Shin-soo Choo (right) is in the locker room of SSG Landers’ home in the professional baseball KBO League, next to the locker room of Kim Kang-min, a friend of the same age (left). Provided by SSG club
Choo Shin-soo (39), who joined the SSG Landers in the professional baseball KBO league, has a locker seat next to Kim Kang-min, a friend of the same age.
An official from SSG explained on the 10th, “I took the seat of the locker at Choo Shin-soo’s home stadium diagonally opposite the entrance to the clubhouse, which many seniors use.”
There is a reason why Choo Shin-soo’s seat was assigned next to Kim Kang-min’s locker. After making the decision to join, Choo asked for help from a friend of the same age, Kang-min Kim, and Kang-min Kim also declared himself an assistant.
Choo Shin-soo recently decided to join the SSG and wrote a video letter through an interview saying, “I feel comfortable with Kim Kang-min. I will get a lot of help from Kang-min. It may be tiring, but please understand.”
It meant that I was exposed to a new environment at a not small age, but because of the same age (born in 1982) Kim Kang-min, I was relieved of my worries.
Seeing this, Kang-min Kim replied, “I am happy to join Choo Shin-soo. I have become less lonely.” After returning home, Kim Kang-min frequently contacted Shin-soo Choo, who went into self-quarantine, asking her regards and gave many advice.
The relationship between the two players goes back 11 years. Choo Shin-soo and Kim Kang-min won the gold medal with the Taegeuk mark on the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games national team.
SSG Landers Choo Shin-soo’s seat in the clubhouse of Incheon Happy Dream Stadium. Provided by SSG club.
The seat on the right side of Choo Shin-soo is also meaningful. The seat next to the right is a so-called’second-team player seat’.
During the regular season, the SSG will call each 2nd team player and give them a chance to accompany the 1st team team. The goal is to gain a lot of experience while seeing the first-team players and get help in their growth.
The seat to the right of Choo Shin-soo is usually empty, but is used as a personal space when the second-team players come up. An official from SSG said, “Young second-team players will be able to learn a lot from the seat next to Shin-soo Choo. In many ways, Shin-soo Choo will have a good influence on our team.”
On the other hand, Choo Shin-soo is a player who puts a lot of meaning in the seat of the locker room.
He was greatly impressed after he was assigned a clubhouse locker seat used by a veteran leader in 2010 when he was in the Cleveland Indians of the American professional baseball major league.
The position of the locker in the major leagues depends on the proportion of the team, and it is known that Choo Shin-soo felt that his skills and position were recognized.
Choo Shin-soo spends his first season in Korea between a friend of his age and a young player who is the future of the KBO League.
Choo Shin-soo is expected to use the clubhouse locker in Incheon Happy Dream Stadium for the first time at the end of this month.
After self-isolation on the 11th, he moves to the Busan Sajik Stadium to join the squad, after which he will play practice games in Ulsan and Daegu before going to Tokyo.