An All-Star shortstop turned free agent is on the trade market. It will be interesting to see if the team can get rid of ‘troublesome’ Javier Baez, 31, who is owed a total of $98 million in salary over the next four years.

On Aug. 28 (KST), The Athletic listed the 10 worst long-term contracts in Major League Baseball. Baez, who signed a six-year, $140 million free agent contract with the Detroit Tigers in December 2021, was ranked No. 5.

The Venezuelan right-handed hitting shortstop was a member of the 2016 Chicago Cubs World Series championship team and a two-time All-Star. Through 2021, he has played eight seasons with the Cubs, batting .265 with 149 home runs, 465 RBIs, and a .783 OPS. He had four seasons with at least 20 homers, including a career-high 34 in 2018.레모나토토

But after signing a big free agent deal with Detroit, he fell off. In 2022, his first year with the team, he struggled, batting just .238 (132-for-555) with 17 homers, 67 RBIs and a .671 OPS in 144 games. In his second year, he had the worst year of his career, batting .222 (113-for-510) with nine homers, 59 RBIs and a .593 OPS in 136 games.

In two years with Detroit, he hit just 2-for-33 with a .633 OPS in 280 games. He had an opt-out clause that would have allowed him to become a free agent after this season, but Baez “of course” waived it. He has four years and $98 million remaining on his contract. He’s due $25 million in each of 2024 and 2025 and $24 million in each of 2026 and 2027.

‘Baez’s wRC+ over the last two seasons was 75, the second-worst among qualified hitters,’ the Athletic wrote. He also committed 45 errors, the most in the league. A free-wheeling swinger, Baez has seen his strikeout rate drop, but he still easily follows pitches out of the zone. His power is down and he’s struggling to hit his fastball.

It’s frustrating for Detroit that he’s showing no signs of rebounding. He’s a tough player to handle, but he tries. Mike Rodriguez, who has a penchant for Latin American players, reported on Monday that Detroit will listen to trade offers for Baez. Baez has four years and $98 million remaining on his contract.

Realistically, a trade is unlikely. Baez hasn’t been performing too well lately, and his remaining contract is large. It’s hard to imagine a team taking on more than half of his salary, even if Detroit were to subsidize it. They’d have to throw in a prospect as well as salary relief. Add to that the fact that Baez has a no-trade clause for 10 teams, and it’s a tough sell. Detroit can only hope for a dramatic resurgence from Baez.

Makoto Kadowaki (22, Yomiuri Giants), who was named MVP at the 2023 Asian Professional Baseball Championship (APBC), has seen his salary increase significantly.

Yomiuri said on the 29th, “We signed a contract for next season from 8.4 million yen (about 73.6 million won) to 31 million yen (about 270 million won).” The amount is nearly four times higher than this year.

Kadowaki is a college graduate rookie who joined Yomiuri with the fourth pick in the 2023 rookie draft and can see all positions in the infield.굿모닝토토 도메인

Throughout this season, he played in the first division and played in 126 games, posting a batting average of 0.263 (83 hits in 316 at-bats) with three homers, 21 RBIs, 34 runs, and 11 steals.

Based on this performance, Kadowaki joined the APBC national team, where only prospects under the age of 24 or under three years of professional experience can participate. In particular, he led Japan to the championship by hitting a walk-off hit against Jung Hae-young (KIA) in the bottom of the 10th inning of extra time in the final against South Korea.

Kadowaki, who has had a successful year, is expected to play more roles in next season’s Yomiuri Giants.

Yomiuri Giants manager Shinnosuke Abe declared, “We will use Kadawaki as the main shortstop next season.”

Kadowaki said, “I’ll do better next year. “I will be greedy with a batting average of .300, an on-base percentage of .400, and the most walks and golden gloves in the team,” he said.

