"Where I got my inspiration for baseball" - Giants' new signing Jung Hoo Lee starstruck after meeting idol Ichiro Suzuki

Giants
Giants' news signing Jung Hoo Lee starstruck after meeting idol Ichiro Suzuki

The San Francisco Giants made one of the best offseason signings by acquiring Jung Hoo Lee. While many teams were busy vying for free agents and trade deals, the Giants secured the opportunity to sign the former KBO MVP to a six-year, $113 million contract.

Lee drew attention in the past when he was given the number 51, the same number as his childhood baseball hero, Ichiro Suzuki. He also played in the same position (outfield) as Ichiro and was assigned as the leadoff for the Giants’ lineup, adding to the similarities between the two players.

However, Lee's most memorable moment occurred on Sunday during the Giants’ exhibition game against the Seattle Mariners at Peoria Stadium. Lee finally got the chance to meet his idol, Ichiro, who was acting as the special adviser for the Mariners.

“I’m just excited and happy to see him and hope I get to have a good conversation with him today,” Justin Han interpreted Lee’s excitement, according to the Mercury News.
“When baseball came into my life, that’s when I first saw Ichiro playing. That’s where I got my inspiration for baseball,” he added.

During his introductory press conference in January, Lee expressed his admiration for the Japanese legend and how it played a significant role in his passion for the sport.

“When I first started baseball as a child, the first player I saw was Ichiro Suzuki. He’s my favorite player. And because of him, I always loved his uniform number and I started to play with the same number,” Lee said.

Fans have also observed the similarities between the Seattle Hall of Famer and the Giants' rising star. However, Lee denied any comparison with Ichiro, stating that he was only a role model to him.

“I can’t say that I’m similar to Ichiro because he’s such a great player,” Lee said, per Mercury News. “He is one of my idols, one of my favorite players I used to like as a kid.”

Jung Hoo Lee is giving the good signs for the Giants

Jung Hoo Lee made his debut for the San Francisco Giants in the Cactus League against the Seattle Mariners on February 27. He gave an impressive performance, recording three RBIs, including a home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

So far, Lee has an outstanding batting average of .417 in seven games, making him one of the best hitters of the season. He is also the club's second-highest free agent contract holder and the highest among active Korean players in MLB.

As of writing, the Giants are trailing by five runs with a score of 2-7 in the bottom of the fifth inning. Jung Hoo Lee is currently playing center field and had a single in the top of the fifth inning against the Mariners' Tyler Saucedo.

It will be interesting to see if Jung Hoo Lee can help close the gap and lead the Giants to a victory in the upcoming innings.

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Edited by Windy Goodloe
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