Average ERA 1.00 (1st place), 6 wins (1st place), average 6.43 innings (1st place), struck out 47 (3rd place), WAR 3.18 (total overall 1st place, based on statties).

This is the stats of Tae-in Won, the starting pitcher of the Samsung Lions, who is swallowing up all the topics of the KBO League after 7 games.

Perhaps thanks to his outstanding performance, the video that appeared on TV when he was a child became a hot topic again, and as Won Tae-in's every step of the way was drawing attention from baseball fans as his outstanding appearance and splendid ceremony were added.

The highlight was the match against KT Kang Baek-ho on the 13th.

Won Tae-in, who was the only 40% hitter until the game, defended four matches with Baek-ho Kang with three at-bats and no hits with one walk, roared without hesitation.

On the 14th, a day after the confrontation, I met with Samsung Won Tae-in, who is gradually growing into a league ace, and asked about the details of the confrontation with Kang Baek-ho and his future aspirations.




Q. How was the match against Kang Baek-ho?



Won Tae-in: The best hitter of KBO right now, and Baekho hyung was hitting so well during the previous two games, so it seems like a good result was that he threw it with the idea of ​​having fun even if it was hit.



Q. At that time, before the final showdown, Kang Min-ho visited the mound. What did you talk about?



Won Tae-in: (Catcher) Minho came up and said it would be nice to see it now, so I told him to throw it with confidence, so I said, "Okay, I'll trust only Minho." Minho hyung came up once and cut it off, so my thoughts were a bit clearer and I thought I threw it with confidence.



Q. At that time, I was looking at the electronic board before the showdown. What did you think?



Won Tae-in: When entering the game, I tried a lot to not pay attention to the average ERA, so I wasn't even looking at the electronic board. (By the way) I thought it was the last inning, and I thought it was the last hitter, so before I played with Baekho hyung, I saw the average ERA once, and it was 1.01. So I think I threw it with the idea that if I caught Baekho hyung, I could go to the zero point if I could.




Q. It wouldn't have been easy to deal with a 4% hitter.



Won Tae-in: I saw the opponent's lineup before the game, and Baekho hyung's batting average was 0.403. I thought that the height of KT's other ships was Baekho hyung, so I thought it would be easier to play if I catch Baekho, but every time I got a chance in front of Baekho hyung. (Laughter) I didn't want to make a runner in front of Baekho hyung as much as possible, but because I made a chance in front of Baekho hyung, it seems that I had to deal with it with all my strength and catch it. Still, it seems that I am proud of my (batting average) to return to 30% again because of me.



Q. Didn't you get a phone call from Baek-ho Kang after the game?



Won Tae-in: I contacted Baekho first in case he would get a call first. I contacted my brother and said he did a good job, but he admitted to me that he liked a lot (to me) and how he didn't make a mistake. Since I was a player with such a mind, I thought that I was performing as good as it is now, and it was a pleasant day to be recognized by Baekho hyung.




Q. It seems like Kang Baek-ho was very sorry when he stepped down with a beomta…



Won Tae-in: (Baekho hyung) I only heard screaming. I couldn't see such a gesture because the ball was so high that I was checking until the end, but when I looked at the highlights after it was over (at the time), Baekho hyung was a bit angry. (Laughter)



Q. This season's hottest roar is a hot topic. Are you pushing with your signature?



Won Tae-in: No, not really. When I was a little bad in the second half of last year, there were a lot of games that allowed big innings (large concessions) in an instant and handed over the game at once. Whenever I think about it and stop every inning crisis, I think that gesture comes out of my own satisfaction.



Q. Now, the average ERA is in front of you.



Won Tae-in: (0 points) seems to be an excessive number for me, so I can't keep my average ERA until the end of the season, but I want to keep it as low as possible. It doesn't seem to be of great significance to the zero-point ERA itself. I think if (team) can win the game I'm starting, that's what I do as a starting pitcher.



Q. It is said that you are summoning the performance of the team’s senior player Bae Young-soo with tremendous performance.



Won Tae-in: It's a very glorious title for me. I've only played 7 games this season, but I think that the fact that such a sound is already coming out is that I follow it because I'm doing that well, and I'm going to work harder so that I don't become someone who is in the sound.



Q. Do you think you are similar to Bae Young-soo?



Won Tae-in: Senior Bae Young-soo is a (main weapon) slider, and I think that part is different because it is a change-up. However, Bae Young-soo has such a temperament as a fighting chicken on the mound, and I'm also trying to follow it, so I think that part is a bit similar.




Q. I think baseball will be really fun these days.



Won Tae-in: There is also excitement. In a way, I think I have a lot of happiness in my job and work.



Q. As the Olympics are approaching, prospects for boarding are also emerging. what do you think?



Won Tae-in: The national team seems to be the dream and goal of all sports players. It was my dream to want to play the national team while playing baseball, and it seems like that goal is approaching little by little, but since I have only played 7 games and there are many games left, I have a goal that I want to enter the final entry.



Q. There seems to be a goal for fall baseball that I have never tried.



Won Tae-in: My goal is to win the Korean Series. Since the team is in the highest position right now, I have a goal that I want to end by maintaining the position and winning the regular season at the end of the season. Also, as the team is at the top right now, it seems that another sense of responsibility is given to me as I go out as a starting pitcher. I want to pitch accordingly, so I have a higher concentration and I feel like I'm pitching better, so I want to keep my current grades until the end.



Q. How would you feel when you actually go out to fall baseball?



Won Tae-in: It would be really creepy. My close friend, LG (Jung) Woo-young, first experienced fall baseball and asked me how I was. But they said that there is something really different from the regular season. (Wooyoung) I was very envious because I felt that first, but I hope to feel it together this season.



Won Tae-in is considered one of the best interviewers among reporters. He might have been exhausted by recording the most pitches in the season the previous day, but his sincere and polite answer to the reporter's questions gave off a'professional scent' that no other 3 year professional could easily feel. As I said, it will be difficult to maintain the dream number of 1.00 ERA throughout the season, but I hope that Tae-in Won will continue to maintain the league's representative ace title with a consistent and thoughtful appearance as it is now. 



(Photo = Yonhap News)