Incheon United (South Korea) defeated Yokohama F. Marinos (Japan) 2-1 in the fifth match of Group G of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Champions League (ACL) 2023-24 season at the Incheon Football Stadium at 7 p.m. on Monday. With the win, Incheon improved to 3-2-2 (9 points) and moved into second place in the group behind Yokohama (3-2-2 and 9 points).

Kim Dong-heon was the star of Incheon’s victory. He protected Incheon’s goal with several super saves, with one in particular leaving jaws dropping. In the 34th minute, Yokohama short-circuited a corner kick and Ewber took a spinning shot in front of the penalty box. It was a powerful shot to the top of the goal, but goalkeeper Kim Dong-heon was able to make the save.

In the 36th minute, a sharp cross came in front of the Incheon goal, and Mizunuma took a non-stop shot after a rush. Goalkeeper Kim Dong-heon saved it with his foot from a very close position.

After the match, Yokohama head coach Kevin Muscat said, “There were a number of times in the first half where the opposing goalkeeper made very good saves. If their goalkeeper hadn’t made several saves in the first half, we would have scored two or three goals.”토토사이트

We caught up with Kim Dong-heon in the mix zone. “It was the first time we played with older players and younger rookies. I thought we worked well together against Ulsan, so I wasn’t worried. We played as hard today as we did against Ulsan, so we were able to win.”

You can feel the improvement in your condition from a certain point. “At the beginning of the season, we had a lot of reinforcements, so we thought we had to do better than last year, so we didn’t play well. We conceded five goals in a league game against Gwangju and were sagging. The news that I was accepted into the army changed that. I thought, “I’m going to the army, so I can relax and go without getting injured even if I can’t play,” but as I continued to play, I got better and better because I was relaxed, and I think I was able to maintain it.

Kim Dong-heon is scheduled to enlist in the Gimcheon Commerce in December. The original enlistment date was four days, but it can be postponed due to the K League and ACL schedule. It will be accepted on a player-by-player basis, rather than en masse. Incheon has two upcoming matches against Daegu FC on December 3 and Kaya FC Iloilo on December 13.

According to Kim, nothing has been decided yet. “We haven’t talked yet. I haven’t said anything. I think the coach said what he wanted to say. I saw the news this morning that it was postponed. The director said he hadn’t seen it and asked me, ‘How was it postponed?’ I said, ‘Didn’t you see it?’ He said, ‘I didn’t see it. I said, “I haven’t seen it,” and he said, “You have to do it by the 13th. I said, “Let’s have a private meeting. I have to do some sneaking around,” he explained.

Q. You’re one step closer to the round of 16.

A. “It was the first time we played with older players and younger rookies. I thought we played well against Ulsan, so I wasn’t worried. We played as hard today as we did against Ulsan, so we were able to win.”

Q. The opposing coach praised you.

A. “I feel good and honored that a famous coach said that. If I think I have to play well, I don’t seem to be able to. I think I played better because I relaxed my mind.”

Q. What was the most memorable shot you blocked?

A. “No. 7 took a shot, and it was a no-turn. I was on the move and blocked it. I surprised myself, and I thought I was lucky.”

Q. What made you relax?

A. “At the beginning of the season, we had a lot of reinforcements, so we thought we had to do better than last year, so we didn’t play well. We conceded five goals in a league game against Gwangju and were sagging. The news that I was accepted into the army changed that. I thought, “If I go to the army, I can relax and go without getting injured even if I can’t play,” but as I continued to play, I got better and better because I was relaxed, and I think I was able to maintain it.”

Q. At the press conference, coach Cho Sung-hwan said, ‘I told you to delay your military enlistment. I heard that it was possible to postpone it, so I would like to contribute until the last Kaya game and enlist in the army. You said you requested a postponement.

A. “I haven’t talked to them yet. I didn’t say anything. I think the director said what he wanted. I saw the news about the postponement in the paper this morning. The director said he hadn’t seen it, and he asked me, “How was it postponed?” I said, “Didn’t you see it?” He said, “No, I didn’t see it.” I told him, “It has to be done by the 13th. I said, “I haven’t seen it,” and he said, “You have to do it by the 13th. I said, “Let’s have a private meeting. I have to do some sneaking around.”

