1 year. In fact, he has been thinking about his retirement for two or three years. He hadn’t decided when he would do it, but he had the idea that if his competitive edge faded, he would have to quit without hesitation. In the future, he will compete with his juniors and try his best not to be pushed back, and he will work hard.”
After graduating from Dongsung High School in Gwangju, Lee Won-seok made his pro debut at Lotte Giants in 2005, then moved to Kiwoom Heroes through a trade last April through Doosan Bears and Samsung. During his 18-year professional career, he has experienced free agency twice, transferred to a compensation player once, and traded once. There he was now an experienced player up to his multi-year contract. Lee Won-seok laughed, saying, “He seems to have done everything he could as a player.”
Lee Won-seok moved from Samsung Lions to Kiwoom through a trade at the end of April. The atmosphere he felt while staying at Kiwoom for more than two months is ‘a spirit that is not afraid of failure’. Lee Won-seok said, “There are many young players, but I got the feeling that they are not afraid of failure. Any player can make mistakes and not hit, but there was no pressure on them at all. So it seems that younger players are playing more boldly and boldly.”
Lastly, Lee Won-seok said, “Wearing a championship ring is a natural goal as a player. Everyone on our squad is craving that. We are now past the middle of the season, and I think good results will follow if we play good games in the future.