The Heroes scout team leader who put Lee Jeong-hu in the Heroes uniform during the 2017 rookie draft is now the general manager of Kiwoom Heroes.
The '2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League' Samsung-Kiwoom match was held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 10th.
This day’s game was Kiwoom’s last game of the season. Before the game, Manager Hong Won-ki said that he planned to send out a pinch hitter and defender in the second half of the game so that Lee Jeong-hoo, who announced his intention to advance to the major leagues after this season, can say his final goodbye to the home fans. Fans who heard the news were seen everywhere cheering for Lee Jung-hoo, holding cheering messages on his uniform and sketchbook.
When Lee Jung-hoo came to the plate as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the 8th inning, the fans cheered, and Lee took off his hat and politely greeted first, home, and third base.
Kiwoom general manager Ko Hyeong-wook came to the back of the first base photographer's seat and captured Lee Jeong-hoo's last appearance on his cell phone in a video. A lot of time passed as the match went down to 12 pitches against the opposing pitcher, but General Manager Go Young-wook's cell phone was still recording video.
Lee Jeong-hoo hit an infield ground ball at the end of a 12-pitch game and sprinted at full speed. He wanted to say his final goodbye with a hit. From the moment he was out to the moment he returned to the dugout, General Manager Ko Young-wook kept pictures of Lee Jeong-hoo on his phone.
At Lee Jeong-hoo's last home game on this day, Major League Baseball San Francisco Giants general manager Pete Purteller was also seen watching the game in person. When Lee Jung-hoo entered the final at-bat, he was seen standing up and applauding.
In the 2017 rookie draft, General Manager Go Hyeong-wook, who was the head of the Heroes scout team at the time, personally dressed Whimoon High School's Jeong-hoo Lee in a uniform.
Lee Jung-hoo became the starting outfielder in his debut season in 2017, and won the Rookie of the Year Award by hitting .300 in all games, and maintained his batting average of .300 from the 2018 season to the 2022 season.
And he became the league's best player, winning the Golden Glove Outfielder Award for the fifth consecutive year. Therefore, he can be selected as a player with more memories for general manager Ko Hyeong-wook.
Lee Jung-hoo greeted the fans, saying, “The seven years I spent with Heroes will remain in my heart and I will never forget them.”