I couldn't see anything ahead, so I weighed down the responsibility of 10.2 billion won in shock...How did you endure the biggest crisis in baseball's life

Sep 17, 2025

I couldn't see anything ahead, so I weighed down the responsibility of 10.2 billion won in shock...How did you endure the biggest crisis in baseball's life
The Hanwha-KIA match held at Kia Champions Field in Gwangju on the 16th. An Chi-hong hugs Noh Si-hwan after hitting a three-run shot with one out and runners on the first and second bases in the top of the sixth inning. Gwangju = Reporter Jeong Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.9.16/



"I've tried everything I did when I was really young, but I couldn't see."

Hanwha Eagles veteran An Chi-hong faced the biggest crisis in his baseball life this year. As of Thursday, his batting average for this season is 0.172 (29 hits in 166 at-bats). When he was a 19-year-old rookie in 2009, he also hit 0.235 (87 hits in 371 at-bats). His overall batting average for the first team is 0.294 (1858 hits in 6,316 at-bats). Even if the bat did not fit, the batting average for the season had never fallen to 10% and hit the bottom.

An Chi-hong agreed to an FA contract worth 7.2 billion won with Hanwha for 4+2 years ahead of last season. A veteran recruited by Hanwha by paying a large amount of money to reinforce its lineup. The club's expectations were high, and he was confident that he could do it, but he fell into an unexpected and severe slump in the second year of his FA contract. It is said that there was a wrist injury, but the degree of slump was severe.




Hanwha manager Kim Kyung-moon tried to wait for An Chi-hong, but there was nothing he could do. Only when the player provides a justification to occupy a spot in the first team entry can the coach trust and wait. An Chi-hong spent as many as 50 days in the second division this year.

Hanwha had no choice but to think about reinforcing its power because An Chi-hong was squeaky, although this year was the right time to try to win the championship. Hanwha dramatically acquired Son Ah-seop, the league's top school hitter, from the NC Dinos in a trade. Ahn Chi-hong had to endure even more pressure as Son Ah-seop joined the bat.

The only way was training. I've done all the training that I can do even by mobilizing my childhood memories. In the aftermath, An Chi-hong's palms are now full of calluses.




Ahn Chi-hong said "I've done it all for now. There must have been a lot of ways while playing baseball in the first team. I've tried everything I did when I was really young, but I couldn't see. I did it honestly, but since I let go of my heart a little bit. I think I'm thinking about how to go now."

I couldn't see anything ahead, so I weighed down the responsibility of 10.2 billion won in shock...How did you endure the biggest crisis in baseball's life
The Hanwha-KIA match at Kia Champions Field in Gwangju on the 16th is welcomed after An Chi-hong hit a three-run shot with one out and runners on first and second bases in the top of the sixth inning. Gwangju = Reporter Jeong Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.9.16/
I couldn't see anything ahead, so I weighed down the responsibility of 10.2 billion won in shock...How did you endure the biggest crisis in baseball's life
The Hanwha-KIA match held at Kia Champions Field in Gwangju on the 16th. An Chi-hong cheers after hitting a three-run shot with one out and runners on the first and second bases in the top of the sixth inning. Gwangju = Reporter Jeong Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.9.16/
An Chi-hong started as the first designated hitter against the Gwangju KIA Tigers on the 16th and burst a cool shot for the first time in a long time. Hanwha hit a three-run left-hander in the top of the sixth inning with one out and runners on the first and second bases. Season two. KIA right-hander Kim Si-hoon did not miss his fork ball.

An Chi-hong was "Chance, and I thought let's not miss the actual pitch and play it actively. But I think the breaking ball came in right away and a good hit came out. "




The goal for the rest of the season is to somehow help Hanwha.

Ahn Chi-hong said "I personally think it's time to think about how to help in the upcoming season, not in a situation where I have to improve my performance. I'm in such a good position because the team members really worked hard and worked hard, and I really want to be helpful. But I felt really sorry for not being able to do that. My colleagues and older brothers tell me a lot of good stories. 'Let's be comfortable because it's good to be next to you. Let's be comfortable with each other. I want to repay you as a colleague.'"

Hanwha is currently in second place, but it is doing its best to push out the No. 1 LG Twins and go straight to the Korean Series. Hanwha maintained a three-game gap with LG with an 11-1 victory over KIA on the day.

Ahn Chi-hong, who had a lot of postseason experience during his time at KIA, said, `First of all, I wish I could play a role (in the postseason). I think it's only possible if I survive on my own, regardless of whether I'm playing in a soft game"I will do my best to increase the sense of hit even more than now."

I couldn't see anything ahead, so I weighed down the responsibility of 10.2 billion won in shock...How did you endure the biggest crisis in baseball's life
The Hanwha-KIA match at Kia Champions Field in Gwangju on the 16th is welcomed by Shim Woo-joon and Choi Jae-hoon after An Chi-hong hit a three-run shot with one out and runners on the first and second bases in the top of the sixth inning. Gwangju = Reporter Jeong Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.9.16/




This article was translated by Naver AI translator.