These days, there are too many rumors (about the FA). As a joke, I asked, 'Are you coming to LG?' and he didn't text me for two days."스포츠토토
LG Twins catcher Park Dong-won is currently staying in Taipei, Taiwan. He was selected as the representative of the "2024 Premier 12" and has been continuing his adaptation training in Taipei, where the group stage will be held since the 8th with the first national flag in his life. Park Dong-won often listens to FA-related news when he rests in his accommodation after training, and he saw the "sense" that Jang Hyun-sik, who was in the FA market, was preparing to move to LG.
Park Dong-won thought that the rumor about Jang's transfer was just a rumor circulating online, which naturally lacks credibility. Park texted Jang, "Are you coming to LG?" thinking that it would be nice to make a joke out of him, but he didn't reply for two days, and his message remained "unread." Park could have felt embarrassed.
It was a diving with good reason. Jang signed a four-year free agent contract with LG for a total of 5.2 billion won (approx. It was an unprecedented contract guaranteeing the entire amount of 5.2 billion won (approx. LG clearly needed to make a decision to not put an option on a pitcher who is at high risk of injury.
LG explained the background of the recruitment, saying, "Jang Hyun-sik has shown his value through this season as an intermediate pitcher with proven ball power and control and expects to help our club run the bullpen pitcher team."
Wednesday was the first day of rest for the Korean national team in Taiwan. Park was resting at his lodging when Lim Chan-kyu, a teammate of the Korean team, contacted him to inform him of Jang's contract.
Park Dong-won said, "For now, I congratulated Hyun-sik. Aren't there too many Lunar New Year's Day these days? I have nothing to hear from him because I am in Taiwan, and he didn't text me for two days as a joke. Really. I was in my room yesterday (11th) and suddenly (Im) Chan-gyu contacted me and told me that Hyun-sik signed a contract. That's when Hyun-sik read my text message."
"I asked Hyunsik, 'Hey, do you keep texting me while diving?' and he said, 'It was a surprise. I must have been stabbed. I didn't know anything and I just said it after watching YouTube."
Park warmly welcomed Jang Hyun-sik, who followed him. Park Dong-won changed his uniform from the KIA Tigers to the LG Twins ahead of the 2023 season. Park was traded from the Kiwoom Heroes to the Kia Tigers, which desperately needed to strengthen its home ground during the 2022 season, and Park posted a batting average of 0.242 (93 hits in 385 times at bat), 18 homers, and 57 RBIs in 123 games that year. After agonizing over a multi-year contract with KIA for a non-FA, Park changed his team by signing a four-year, 6.5 billion won contract with LG. As soon as he moved to the team last year, he proved his value with 20 homers, contributing to LG's overall win, and he also proved his value as an offensive catcher by achieving 20 homers for two consecutive years this year.
As the master of the house, Park Dong-won, worked with Jang Hyun-sik for a short time in the 2022 season, he wants to become a special helper so that Jang Hyun-sik can quickly establish himself as an LG must-win group next season.
Park Dong-won said, "Hyun-sik is really good. I hope there will be a lot of talk like this because he went to LG to do well." Hyun-sik is the first LG player. I was a teammate in the past, and while talking with Hyun-sik, I said, 'I'll help you whenever I need anything.' I'll help Hyun-sik to get used to it quickly, he said with strength.
KIA third baseman Kim Do-young did not hide his disappointment as Jang Hyun-sik left the team. "It hurt even more because it was a transfer of a colleague who led Kia to its overall championship this year."
"What I always felt was that I just wanted to continue as a member. I felt big while winning this year's championship, but it was a bit disappointing that one of the other players was missing. Still, other players have good talents. I think it will be fun to meet Hyun-sik (as a pitcher and batter)," Kim said.
When Kim Do-young asked Jang Hyun-sik if he would ask him to buy him a delicious meal as he had a good contract, he answered briefly and thickly, "If you're a senior apart from the money," turning the scene into a sea of laughter.
After graduating from Seoul High School, Jang joined the NC Dinos as the ninth priority in the first round in 2013. He remained a promising player in NC Dinos until his retirement age, but he grew rapidly as a must-winner after being traded to KIA in 2020. He became the hold king with 34 holds in the 2021 season. His overall performance in the 11 KBO seasons is 437 games, 32 wins and 36 losses, seven saves, 91 innings, 592 innings, and an ERA of 4.91. This year, he contributed to KIA's overall win by winning five games, holding 16 ⅓, 75 innings, and an ERA of 3.94 in 75 games.
After signing his contract with LG, Jang said, "We are grateful to LG for this great opportunity. We also sincerely thank the fans of Kia and NC who have shown us a lot of love and support. We will do our best to receive much love from LG fans from now on. We will also work hard to contribute to producing the best performance with LG's good seniors and juniors."