In December 2021, the history of non-FA multi-year contracts in the KBO League began. The players who started the game were Moon Seung-won and Park Jong-hoon (SSG Landers). They were recognized as key pitchers of the team and signed five-year contracts worth 5.5 billion won (4.7 billion won in annual salary, 800 million won in option) and five-year contracts worth 6.5 billion won (5.6 billion won in annual salary, 900 million won in option), respectively.
At that time, SSG wanted to tie up players who used to occupy a large portion of the team’s power early on. It judged that if even one player missed the match, it would lose power, and tied up both players before acquiring FA qualification. From the player’s point of view, the team was able to prepare for the new season with less pressure on the FA.
Moreover, Moon Seung-won and Park Jong-hoon were undergoing rehabilitation at the time. Both players were put on the operating table in June after suffering elbow injuries early in the season, and ended the 2021 season. Although it was impossible to return in time for the 2022 season opener because rehabilitation alone required at least a year, SSG showed its trust in the player through a non-FA multi-year contract.
After safely completing their rehabilitation process, the two players announced their return after a long hiatus. Moon Seung-won pitched in relief against the Daegu Samsung Lions on July 10, and Park Jong-hoon started against the Gwangju KIA Tigers on July 31. They both scored no goals in their return matches.
In the same year, Moon and Park recorded one win, one loss, three holds, three saves, and an ERA of 5.11 in 23 games and 24 ⅔ innings, respectively, and three wins, five losses and an ERA of 6.00 in 48 innings in 11 games. He also joined the Korean Series entry with Kiwoom Heroes and wore the title ring for the second time since his professional debut.
However, neither Moon Seung-won nor Park Jong-hoon could avoid a slump last year. Moon finished the season with five wins, eight losses, nine holds, one save, and an ERA of 5.23, in 105 innings in 50 games. He started the season early but changed his job position in mid-May, and took the mound again in late August. Park Jong-hoon, who recorded two wins, six losses and an ERA of 6.19 in 80 innings in 18 games, rotated his starting rotation through the first half of the season, before moving to the bullpen after September. As a result, the 2023 season between the two players ended without any significant outcome.
The situation deteriorated over time for the SSG mound, which had complicated plans due to poor performance of the two players. Both starters and bullpens lost weight. SSG, which finished the regular season in third place after twists and turns, gave up all of its first and second games in the semi-playoff against the NC Dinos, even though it started Roenis Elias and Kim Kwang-hyun, and failed to advance to the playoffs due to the loss in Game 3.헤라카지노
There have been big and small changes in power during the offseason, but the mound is no different from last year except for the addition of new foreign pitcher Robert Duggar. It also means that the existing pitchers should work hard.
SSG coach Lee Sung-yong, who met with reporters ahead of his departure from Florida, the venue for the first spring camp, on the 25th, said, “The selection team is almost confirmed until (Kim) Kwang-hyun. I think (Oh) Won-seok should compete the same way,” adding, “If pitchers like (Park) Jong-hoon and (Song) Young-jin can compete and come up, I am thinking about starting 4th or 5th or 6th.” The position has not been confirmed, but if Park Jong-hoon takes charge of the position where he started in a stable manner, the management of the selection team will be easier.
Moon is not guaranteed a spot. Just like Park Jong-hoon, Moon must survive the competition to be given a chance. “I think Moon will be the first player who will have a meeting in Florida. I think we need to listen to his thoughts and find the best way,” Lee said. “It’s hard to say which team we put more weight between the starting pitcher and the bullpen. I will discuss more and think about ways for the team and how to save myself.”
“Ace Kim Kwang-hyun, who boarded the plane to the U.S. first as the starting team, said, “SSG always had good performance when a pitcher did well. All performances depend on the pitcher,” emphasizing the sense of responsibility of pitchers. It is time for Moon Seung-won and Park Jong-hoon, who had to go downhill for the past three years, to live up to their team’s expectations.