(Does he want to run?) “If we procrastinate together, we procrastinate, and if we can’t procrastinate together, we can’t procrastinate. The military is a team effort. If I say I have to play by myself, I’ll be the only one who comes in late. I think we have to adapt together, but if there are several players who are going in with me, I’ll put it off.”

Q. To coach Cho Sung-hwan

A. “He trusted me a lot, and I think I’m in this situation because he trusted me. Even if I can’t rest a little bit, I will try to make a result that the coach is satisfied with.”

Q. If you play against Kaya on the 13th

A. “I will take it easy with the same mindset as now. It’s the last game of the season, so I think I’ll be more focused than today.”

Q. How would you summarize this season?

A. “At the beginning, I played very poorly. I had a lot of low self-esteem. Once we got into the troops, I relaxed and let go, and it’s been working out well. From summer to fall, we didn’t lose much and won a lot, so I think I feel better this year than I did last year. Until the FA Cup quarterfinals a month ago and the two straight losses against Shandong, I was worried about losing everything I had. Now we’re in a good flow again. I’m trying to stay focused and not let this opportunity slip away.”

LG Twins pitcher Go Woo-seok, 25, has requested to be sent to Major League Baseball (MLB).

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced on the 28th that it has requested the MLB Secretariat to post Go Woo-seok. Go Woo-seok, who was found out about the MLB team’s background check on the 15th, decided to try out for the big leagues after consulting with the LG team. However, since he is not a free agent (FA), he must knock on MLB’s door through the posting system (closed competitive bidding). Once he’s posted by the MLB office, he can negotiate a contract from 8 a.m. ET the next day until 5 p.m. ET on the 30th day.굿모닝토토

While the MLB Challenge clock has started ticking, Go’s situation is slightly different than his friend and brother-in-law, outfielder Lee Jung-hoo (Kiwoom Heroes). Lee has been preparing for the process for over 10 months, starting in January when he was allowed to post by the Kiwoom organization. He even had overseas scouts watching him play throughout the season. In Go Woo-seok’s case, he has a strong desire to go overseas, but there are not many expectations that he will try to post immediately after this season. He has a short deadline to prove his appeal.

Go Woo-seok is arguably the best closer in the KBO. Known as the “post-Oh Seung-hwan,” he became the youngest pitcher in the league to reach 40 saves last year (24 years, 1 month, 21 days) and won his first individual save title (42 saves). His trademark is a fastball that reaches well over 150 kilometers per hour. According to baseball statistics company Sports2eye, Ko’s average fastball velocity for the season reached 151.6 kilometers per hour. While he has made a name for himself as a fastball pitcher, the MLB may have a different opinion. MLB expert Song Jae-woo, a commentator for MBC Sports Plus, said, “Go Woo-seok’s fastball is one of the best in the KBO, but there are many players in the MLB who throw fastballs. “I don’t think big league teams will sign him as a closer,” said Song, “but he has a lot of potential for growth as he is young. However, as he is young, he has a lot of potential for growth.”

Oh Seung-hwan (now with the Samsung Lions) was a middle-of-the-rotation pitcher when he arrived in the MLB in 2016. He had made a name for himself as an Asian closer in the KBO and Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), but in the MLB, a league full of “monster pitchers,” he was not immediately given the back door. Only after proving himself in the middle innings did he switch to the closer’s role. Closers get paid less than relievers. For a variety of reasons, there hasn’t been a lot of local media interest in Goh. His name is being talked about more by the fan community than the authoritative media. Posts by former NPB starters such as Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Orix Buffaloes) and Shota Imanaga (Yokohama DeNA Basestars) dominate the rankings.

