Veteran left-hander Ryu Hyun-jin (37), who returned to the Hanwha Eagles after receiving the best treatment in KBO history, has finally been unveiled.여우알바
The KBO announced the “2024 KBO League’s Average Salary” on Wednesday. The KBO said that the average annual salary of 513 players (excluding newcomers and foreign players) in the KBO League in 2024 was 154.95 million won. This is an increase of about 5.8 percent from last year’s average of 146.48 million won, and about 1.5 percent from the record high of 152.59 million won in the 2022 season, which was the highest annual salary ever, breaking the record of the KBO league’s average annual salary ever.
According to the KBO announcement data, Ryu has been a leading player in raising the average annual salary in the league. Ryu has topped the list of pitchers this season with 2.5 billion won. The top fielder is Park Dong-won, a catcher of the LG Twins, who also receives 2.5 billion won. Along with Park, Ryu won the title of the 2024 salary king.
Hanwha announced on the 22nd of last month that it signed Ryu Hyun-jin for a total of 17 billion won for eight years, but did not disclose details. Ryu Hyun-jin was an FA in the U.S. Major League after the end of last season, but not in the KBO. According to the regulations, Ryu Hyun-jin must return to Hanwha when he returns to the KBO League through the posting system in 2013, and he must complete four more years of registration to become an FA. Hanwha and Ryu Hyun-jin had no choice but to sign a non-FA multi-year contract, and Hanwha has to pay a large amount of 17 billion won only in annual salary and incentives without a down payment.
Many people were curious because it was the highest amount in KBO history, but Hanwha explained, “The contract includes opt-outs, and the details of the opt-outs are private under the agreement of the two sides.” Opt-out refers to the authority to break the contract if the player and the club agree. This means that Ryu Hyun-jin has the authority to suspend the contract within eight years of the contract period, and it was kept secret when he could execute the opt-out and how many times he could execute it. It did not disclose how the 17 billion won will be paid in installments or how much each guarantee and incentive will be.
This year’s salary is 2.5 billion won, which has been unveiled for now. Ryu summoned Lee Dae-ho (retired), the legendary fourth hitter of the Lotte Giants. Ryu made his KBO league debut with the Hanwha Eagles in 2006, played for seven years until 2012, and spent 10 seasons in the U.S. Major League from 2013 to last year. After returning to the KBO League in 12 years, Ryu is now tying Lee’s record of 2.5 billion won in salary in 2019. As Hanwha had to pay Ryu’s salary without exceeding the salary cap, it had to tap the calculator well. For now, Ryu was awarded the king in his first year of contract and the highest salary title in his 19th year. How the remaining 17.5 billion won will be paid can be checked gradually when the KBO discloses his salary every year.
Ryu Hyun-jin, who was promised the best treatment in the history of professional baseball, is scheduled to start in an exhibition game against the KIA Tigers at Hanwha Life Eagles Park in Daejeon on the 12th. This is the first game in Korea where spectators enter. The blue-and-white match in Daejeon on the 7th was held without spectators. Ryu is preparing to throw around 60 pitches on the day.
One variable is rain forecast. Ryu hopes that his pitching on Friday will not be canceled due to rain to meet his schedule for the opening game of the regular season. According to the weather forecast, there is rain in both morning and afternoon in Daejeon on Wednesday. If the game is canceled, Hanwha will have to adjust its starting rotation in a large scale.
If the game is canceled on Wednesday, Ryu will lose two days. Because Friday is a day off. The next game he can throw the fastest is against the KT Wiz in Daejeon on Wednesday. Assuming that he takes four days off, he can take the mound at the last exhibition game against the Doosan Bears in Daejeon on Wednesday. Then, he will have only three days off until the opening game of the regular season against the LG Twins in Jamsil on Wednesday, making it difficult for him to take the mound.
Hanwha manager Choi Won-ho told reporters before the match against KIA in Daejeon on Sunday that (Ryu) Hyun-jin told me that it will not rain tomorrow. He did that earlier in the morning. I hope so. I hope it ends up in the fifth inning. If that’s the case, I have to change my schedule. If I change (Ryu) Hyun-jin’s schedule, other players have to change it, too. First of all, I hope to play tomorrow.”
KIA manager Lee Bum-ho plans to form a best lineup and take on Ryu Hyun-jin. Describing the starting lineup as an “eminent lineup,” Lee said on Wednesday that the lineup will be almost identical on Wednesday. On Wednesday, Park Chan-ho (striker), Choi Won-joon (middle fielder), Kim Do-young (third baseman), Na Sung-bum (right fielder), Socrates Brito (left fielder), Choi Hyung-woo (designated hitter), Kim Sun-bin (second baseman), Kim Tae-gun (catcher), and Lee Woo-sung (first baseman) started the lineup.
“Today (11th) is also an elite batting order. I’m going to let Ryu Hyun-jin play as he does today. If I keep going like this for the time being, if players need to check their conditions, I’m going to change just one or two players. I keep trying to test my players in the order of batting order. Players who are going to play in this season have not played this ball for 10 years. I have to play it all tomorrow,” Lee said.
Will the sky give us a chance to check Ryu Hyun-jin’s ball, the most expensive pitcher in the KBO League, on Tuesday? Both the Hanwha Eagles and the KIA Tigers are now looking at the sky.