Salary negotiations Doosan’s key relief pitchers stamped on the increased amount side by side
There are pitchers who have consistently done their part even in the midst of the worst season in the club’s history. The core of the Doosan Bears bullpen, Kim Myung-shin and Hong Kun-hee, are the main characters.
Doosan announced in a press release on the morning of the 26th, “We have completed contracts with 50 out of 51 candidates for annual salary renewals for the 2023 season.” Lee Young-ha, who is currently on trial for school violence, has been classified as non-contract pending, and negotiations will proceed later.
The person with the highest raise in the team is Kang Seung-ho. He stamped for 200 million won, an increase of 85 million won (73.9%) from the previous 115 million won. The player who recorded the highest increase rate was ‘Last year’s Rookie of the Year’ Jeong Cheol-won, who signed a contract for 100 million won, an increase of 70 million won (233.3%) from the previous 30 million won, entering the billion won annual salary.
It was not the highest increase nor the highest increase rate, but Kim Myung-shin (last year 100 million won → this year 145 million won, 45%↑) and Hong Geon-hee (last year 250 million won → this year 300 million won, 20% increase) also raised the amount concluded a contract on During the season, while playing as a winning team, the great contribution to the team was recognized in this salary negotiation.
Relief pitchers who threw the most innings in the league for two years
Kim Myung-shin, who solved military problems as a social worker, joined the team during the 2020 season and started working full-time the following year. In the 2021 regular season, 58 games, 67 innings, 3 wins, 2 losses, 2 holds, an average ERA of 4.30, in the postseason that year, 8 hits, 5 runs, 1 walk, and 4 strikeouts over 4 games.
Even last year, when the team stayed in the lower ranks, Kim Myung-shin’s performance continued. He completed 68 games, 79⅔ innings, 3 wins, 3 losses, and 10 holds with an ERA of 3.62, the second most innings pitched after Kim Min-soo (kt Wiz, 80⅔ innings) among all relievers in the league. He also threw more than 1000 pitches for two consecutive years (1092 pitches in 2021 and 1274 pitches last year).
Jeong Cheol-won, Kim Myung-shin and Hong Gun-hee, who were in charge of one axis of the bullpen, also stood out. After moving the team in a 1:1 trade with the KIA Tigers on June 7, 2020, he appeared in 173 games in his career after the transfer, recording 193 innings, 11 wins, 19 losses, 34 holds, 22 saves, and an ERA of 3.59. Their value can be seen by expanding their scope within the team. According to Statties, a site specializing in KBO league records, Kim Myung-shin and Hong Gun-hee played a cumulative 145 innings and 136⅓ innings in the 2021-2022 season, respectively. No reliever has completed more innings than either pitcher over the same period. Although their performance did not stand out much, it would be difficult for Doosan to endure without their dedication.
Last season, in order to fill the vacant position of Kim Kang-ryul, he changed his position to a closer during the season. His final regular season performance was 2 wins, 9 losses, 9 holds, 18 saves, and an earned run average of 3.48 in 58 games and 62 innings. In the case of Hong Kun-hee, if there are no problems, he will acquire free agent (FA) status after this season. 메이저사이트
The 2023 season to relieve their burden
Last year, the Doosan team’s starting innings were 745 innings (8th) and relief innings were 534⅓ innings (4th), which was a relatively heavy burden for relievers. Quality starts (recording less than 3 earned runs while pitching 6 or more innings) were 54 times, second only to Hanwha Eagles (37 times).
As foreign pitcher Ariel Miranda, who fell far short of expectations, packed her bags, it was painful that the starting rotation did not turn properly. Gwak Bin, who was anxious in the first half, found a sense of stability belatedly, and there was no pitcher in the domestic starting lineup who sprayed the ball without ups and downs throughout the season.
This year, Dylan Pyle, who newly joined the team, and Raul Alcantara, who returned to Doosan, should form a stable 5 starters, including Kwak Bin, Choi Won-jun, and Choi Seung-yong. It is better if pitchers who can lead long innings such as Kim Dong-ju and Park Shin-ji play an active role. You have to block well from the front so that pitchers who block from behind can comfortably perform their duties.
In addition, relief pitchers such as Park Chi-guk and Lee Seung-jin, who were unable to demonstrate 100% of their skills due to injury or sluggishness, should add their strength. For Doosan, which hopes to achieve a ‘virtuous cycle’, it is desirable that the dependence on Kim Myung-shin and Hong Kun-hee does not increase.