Reynaldo Lopez, who recently signed a three-year, $30 million contract with Atlanta. Getty Images

The market is not in a bad place. MLB teams are starting to open their wallets after being on the sidelines during the pandemic. On April 21, right-handed reliever Reynaldo Lopez signed a three-year, $30 million deal with the Atlanta Braves. Lopez pitched in 68 games this season, including 22

The case of Hwang Eui-jo (31, Norwich City), who is suspected of illegally filming, is spreading beyond the sports world to social issues.

On March 18, Hwang appeared at the police station and was investigated as a suspect for taking a video without the prior consent of the party having sex. The victim accused him of illegally filming her without her consent. He denied all allegations, saying that he lost his cell phone when he was playing in Greece in June and the video was circulated, and that the sex and filming were consensual with the victim.

For now, the English team is aware of the incident but does not see a problem with his immediate availability. This is because Hwang has not been involved in any incidents with British women in England. Their logic is that playing for a professional team is not the same as your personal life.

“The only thing I can judge and control is what I see on the pitch,” said Norwich City manager Davit Wagner, adding that he would only make a decision based on his performance.토토사이트

In fact, Hwang made his debut against QPR in the 17th round of the 2023-24 Championship at Carrow Road in Norfolk, England, on Sept. 26. Hwang scored his second goal of the league in the 21st minute of the first half to give his team a 1-0 victory. Hwang repaid his coach’s faith in him.

After his goal, Hwang stirred up controversy by performing a “hissy fit. It was an unspoken gesture to the public to stop pointing out the controversy surrounding his personal life.

Wagner praised Hwang, saying, “I’m glad he scored, he’s a good soccer player with good technique, hard training and a high level of play. That’s why he played more than 50 games for the Korean national team.”

On Hwang’s controversial personal life, Wagner said, “It must have been difficult for him with his personal life. He was committed to football with us. We will see what happens. He is coping well with his lawyers who are supporting him. That’s the most important thing,” he said, adding that it was a matter for the law to resolve.

Unlike in the UK, the Hwang scandal in South Korea seems to be getting bigger and bigger. Not only the athletic community, but also social organizations and politicians have come out to condemn Hwang. While Hwang’s criminal behavior is still under investigation, it’s clear that he stored sex videos on his phone.

There is a strong argument that Hwang should be suspended from the national team because he has disgraced the country. According to the National Athlete Dignity Code, “Each member of the national team must refrain from any behavior that degrades their dignity as a representative of the country and maintain social responsibility and morality. The mere fact that Hwang filmed and possessed a sex video is morally problematic.

Politicians have also weighed in. On March 25, Representative Lee Yong-ho, a member of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, wrote on his social media, “As a member of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, I urge the Korea Football Association to take strict disciplinary measures against Hwang Ui-jo, including a ban. As a public figure, Hwang is not only a moral question, but also a clear criminal offense if he allowed illegal footage to be distributed without his consent.”

The national soccer team is also in trouble as it looks to win the Asian Cup next January. “He is not a criminal,” said national team coach Jürgen Klinsmann, who played him against China. Klinsmann, who has already planned his Asian Cup roster, wants Hwang to lead the attack alongside Cho Kyu-sung and Oh Hyun-gyu.

But there is a risk. If Hwang is found guilty of the charges after the final roster is submitted to the Asian Cup, South Korea will be missing a player. The Korean Football Association would also be held accountable for ignoring Hwang’s eligibility. The argument that Hwang should be suspended from the national team until it is clear whether he is guilty of a crime is also gaining traction.

There are many examples of athletes who have been disqualified from the national team for disgrace or lack of morals. Examples include volleyball’s Lee Jae-young and Lee Da-young sisters and baseball’s Ahn Woo-jin, who were banned from the national team for bullying.

The athletes are complaining of injustice. Some argue that the athletes are essential to the national team based on their skills. However, the public hasn”t forgiven them for wearing the flag. This is because of the symbolism of representing the country.

We must ask ourselves if the Hwang Ui-jo case is a case of ignoring the fair process in favor of tangible results, such as winning the Asian Cup.

