Now, within one year, you can see the first record ever and the highest record ever at the same time. The hitting machine, which can be 꽁머니지급 counted as one of the first in the history of the KBO league, is gradually shortening the time of producing hits. NC Son A-seop (34)’s hit clock is now heading toward KBO history.
Son Ah-seop conquered the 100-hit high by driving a whopping 5 hits in the final match against Lotte held at NC Park in Changwon on the 13th. With this, he achieved a record of 100 hits for 14 consecutive years for the fifth time in history. It is a record that only the best hitting machines of all time can achieve. Yang Joon-hyuk stood shoulder to shoulder with Park Han-yi (16 seasons), Lee Seung-yeop (15 seasons), and Lee Dae-ho (14 seasons).
All four players previously retired, and Son Ah-seop is the only active player. It is not an exaggeration to say that the age of mid-thirties is at the center of a player’s career, even though he has passed his prime. It is possible to achieve the record of 100 hits in the most consecutive seasons ever, surpassing Yang Jun-hyuk and Park Han-i. There are 3 years left on the record.
For the first time in history, the highest record is 150 hits for 8 consecutive years. Consistently producing 150 hits since 2016 (186 hits) is a record symbolizing Son A-seop’s persistence and strength. In fact, in 2015, Son Ah-seop was absent from the first team for a long time due to a wrist injury. It was the season where he missed the most games since becoming a regular member, and he also broke the record of 150 hits for three consecutive years. If there were no injuries in 2015, Son Ah-seop’s record of 150 hits could have continued for 11 consecutive years until last year. It was able to rise to the ranks for the first time in history.
However, Son A-seop’s eyes are looking at a new record for the most hits in his career rather than 150 hits right now. On the 5th, in the match against Kiwoom in Gocheok, he hit Jae-young Jang and recorded 2319 hits in his career. He surpassed Yang Jun-hyeok (2318 hits) and rose to second place alone for the most hits in his career.
After that, he added 10 more hits, hitting 2329 hits in his career by the first half. He is walking fast towards the 2504 hits of Park Yong-taek, the record holder for the most hits in his career. There are 176 left until his new record.
Leaving behind (?) the times that were somewhat stagnant (?) in 2019 (151 hits) and 2022 (152 hits), the hit clock is turning quickly again this year. He went to the U.S. during the off-season to recalibrate his batting with Jung-Ho Kang and regain his peak hitting production.
Assuming that he already has 100 hits in the first half and adds about 80 hits in the second half, it can be expected that he will surpass Park Yong-taek’s record by next July. This is why Son Ah-seop’s second half of the year toward the best hitting machine ever is expected.