“It seems like you’re out of control, but your base play is the league’s top.” The head coach has no crush on you and the steal success rate is not even 90.9%

Kiwoom Heroes’ Kim Hye-sung (24) has achieved 20 steals for the 10th time in the KBO League history for six consecutive years.

Kim Hye-sung started as the second baseman in the game against the KT Wiz of the “2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League” at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 12th and recorded one hit, one RBI, and one steal in five at-bats.

In the bottom of the third inning, 토토꽁포인트 Kim Hye-sung, who hit a timely RBI with no outs and runners on first and second base, succeeded in stealing second base to Lee Jung-hoo’s at-bat and reached the high point of 20 steals of the season. It is the 10th time in history that he has achieved 20 steals for six consecutive years since Park Hae-min (Samsung at the time) in 2019.

Coach Hong Won-ki, who praised Kim Hye-sung’s base play, said, “He seems to be out of control, but I think his main focus and judgment are the league’s top,” adding, “I can’t say anything because I only stole three bases in my career when I was active.” However, I am often amazed by Kim Hye-sung’s base play. He said, “He has excellent judgment and he seems to have his own know-how when stealing a base.”

Kim Hye-sung, who won the stolen base title for the first time since his debut with 46 steals in 2021, stayed in second place in the league with 34 steals last season. Although he is ranked second in stolen bases this season, there is only one gap with No. 1 Shin Min-jae (LG, 21st base).

Kim Hye-sung said, “Of course, I want to win the stolen base title.” “It’s good to be a steal king,” he said, adding, “I’m focusing on the success rate rather than the number of steals.” It’s a shame to die on the base and the team’s atmosphere gets worse. “If I succeed, I will go to the scoring position, but if I am out, the runner disappears from the first base, so I try to play when I can succeed,” he said.

Kim Hye-sung boasts an overwhelming stolen base success rate since 2021 when he became the king of stolen bases. It is recording 92.0% in 2021, 82.9% last year, and 90.9% this year. This year, he stole 20 bases and failed only twice.

Despite such a high stolen base success rate, “I remember failing to steal too much.” Kim Hye-sung, who laughed and said, “I think I have my own standard for trying to steal.” I’m not aiming for ball mixing timing or anything like that. I like the heads of catchers better than I do. Depending on the situation, I have a feeling that I will live if I run now. “I’m running while checking the timing to see if my feet are moving well,” he said, explaining his own know-how of stealing.

Kim Hye-sung, who was selected as the national team member of the Hangzhou Asian Games to be held in September, will have a two-week gap to participate in the tournament, so he will inevitably lose the title competition for stolen bases. However, Kim Hye-sung said, “It can’t be helped. “I’m going to run hard right now and then I’ll run hard again,” he said with confidence

Kiwoom Heroes’ Kim Hye-sung (24) has achieved 20 steals for the 10th time in the KBO League history for six consecutive years. Kim Hye-sung started as the second baseman in the game against the KT Wiz of the “2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League” at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 12th and recorded…