By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, June 20 (Yonhap) — About an hour after setting the South Korean baseball record for most hits Thursday night, NC Dinos designated hitter Son Ah-seop was still feeling numb.
It hadn’t yet dawned on Son that he had become the new leader in hits in Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) history with 2,505. He swung his way into the record books with a single off Doosan Bears starter Raul Alcantara in the top of the sixth inning at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul.
Son Ah-seop of the NC Dinos hoists the plaque commemorating his 2,505th career hit, a new Korea Baseball Organization record, during a regular-season game against the Doosan Bears at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on June 20, 2024. (Yonhap)
That the Dinos lost the game 2-0 likely had an impact on the way Son was feeling. Also, even at 36, an advanced age for baseball players, Son is still swinging the bat as well as he ever has.
He has now hit safely in his season-high 10 games. He has been held hitless in just one of 16 games so far in June.
With his career, now in its 18th season, still in the present tense, Son said the record-breaking hit is simply part of the process.
“This is obviously not the end, is it? I still have a lot of baseball left to play,” Son said afterward. “I don’t know how many more hits I will have for the rest of my career, but I see today’s game and hit as part of that process.”
Son, native of the southeastern city of Busan, was chosen out of Busan High School by his hometown team, the Lotte Giants, in the 2006 draft. He had just one hit in his rookie season in 2007, while being sidelined after only four games with a broken hand.
Son only became a regular in 2010 and hasn’t looked back since. He has had at least 100 hits in every year since 2010, and is well on his way to the century mark again with 89 hits so far in 2024.
Son Ah-seop of the NC Dinos hits a single against the Doosan Bears for a Korea Baseball Organization record 2,505th hit at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on June 20, 2024. (Yonhap)
Over those years, Son became known for his work ethic and single-minded focus on his craft bordering on obsession. The brooding athlete has openly admitted he is his own harshest critic, and he said Thursday he likely won’t change his ways even as he ages.
“I don’t think my personality will change so easily. I actually believe it has been a driving force behind my consistency,” Son said. “Rather than trying to change my ways, I just want to keep being myself and never forget where I come from.”
Where he comes from is a humble beginning as a little-heralded rookie who couldn’t stay healthy. The days when Son struggled to crack the lineup of middling teams are a distant memory.
“I feel like I’ve been rewarded for my hard work. I’ve had to overcome so much adversity over the years,” Son looked back. “So this record makes me feel pretty good.”
Son said he never imagined he would have this many hits in his career.
“I honestly didn’t think I’d reach this point. I just battled so hard each and every day,” Son said. “Those days added up and allowed me to put my name in the record books. I’ve come much further than I ever thought possible, and every game is going to feel like a bonus from now on.”
Son is a great bet to become the first KBO hitter to reach 3,000 hits. He said his annual target is to pick up at least 150 hits — “That’s the least I can do to help my team,” Son said — and at that rate, Son will get to 3,000 during the 2028 season.
Son Ah-seop of the NC Dinos (L) celebrates after hitting a single against the Doosan Bears for a Korea Baseball Organization record 2,505th hit at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on June 20, 2024. (Yonhap)
“I still have long ways to go until 3,000. I didn’t even think I’d get 2,500 hits,” Son said. “But I think I’ve been able to set the record precisely because I never thought about numbers. If I get too conscious of stats, then I will get greedy and start trying to do too much. I think it’s better for me to try to stay healthy and keep playing hard. Numbers will then naturally follow.”
Son said he has not yet thought about how much longer he can play.
“As long as I feel strong enough and I think I can help the team, I will keep on playing,” Son said. “I am curious myself how much further I can go.”
Son’s career development to this point should serve as inspiration for younger players who may not have physical tools. At 174 centimeters and a stocky 84 kilograms, Son isn’t built like a classic baseball hitter, but he has beaten steep odds with hard work.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been a gifted player, but I’ve always battled so far, trying to beat opposing pitchers,” Son said. “I am not the biggest guy in the league and I’ve worked really hard to overcome my physical shortcomings. I developed my own swing that can help me cover up those problems. So my message to young players is that they have to keep working and they must never give up, because it will pay off and there will be light at the end of the tunnel.”
Son Ah-seop of the NC Dinos holds the plaque commemorating his 2,505th career hit, a new Korea Baseball Organization record, during a regular-season game against the Doosan Bears at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on June 20, 2024. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
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