Players born in 1982, considered the representative ‘golden generation’ of Korean baseball, are spending an unfamiliar winter. Lee Dae-ho (41, former Lotte), who enjoyed an era as the ‘4th hitter of Joseon’, retired last season. SSG batter Choo Shin-soo and Samsung closer pitcher Oh Seung-hwan (aged 41) continue their active lives this year as well, but a completely different landscape from previous years is unfolding. A typical example is the salary they receive.
Choo Shin-soo received an annual salary of 2.7 billion won last year. It was the highest annual salary among pitchers and batters in the KBO League until Kim Kwang-hyun (SSG), who returned from the major leagues in early March of last year, signed a four-year total of 15.1 billion won, including an annual salary of 8.1 billion won. Even after Kim Gwang-hyun’s return, he received the highest annual salary among hitters.
However, in this year’s salary negotiations, Choo Shin-soo was offered 1.7 billion won, a reduction of 1 billion won. Last year, in the aftermath of elbow surgery, he played in 112 games and recorded a batting average of 0.259, 16 home runs, and 58 RBIs. However, at the crucial moment, he did his part like a veteran, and the team also won the regular season and the Korean Series combined. The 1 billion won cut is the highest level ever for a non-FA player. 바카라사이트
However, Choo Shin-soo accepted the club’s proposal ‘coolly’. He did not play tug-of-war and signed the club’s offer as it is. Choo Shin-soo said, “I won the Korean Series, so I have to put more players on my behalf. Other players shouldn’t be harmed because of me.” It was a decision that took into account the club’s salary cap.
Oh Seung-hwan, who received an annual salary of 1.6 billion won last year and ranked third in the pitcher’s salary, announced on the 11th that he would ‘blank’ the annual salary through the club. He decided to leave it to the decision of the club after he could not reach an agreement even after a couple of rounds of negotiations.
The Samsung club is categorizing Oh Seung-hwan as a target for reduction. Oh Seung-hwan took the mound in 57 games last season, recording 6 wins, 2 losses, 2 holds, 31 saves, and an average ERA of 3.32, ranking 4th in saves, but did not show the same power as before. He had seven blown saves and several blown victories. In particular, they conceded four runs in a row in July ahead of the postseason. Samsung fell into a shocking 13-game losing streak and got away from the fight in the top 5.
Samsung said, “As the team’s oldest player, I conveyed to the club my intention to entrust the annual salary for 2023 with the meaning of a white uniform for the individual and team rebound this season, as well as taking responsibility for the team’s performance that did not advance to the postseason. ”he explained. Oh Seung-hwan is scheduled to acquire free agent qualifications after the 2023 season, so the club is planning to make a final decision on his salary after considering that.
Salary is the pride of professional players, but Choo Shin-soo and Oh Seung-hwan, who had already accomplished almost everything through baseball, made the decision to put themselves down and prioritize the team.