SSG Landers’ Choi Jeong-jeong’s reaction to the award was the talk of the town. Choi won the longest batting average award at the KBO Awards Ceremony held at the Westin Chosun Hotel Grand Ballroom in Sogong on June 26. With a batting average of 5-for-48, Choi prevented Hanwha’s Noh Si-hwan (0.541) from winning the trifecta of home runs and RBIs.굿모닝토토

Choi, who was unable to attend the ceremony due to personal reasons, expressed his feelings in a pre-recorded video.

“Noh Si-hwan could have won the triple crown, but I was injured unintentionally at the end of the season, so I was able to protect my batting average,” Choi said, adding, “I feel very sorry for him.”

You might be surprised to hear a prize-winning player feel sorry for a competitor. The story goes like this.

Choi developed pain in his left thigh while running the bases against the KIA Tigers on October 10, the last day of the season, and was dismissed from the first team on October 13. He was told he needed a week’s rest. Choi missed the remaining four games.

At the time, Choi was tied for first place in home runs and RBIs with Roh Si-hwan. With 29 home runs, Choi was trailing Noh’s 31 home runs by two, forcing him to stop trying to win the home run title.

Until October 12, Noh had a narrow lead in the on-base percentage, with Noh going 5-for-4, 7-for-8, and Choi going 5-for-4, 7-for-7. However, after Choi Jung was suspended from the game, Noh Si-hwan’s batting average dropped to 5.4 pounds, 1 ounce, and Choi Jung became the batting average champion.

Choi apologized to Noh for not being able to compete until the end due to her injury.

“Next year, I will do my best to attend the awards ceremony with a stronger performance,” Choi said.

Choi, who joined the team in 2005, has hit 458 career home runs so far this year, leaving him just nine shy of Doosan Bears manager Lee Seung-yeop’s KBO record of 467 home runs. If he hits 10 next season, his 20th, he will set a new record.

Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp was stunned to see Darwin Núñez lunge at Pep Guardiola after the game.

Liverpool played out a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Manchester City in the 13th round of the 2023/24 Premier League at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, on Aug. 25.

Playing against title contenders in their first match since the November A-match break, the two teams lived up to their fans’ expectations with an enthralling game.

It was City’s ‘monster striker’ Elling Holland who broke the deadlock in the first half. In the 27th minute, an inaccurate kick from Liverpool defender Alisson Becker gave City possession of the ball. Nathan Ake picked up the ball, dribbled past a Liverpool player, and played a pass to Holland, who slotted a left-footed shot through Alisson’s hands and into the back of the net for the 1-0 lead.

The goal against Liverpool was Holland’s 14th in the league, moving him past Mohamed Salah (10, Liverpool) and Son Heung-min (8, Tottenham Hotspur).

Holland, who set a new single-season Premier League record with 36 goals last season, added 14 more to reach the 50-goal milestone in his Premier League career. Notably, he reached the milestone in just 48 games, breaking Andy Cole’s record of 50 goals in 65 games and becoming the fastest player in Premier League history to reach the milestone.레모나토토 도메인

After taking the lead with Holland’s first goal, City were unable to add to their lead as they were unable to find the back of the net. Liverpool, who had done well to keep City at bay, equalized in the 35th minute through Trent Alexander-Arnold.

World-class right-back Alexander-Arnold received a pass from Salah and cut into the box before unleashing a half-beating shot. Arnold’s shot, aimed at the far post, found the back of the net for Liverpool’s crucial equalizer. After scoring the equalizer, Alexander-Arnold walked over to the crowd and performed the ‘hissy fit’.

The game ended 1-1, with Liverpool and City sharing a point. Arsenal’s 1-0 win at Brentford in Round 13 put them in first place with 30 points (9 W, 3 D, 1 L), followed by City (29 W, 9 D, 2 L). Liverpool (28-8 W4 D1 L1) drops to third.

