Is the saying ‘Leave when you clap’ true in Korean baseball?
A total of 46 players announced their retirement prior to the 2022 season. More than 10 players have retired from the field, compared to 33 in the 2021 season and 34 in the 2020 season.
Among them, a total of 8 players retired in their 20s. About 17% of retired players put down their bats and gloves before reaching their 30s.
It is also noteworthy that the names of players who swept Korean baseball in the past, such as Yu Hee-gwan, Lee Dae-eun, and Bae Young-soo, are listed on the retirement list. In October of last year, Lee Dae-ho, the “4th hitter of Joseon,” ended his last season. Lee Dae-ho recorded 179 hits in 540 at-bats in 142 games, 23 homers, and 101 RBIs with a batting average of 0.331, which left many fans disappointed.
Regarding the ‘generation change method’ of Korean baseball, former manager Kim Seong-geun said, “It needs to change.”
On the 2nd, former coach Kim Seong-geun appeared in the baseball video content created by Sports Kyunghyang. Director Kim Seong-geun, who is in charge of directing JTBC’s baseball entertainment program , mentioned Yu Hee-gwan, a member of ‘Strongest Monsters’, and said, “Looking at him, I felt regret that ‘Isn’t there a need for a change in the generation of Korean baseball?’ ”he said.
Yoo Hee-gwan, who retired at the end of the 2021 season, became a pitcher again in the strongest monsters and is active as an ‘ace’ with 9 wins within the team. 카지노사이트
Coach Kim said, “He has an excellent eye for reading the game. He said, “I wonder why he released such a pitcher early when he sees these advantages.”
“There are times when veteran players must be used. The problem is how effectively you use it,” he said. “Assuming 144 games a year, Yoo Hee-gwan is a pitcher who can throw 30 games (when necessary). He added that even if he threw only 20 games, he would have had enough power.”
Manager Kim said, “The method of changing generations in Korean baseball needs to change. If he is conscious of his fans, Lee Dae-ho must return unconditionally,” he said. “It is wrong to expect 100% of his prime. He explained that even if he only meets 50%, he is competitive enough (to be used when the team needs it).”