“KIA, Lotte, Doosan, LG, Eagles ( Hanwha ), KT Wiz, Landers SSG, Dinos (NC)….” Sean Anderson (29), a new foreign player for the KIA Tigers, expressed regret when he failed to memorize the 10 KBO teams.
Anderson said in an interview after team training at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Arizona, USA on the 18th (Korean time), “I know a few players who played in Korea.” ….” He said exactly the players’ names and the team they played for in the KBO.
Reporters asked if he knew all 10 KBO clubs as he was unable to tell the names of his former San Francisco colleagues, Suarez and Kelly메이저놀이터, and even guessed their teams. Then, Anderson began to speak while counting each of the 10 clubs with his fingers, failing to come up with only the names of Kiwoom and Samsung. When the interpreter told me the names of Kiwoom and Samsung, I knew it, but he regretted it as if he hadn’t remembered it.
Foreign players often end up saying only the names of friends or colleagues in the same question, or only the names of one or two people and the company name of their team. However, Anderson, who showed his new concept, showed a unique enthusiasm for learning, saying, “Because I have to know who I’m playing with.”
Anderson is a right-handed pitcher acquired by KIA for a total of $1 million ahead of the 2023 season. With a height of 193 cm and a weight of 102 kg, his strength is a fast ball and slider with a maximum speed of 154 km. For foreign players to succeed, adaptability is essential. In that respect, Anderson seems to have definitely taken a snow stamp.
Anderson said, “It was a welcoming atmosphere from the first time I came (to the camp). They helped me adapt. I want to spend a better time with my teammates while playing games,” and said, “One of the good things about signing with KIA is It was that the fans were enthusiastic. I heard it through the players who played in Korea, so it was good,” he said, liking the new team.
Without hesitation, he was also grateful for the presence of his colleagues. In particular, the existence of Yang Hyeon-jong (35), who was briefly with him during his Texas days, was special. Anderson introduced an anecdote, saying, “I knew Yang Hyun-jong before coming to KIA, and Lee Eui-ri and Yoo Seung-cheol talk to me a lot.”
Yang Hyeon-jong and Anderson spent less than a month together in Texas, but they cherished their relationship. In 2021, when Hyeon-jong Yang was in Texas, he recruited Anderson as a waiver from Minnesota on June 19, but was reassigned 11 days later on the 30th. Anderson explained, “Since Yang Hyeon-jong always went with an interpreter, I wanted to take care of him a little more. I just came from another team and wanted to hear about a different culture. That’s how I started talking to Yang Hyeon-jong and got closer.”
What I want to achieve the most in Korean baseball is, of course, winning. Anderson said, “I’ve done it in the minor leagues and college, but I haven’t come to the pros. So I want to throw the ball in the playoffs and I really want to win here.” Still, he did not lose his humor, saying, “I want to try many Korean foods outside of baseball. So I would like to introduce you to Korean culture.”