Meanwhile, after the game, video cameras caught Liverpool forward Darwin Núñez arguing with manager Pep Guardiola. After the final whistle, Klopp and Guardiola shook hands, but a nervous breakdown occurred when Núñez said something to Guardiola afterward.

As Klopp turned to leave, he saw Núñez arguing with Guardiola and quickly grabbed Núñez and pulled him away from Guardiola, preventing the tension from escalating.

Many fans wondered what led to the altercation, but both managers remained tight-lipped about the incident. According to British outlet ‘The Mirror’, Guardiola, the coach involved, was interviewed after the game and said, “Nothing happened. Núñez is stronger than me! No problem.”

Klopp revealed that he was surprised by the situation and said, “I’m the wrong person to ask. We don’t have a fierce rivalry with City, we’re just rivals,” he said, adding, “But I’m not sure Núñez knows much about the history of the rivalry.”

Klopp’s explanation has led fans to speculate that Núñez made his comments in a competitive spirit. Liverpool and City have been fierce rivals for the Premier League title in recent years, with the two clubs sharing the title for the last five years. The Reds have won the title four out of five times, with Liverpool finishing runner-up twice, missing out to City by just one point.

However, as Klopp said, Liverpool and City are rivals for the title, but not traditional rivals. This has led to speculation that Núñez got carried away and provoked Guardiola.

Kim Yeon-yeon (30), a national women’s volleyball libero and wife of SSG Landers pitcher Seo Dong-min (29), applauded her husband’s decision to retire.

The SSG Landers, a professional baseball team, officially announced on April 24 that “pitcher Seo Dong-min has announced his intention to retire,” in addition to announcing that some players will not be re-signed.

Born in 1994, Seo realized his professional dream after graduating from Daegu High School and being selected by SSG’s predecessor SK with the 58th pick in the second round of the 2014 rookie draft.

After completing his military service as a social service worker upon joining the organization, Seo made his debut in the first team in 2020, six years after being drafted. He familiarized himself with the first team atmosphere with a 5.40 ERA in nine games in his first year, followed by a 5.13 ERA in 20 games in 2021 and a 2.57 ERA in 20 games with one win, one loss and five holds in 2022.굿모닝토토

This year, he didn’t get his first-team call-up until September, when the expanded roster was implemented, but he was only given two opportunities. On September 2, he pitched a scoreless first inning against KIA, and on September 7, he gave up just two hits and was removed from the game against Hanwha, which ended up being Seo’s retirement game.

Seo decided to retire at the young age of 29 with a career record of 51 games, one win, one loss, five holds, and a 4.13 ERA (26 earned runs in 56⅔ innings).

Seo Dong-min made headlines last July for her non-baseball marriage. He tied the knot with Kim Yeon-yeon, a libero for Hyundai E&C’s women’s V-League team, marking the birth of a new sports star couple.

Kim is a libero who represents women’s volleyball. She is currently playing her 13th season with Hyundai E&C after being selected in the third round of the 2011-2012 V-League Draft by the team from Daegu Girls High School.

Kim is a living legend in the women’s volleyball world, ranking fourth all-time in digs (5809) and fifth in defense (8307). As a result, Kim signed a three-year, no-option free agent contract with her original team, Hyundai E&C, for a total of 1.05 billion won ahead of the 2023-2024 season.

After the team defeated GS Caltex 3-1 at Suwon Indoor Gymnasium on April 26, Kim told the press, “My husband retired, and I felt very strange. It was also emotional. It’s great that he decided to retire from the baseball he’s been playing.” “I told my husband that he struggled so much. The competition in baseball is so strong, and I think it’s great that he’s been able to stick it out. It was hard,” she said of her husband’s retirement.

“It’s a shame that I won’t get to see him play baseball anymore. He’s the coolest person when he’s doing his main job…” She added, “It’s a shame, but I’ll do my best to support him because he has to start something else.”

