Choi Ji-hoon and Park Seong-han (SSG Landers), the main players who won the ‘Wire-to-Wire’ combined championship with a high salary increase, were recognized for their value in salary negotiations.
SSG announced in a press release on the morning of the 24th, “We have completed annual salary contracts with 49 people who are subject to renewal in 2023.” The player who recorded the club’s highest raise rate this season was Jeon Eui-san (30 million won → 90 million won, 200% increase), an infielder who showed potential as a next-generation giant in his first year of debut.
Seo Jin-yong (185 million won → 265 million won, 43.2% increase), who played an active role as a closer with Pil Seung-jo last season, and Oh Won-seok (65 million won → 140 million won, 115.4% increase), who showed rapid growth in the starter and bullpen. ) also successfully completed the contract. Above all, a lot of attention was paid to the contracts of Choi Ji-hoon and Park Seong-han, who were active as the main fielders.
‘Winning Members’ Choi Ji-hoon and Park Seong-han raise their salaries side by side Choi Ji-hoon,
who played in all games (144 games) of the regular season last year and recorded a . He signed for 300 million won, a 100% increase from won. During his three seasons playing full-time with the first team, his salary also increased each year. In 2020, his first season in the first team, Choi Ji-hoon’s annual salary was only 27 million won.
Choi Ji-hoon showed perfect performance not only in offense but also in defense. He pitched the most defensive innings in the league (1239⅓ innings), with only one error. He was 10.61 in RNG (scoring contribution related to defensive range), which was second in the league after Park Hae-min (LG Twins, 14.97). Because it was his first time playing a big game, he was a bit uneasy about his defense in the first game of the Korean Series, but he gradually found a sense of stability and showed off his ‘Choi Ji-hoon’ style defense.
Choi Ji-hoon, who finished the annual salary contract, said through the club, “It is personally very meaningful to be able to sign a contract with the club on good terms by contributing to the team’s overall victory last year. I will try to become a player who can do it,” he said.
Park Seong-han, who has been active as a starting shortstop since 2021 and has firmly guarded one axis of the center line, signed a contract for an increase of 130 million won from 140 million won last year to 270 million won this year. The increase rate was 92.9%.
There was a downward trend in some batting indicators, such as batting average (0.302 in 2021 → 0.298 last year), OPS (0.765 in 2021 → 0.749 last year), and home runs (4 in 2021 → 2 last year). However, compared to the previous year, more at-bats (471 at-bats in 2021 → 564 at-bats last year) were digested, and the number of errors did not increase significantly compared to the increased defensive innings (23 errors in 1007⅔ innings in 2021 → 24 errors in 1176 innings last year). Growing up one step led to grades.
Winter left behind? Looking ahead to a better future
After last season, they were mentioned as possible players to win the Golden Glove, and were included in the 50 players to watch for the World Baseball Classic (WBC) announced in mid-November last year. However, both Choi Ji-hoon and Park Seong-han had to postpone winning the Golden Gloves and participating in the WBC to the next opportunity. 먹튀검증
In the Golden Glove voting, the two players were 2% short of surpassing their rivals. Choi Ji-hoon, who emphasized his strength in defense, was hindered by relatively weak offensive power, and in the case of Park Seong-han, who was pushed back by Oh Ji-hwan (LG), the lack of pace in the second half compared to the first half affected the voting results.
The reason why I couldn’t go to the WBC is similar to this. In the outfield including Choi Ji-hoon, there were many experienced national team players such as Lee Jung-hoo (Kiwoom Heroes), Kim Hyun-soo (LG), Park Hae-min, and Park Kun-woo (NC Dinos). In the shortstop category, it was certain that Ha-seong Kim (San Diego Padres) and Oh Ji-hwan, who were ‘overseas players’, would be on board.
Still, I am not disappointed and look forward to a better tomorrow. Based on full-time, the 2023 season is the fourth and third seasons for Choi Ji-hoon and Park Seong-han, respectively. There is plenty of time left to dream bigger dreams.
In particular, SSG was mostly junior and senior beasts, so it is very welcome that two beasts who will be responsible for the present and future have appeared. In the 2023 season, when the team challenges for a second consecutive victory, I wonder if they will be able to become the driving force of SSG once again.