Choo Shin-soo (42), SSG Landers\' most senior member, will serve as captain and lead the team in the 2024 season.
On the 14th of last month, Choo Shin-soo said, “I had a lot of worries with his family during the off-season. Every time I did that, I could see the support of SSG and the fans, and most of all, the younger players. He felt that he loved baseball and the team so much that he thought about the club and his career path together. Both the club and the new manager needed me and respected my opinion. “Next year’s performance is important, but depending on the team situation, I want to contribute to the team by training with junior players at Future Team at any time and sharing my experiences and thoughts,” he said, expressing his intention to retire at the end of this year. In addition, he receives the minimum annual salary (30 million won), donates the entire amount, and even serves as team captain at the request of coach Lee Sung-yong.
Choo Shin-soo, who graduated from Busan High School and signed with the Seattle Mariners and immediately moved to the United States, played for Seattle, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Texas, etc., batting average of .275 in 1,652 games (1,671 in 6,087 at-bats) in 1652 major league seasons (2005-2020). Hits) 218 home runs, 782 RBIs, 961 runs, 157 steals, and an OPS of .824. In 2013, his career-high season, he also finished 12th in National League MVP voting.
Choo Shin-soo, who had a successful career in the Major League, came to the KBO League by signing with SSG ahead of the 2021 season. In three years from 2021 to this year, he batted .261 in 361 games (325 hits in 1,252 at-bats), 49 home runs, 168 RBI, 226 runs, 46 stolen bases, and had an OPS of .819. In 2022, he led the team to its first Korean Series win since the team name was changed to SSG.
Choo Shin-soo, who became the team\'s only senior player after Kim Kang-min, a player of the same age, left for Hanwha through the second draft, said in an interview on the 3rd, "I\'ve been thinking about quitting since the end of the 2021 season. After last year\'s season, I had 50/50 thoughts of retirement, but (Kim) Kang-min ended up going to Hanwha unexpectedly, so I felt like the team would be shaken without me. “I thought that in times like this, someone should help the team,” he said, explaining why he decided to retire after playing one more season.
Choo Shin-soo, who served as the clubhouse leader while playing for Texas, also played the role of big brother leading the players at SSG. This year, he will serve as team captain and officially lead the players. Choo Shin-soo said, “This is the last season, and for the past three years, he has jokingly said to his juniors, ‘If your brother insists, will you do this?’ “There were many players who secretly wanted me to be the captain,” he said, talking about his background as captain.
hoo Shin-soo, who said, “I can’t be perfect,” said, “I wish I could become a person who communicates better. In Korean culture, it can be difficult to say what you think because of seniority-junior relationships and age. I don\'t want to do that, I just want to hear everything. “And I hope our team can become a stronger team.” He continued, “If there is a problem, I hope you can talk about it quickly. Of course, even if we talk about it, the opinions of young players may not be accepted. However, I still want to create a culture where people can express their opinions with confidence. “Only when the relationships between players and the coaching staff are comfortable can they make great plays on the baseball field,” he added.
SSG, which had disappointing results as the defending champion last year, will challenge to win the Korean Series once again this year. Choo Shin-soo said, “For my personal greed, I want to show again the way I won the Korean Series in 2022. The fans were great when we won. I am greedy about whether my final appearance will be so beautiful if it looks like that. “I will do my best,” he said, igniting his will to win
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