Seo’s second life is still undecided. For now, the couple plans to take a break and explore their career paths together. “We’re going to take a break for about a month to organize our thoughts and have a conversation. I don’t think we’ve decided what we’re going to do yet.”

“I don’t know how long I’ll be playing volleyball,” said Kim, who is now the sole professional athlete following her 29-year-old husband’s early retirement. I will do my best.”

The atmosphere was definitely worthy of the name “Super Match”. Despite the cold weather, the enthusiasm of the 36,000 spectators was enough to boost the players’ enthusiasm.

At 4:30 p.m. on the 25th, Suwon defeated Seoul 1-0 in the 37th round of the Hana OneQ K League 1 2023 at Seoul World Cup Stadium. With the win, Suwon earned three points, tying 11th-ranked Suwon FC on points and closing in on 10th-ranked Gangwon by one point. The final game, against Gangwon, will decide Suwon’s fate. Seoul already finished the season in seventh place in the league.레모나토토 주소

A record 36,000 fans traveled to Sangam for the game. The cold weather didn’t deter the fans, with temperatures dropping below freezing. A large crowd was expected as 25,000 tickets were sold on the first day of pre-sale, and another 10,000 were sold afterward. An estimated 2,000 tickets were sold at the door. If the weather had been warmer, they could have expected up to 40,000 spectators.

The game attracted a lot of attention because of the situation of the opposing team, Suwon Samsung. Their relegation was at stake. If Suwon lost to Seoul, they could be directly relegated depending on the outcome of the Gangwon-Suwon FC match. Seoul could have sent their rivals straight to the bottom of the table in their final home game. Against this backdrop, many soccer fans had their eyes on the game.

The pre-match chants from both teams’ supporters were worthy of a traditional derby in the Korean top flight. Suwon fans in the S section put on a spectacular show with their red, white, and blue card sections. Seoul fans in the N section stole the show by spraying snowflakes.

Jeon Jin-woo (bottom, Suwon Samsung) and Ki Sung-yong (top, FC Seoul). Reporter Hyungkwon Seo

The game was decided by one goal, but the tension continued until the final whistle. Seoul had the majority of possession, but Suwon created more decisive chances, especially with players from both teams fighting for the ball. There were several scoring chances, but it was hard to take your eyes off the quick transitions.

The game was also played somewhat roughly. In the first half, Suwon midfielder Lee Jong-sung was cautioned for a tackle on Ki Sung-yong, and in the second half, Osmar was shown a red card for a tackle on Kim Joo-chan’s ankle. The two squads also clashed in the final minutes of the game. Ki Sung-yueng, who was fouled, roughly tripped Jeon Jin-woo. Afterward, the two teams’ players tangled and brawled, but it was a reminder that this was a derby.

The 36,000 fans, the high tension, the chants, and the fighting spirit of the players made the Super Match a true division match. There were plenty of reasons to enjoy the game besides the one goal. Acting Seoul head coach Kim Jin-gyu said after the game, “We need more derbies like this to develop the K League. The league can only develop if the culture of the game increases and many fans come to see it,” he said, emphasizing that this atmosphere should continue.

After 29 years, he became a “winning manager” by guiding LG to the Korean Series title, but failed to lead Ae-Je-Ja’s resurgence. After being released, Ae-Je-Ja started looking for a new team.

In November of last year, it was Icheon LG Champions Park. The new LG manager, Yoon Kyung-yeop, was reunited with Seo and was confident in his resurgence. In the past, Seo, 34, who became the first and only player in the KBO to reach the 200-hit milestone, cited frequently changing batting pads as a problem. He believes he can rebound if he returns to the batting form he used when he hit 200 hits.

Seo was in his prime when Yoon was the Nexen manager (2013-2016). In 2014, Seo won the regular-season MVP award after hitting .201 with a .370 batting average. The team had home run king Park Byung-ho, who batted .333 with 52 home runs and 124 RBIs, shortstop Kang Jeong-ho, who batted .356 with 40 home runs and 117 RBIs, and 20-win pitcher Van Heken, but Seo was the MVP.

