If the shortstop who hit 266 hits at Lotte was a Korean...I found a new team again this year
If the shortstop who hit 266 hits at Lotte was a Korean...I found a new team again this year
Blog Article
The NC Dinos are a team that actively utilizes the dispatch of off-season players to Australia.
After the end of the 2022 season, infielder Seo Ho-cheol was dispatched to Geelong Korea for the 2022-2023 season. With various experiences in Australia during the off-season, Seo has become a starting member of the infield starting in the 2023 season. He began to display his potential as the top hit player in the Futures League at Sangmu in 2021. In 2023, Seo recorded a batting average of 287 (a 114 hit in 397) in 114 games with five homers, 41 RBIs, and 50 runs scored with an OPS of .714. In 2024, he has become a key player with a batting average of 285 (a 146 hit in 512 times at bat), 10 homers, 61 RBIs, and 68 runs with an OPS of .735.메이저놀이터
When Geelong Korea was kicked out of the league and the dispatch plan was canceled, it planned to dispatch its own Australian professional baseball team. In the 2023-2024 season, it dispatched three right-hander fireballers, Han Jae-seung, sidearm Lim Hyung-won and outfielder Park Si-won to the Brisbane Bandits. At the time, NC's general manager Lim Sun-nam directly mentioned Seo Ho-chul's case, saying, "After the end of last season (2022 season), Seo Ho-chul and others have improved their skills by gaining experience as a member of Geelong Korea."
This time, pitcher Han Jae-seung immediately became an all-star pitcher in the first division. He pitched in 51 games last year, recording one win and two losses with an ERA of 3.97 in 45 ⅓ innings. He has become one of the pillars of the bullpen in the first division by putting in a heavy fastball measuring 150 kilometers. Han Jae-seung, who received an annual salary of 34 million won (34,800 U.S. dollars) based on his performance last year, has signed an annual salary contract at 75 million won (121 percent). It is the highest increase among those eligible to renew their annual salary in the team.
NC also plans to dispatch the team to Australia after the 2024 season ends. Although the team did not cooperate with the Brisbane team, the team established a new relationship with the Perth Heat, and dispatched a total of four pitchers namely pitchers Shin Young-woo, Won Jong-hae, Park Ji-han, and Seo Ui-tae. All of their performances in Perth were good this time. Shin Young-woo, a rookie draft player in 2023 and a promising fireball player who throws 154 kilometers, has continued his growth and confirmed his potential as a starting pitcher once again. As soon as he made his debut in the Australian pro baseball league, he displayed stellar pitching by allowing no runs in 14 consecutive innings. In seven starts, he pitched 2-1 with a 3.45 ERA (12 earned runs in 31 ⅓ innings), 41 strikeouts, and 20 walks. Although he failed to complete the entire season due to elbow pain, he reaffirmed his growth in the Australian pro baseball league.
On top of that, right-hander sidearm Won Jong-hae, who was designated as the 65th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2024 Rookie Draft, finished his entire season in Perth and played in the championship game. In 10 matches (nine starts) 47 ⅓ innings, Won had two wins and two losses with an ERA of 3.42, 40 strikeouts and 19 walks. He showed good performance, and Lee Ho-joon also confirmed Won's performance.
Park Ji-han, who was drafted in the second round of the rookie draft in 2019, had a record of 3 wins, 1 loss, 2 holds, and an ERA of 4.95 in 15 games and 20 innings, while left-hander Seo Eui-tae, who is 194cm, returned with an ERA of 16.55 in 10 ⅓ in 11 games.
What achievements did coach Kim Kun-tae, who was dispatched to manage the four players, achieve? "I think through the dispatch to Australia, we have broadened our horizons in baseball and experienced great mental growth beyond simple skills improvement," coach Kim said. "There were more competitive players in ABL than expected, and the Perth Heat, which our players belong to, was a team with strong teamwork, so we were able to gain more diverse experiences."
He added, "Even though the players were not fluent in English, they approached the players of other countries first and showed an active attitude to ask questions and learn, and the players from other countries also answered enthusiastically. We expect that the experience gained through this dispatch will lead to a further growth this season."
Won Jong-hae said, "It's important to do well, but above all, I worked on ABL with the heart of having a lot of experience without getting hurt. I'm proud that I was lucky enough to get a good result. As I faced various types of batters, I think I've grown a lot in game management and innings, and I think I've been able to improve overall with the help of coach Kim Gun-tae," and vowed, "I want to express my gratitude to my teammates who have been with me, and I'll prepare well to show you my improvement in the upcoming season."
In the case of Park Ji-han, "I lacked experience so far, but my goal was to experience as many good batters as possible in the ABL. At first, I was nervous, but as I went up to important situations more often as I played, I overcame the process and gained a lot of responsibility and confidence," he said. "I felt a lot of the desperation of the ABL players, and I felt a lot of things in various areas, such as their own routines and preparations. I will work hard during the rest of the camp and show my fans a good performance," he said.
Seo received a lot of advice from Warwick Suffold, who played for the Hanwha Eagles. "It was an opportunity to learn and experience many things besides baseball and technology. Being with the same team as the former Hanwha Eagles player, I had conversations a lot, and learned a lot about how to play games and how to manage games," Seo said. "Suffold is normally playful, but when he entered the game, he consciously awakened and maximized his concentration. He also advised me to play with the mindset that I will go to the battlefield when I take the mound."
"Seeing many players continue their careers in parallel with other things, I could feel their passion and eagerness for baseball, and I think it was a great stimulus. I didn't leave a good result, but I think I gained more. I will prepare well and greet them in a good way," he said with strength.
The effect of dispatching Australian professional baseball, which was confirmed by Seo Ho-cheol and Han Jae-seung, will be able to show the effect of "study abroad in Australia" in 2025.