By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
During a television program last year, Samsung Lions designated hitter Yang Joon-hyuk jokingly thanked former Lions teammate Lee Seung-yeop for leaving the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) to play in the Japan league.
Both were close and played together on the Daegu-based club for six years. Both helped the team win the 2002 Korean Series title, giving the Lions their first championship since 1985.
But Lee's absence in the Korean league put Yang, a 16-year veteran, in position to break the league's all-time home run record of 340, set by retired Jang Jong-hoon, who currently works as a Hanwha Eagles hitting coach.
After hitting his 337th career homer Sunday, Yang is now only four away from bettering Jang's mark.
Yang, who made his KBO debut in 1993, has already surpassed Jang in most categories, such as hits, doubles, runs, RBIs and walks. Last year, he became the first player in KBO history to record 2,000 career hits.
But reaching the home run milestone seemed like an impossible mission for the left-handed swinger earlier in the year because another teammate, power hitter Shim Chong-soo, who has 328 homers, was also chasing the mark, and Yang was mired in a slump, which sent him to the second-tier league for the first time in his career.
However, with Shim being out for the season due to a knee injury and Yang's batting skills ― he has posted a .317 average during his 16 seasons ― rejuvenated, the veteran slugger is approaching the record.
``I am not in a position to focus on the home run chase because the team is battling fiercely for a fourth-place spot,'' Yang said Sunday after going deep with his sixth homer of the season.
Fourth place is the lowest position a team can be in to earn a postseason berth.
The Lions, who ranked fourth in the KBO standings as of Tuesday, have three games left before the All-Star break ― which will last until Aug. 24 due to the Beijing Olympics _ so Yang is expected to break the league's most prestigious record in late August or early September.
Like many baseball fans who want Yang to hit a record-breaking dinger, record holder Jang also looks forward to hailing a new home run king.
``It is a pity that I retired before hitting 400,'' Jang said. ``I hope young players will hit 400.''
Meanwhile, Softbank Hawks manager Sadaharu Oh has the all-time home run title in Japan with 868, while Barry Bonds, who is not playing this season, has recorded 762 in the U.S. Major Leagues.