Seo, who returned to LG before Yeom, had been struggling. In late July of the 2021 season, LG acquired Seo in a trade with Kiwoom to bolster its second base depth. LG sent starting pitcher Chung Chan-heon and received Seo in a one-for-one trade.굿모닝토토 주소

However, Seo failed to capitalize on the trade, batting just 2-for-47 (58 RBI in 235 at-bats) with 24 runs scored in 68 games for LG in the 2021 season. He was eligible for free agency after the season, but opted not to apply. The desperate Seo didn’t have a great season in 2022 either, as he was plagued by injuries. He appeared in only 77 games and batted just 2-for-2 with four runs scored and 49 hits in 219 at-bats.

After performing below expectations in his second year with LG, Seo met with Yim to try to turn things around. He chose a free agent third baseman. Coach Yeom gave him a task with a video of Seo’s best days, and Seo returned to his old hitting form in spring training.

Yeom envisioned Seo as a table-setter at second base. Seo showed promise in the exhibition games, batting 3-for-6 and leading the team in RBIs, but the season didn’t go as expected.

After opening the season at the top of the order, Seo went 2-for-16 (.125 batting average) in the first three games before dropping to the bottom of the batting order in game four. By mid-May, he was batting 2-for-7 (18-for-87) with 12 RBIs and 14 runs scored in 31 games. His defense at second base led the league with nine errors, and he was eventually removed from the first team roster on May 19.

By demoting him to the second team, Yeom allowed Seo to decide when he wanted to return to the first team. However, in the second team, Seo took a month off in mid-June due to a nagging back injury. In August, his hitting improved with a triple-digit batting average, but it was too late.

After Seo’s move to the second team, utility man Kim Min-sung performed well at second base from mid-May. Kim, who also played shortstop during shortstop Oh Ji-hwan’s side injury in April, played primarily at second base in May and June and showed off his hot bat with a 3-for-8 record (36-for-117), four home runs and 21 RBIs in 44 games. In the first half of the year, he batted 2-for-8 with four home runs and 31 RBIs in 70 games.

When Kim Min-sung went down with a hamstring injury in early July, stolen base specialist Shin Min-jae became the new second baseman as he steadied himself offensively and defensively. In 14 games in July alone, he batted 3-for-7 (16-for-43) with seven RBIs and six stolen bases.

In the end, Seo missed the timing of his return to the first team due to injuries and the performance of his replacements, and was a late addition to the first team in the September expansion roster. The second base spot was fully occupied by Shin Min-jae. Seo, who has played mostly as a pinch-hitter since his return, is batting 1-for-7 with four RBIs in 23 games since September. He finished the season with a .542 OPS with 22 hits in 110 at-bats. He participated in training camps ahead of the Korean Series, but did not make the roster as he was behind Kim Min-sung, Jeong Ju-hyun, and Son Ho-young as the backup infielders.

LG Non-Designated List (12 players)

Pitchers: Song Eun-beom Lee Chan-hyuk Kim Tae-hyung (lefty) Sung Jae-heon Lim Jung-woo
Infielders: Seo Gun-chang Jeong Ju-hyun (retired) Kim Sung-hyeop Choi Hyun-joon
Outfielders: Lee Ik-woong Choi Min-chang Lee Chul-min

LG announced 12 players were removed from the roster ahead of the deadline for submitting holdovers on May 25. Seo Gun-chang was included. Seo has twice postponed his free agency, hoping to reunite with his old mentor for a second chance. After joining LG as a developmental player in 2008, Seo was released after two years and took a chance with Nexen, where he found success. He returned to LG in a trade, but it ended in a sad ending: another release.

Seo felt out of place in LG’s deep roster and wanted to be released by the club for a new challenge. Seo’s salary this season was 200 million won. Which team will he play for?