In a twist of fate, ‘veteran’ pitchers who were on the verge of being forced to retire have been re-signed with super special treatment.
The SSG Rangers announced the results of their 2024 season re-signing on Saturday. SSG was the first of the 10 teams to finalize the deal. The bullpen pitchers got the biggest raises. Seo Jin-yong, who announced his prime by winning the individual title of “Save King,” signed for 450 million won, an increase of 185 million won from 265 million won. It is the highest salary among the re-signees.
The team also honored its pitchers. Noh Kyung-eun signed for 270 million won, an increase of 100 million won from 170 million won, and Ko Hyo-joon signed for 153 million won, an increase of 68 million won from 85 million won. Noh, born in 1984, and Ko, born in 1983, are the oldest and most experienced pitchers in the team, both in their 40s. However, they were quickly re-signed as they were recognized for their top-notch performance.
The situation is 180 degrees different from just two years ago. 온라인카지노 Two years ago, after the 2021 season, Ko and Noh were free agents who needed to find a new team.
Noh became a free agent after her two-year contract with the Lotte Giants ended.
It was a de facto release. She had to find a new team, but her age was a hindrance. Noh was determined to continue playing and confident that she was still competitive, but no team was willing to take her on. SSG was the team that stepped up to the plate in the face of forced retirement. SSG wanted to deepen their mound depth by signing Noh Kyung-eun, who can start and pitch in the bullpen. It wasn’t an easy decision for SSG either. Noh had to go through a tryout at a reinforced second-team stadium and even “pass” it. It was the veteran pitcher’s last stand.
But the next two years at SSG were nothing short of miraculous. Early on in his career, Noh was the one to fill in when a hole opened up in SSG’s starting rotation. If Noh hadn’t performed so consistently as a replacement starter, SSG might not have won the championship that year. But Noh hung in there as an early starter, and after being sidelined with a fracture injury and then coming back to add strength in the bullpen, SSG was able to win the overall title.
And last year, he established himself as a complete must-win pitcher. With the younger pitchers slow to develop, Noh was the most reliable pitcher, appearing in 76 of SSG’s 144 games last year, nearly half the time. The bullpen’s reliance on Noh was evident. When he joined SSG for the 2022 season, he was offered a salary of 100 million won plus 100 million won in incentives, and now earns a salary of 270 million won, nearly 300 million won. It sends a message that players in their 40s can do it too.
The situation was no different for Ko Hyo-joon, who also had a stint with Lotte.
He played one season with the LG Twins in 2021 before being released again. With nowhere to go. He was on the verge of being forced to retire, but then one last chance came along. The former SK Wyverns player reached out to his hometown team, now the SSG. He went through the tryout and joined SSG. His first year’s salary was 40 million won. It was the de facto minimum salary.
But he fit the team’s bullpen need for a lefty, and he did just that. In 2023, his salary more than doubled to 85 million won, and in 2024, it jumped to 153 million won, a whopping 68 million won. It’s nothing short of miraculous that a pitcher over 40 years old, and one who had been released twice while facing forced retirement, would get another 80% raise to a salary of over 150 million won.
The success stories of Noh and Ko should be an inspiration to younger pitchers. Another thing they have in common is their sincere training attitude, 바카라사이트 순위 strict self-management, and a personality that is also recognized by the club staff. What a difference a basic attitude makes. Go Hyo-joon and Noh Kyung-eun will be hoping for a miracle once again in the 2024 season.