“We have signed a contract with veteran catcher Lee Jae-won for an annual salary of 50 million won,” the Hanwha Eagles announced on Tuesday. “We have recruited Lee Jae-won, who has extensive experience including winning the Korean Series, to secure backup catcher resources to support Choi Jae-hoon and Park Sang-eon,” the Hanwha Eagles said.
“We recruited Choi Jae-hoon and Park Sang-eon because we thought there was a lack of experienced catchers, and there was a sufficient need to prepare for injuries and strengthen the depth,” general manager Son Hyuk said. “We expect Lee Jae-won to add weight to the catcher team until promising player Heo In-seo returns from Sangmu in the second half of next season.” 에볼루션 바카라사이트
After Lee Jae-won’s trip to Hanwha was announced, Kim Kwang-hyun told OSEN over the phone, “Jae-won really makes pitchers’ throws easier. He is the best catcher for pitchers. I think he is a really good catcher who can make me throw as much as I want.” Lee Jae-won, who joined the SSG full-body SK Wyverns in 2006, and Kim Kwang-hyun, who joined the team in 2007, know each other well and spend the dynastic days together.
If he is a pitcher who has worked with Lee Jae-won, he feels the same way as Kim Kwang-hyun. Left-hander Oh Won-seok told OSEN over the phone, “He is a senior who allows me to throw the ball really comfortably when I go up to the mound. Thank you for leading me so far,” adding, “When Lee Jae-won is wearing a catcher mask, I feel really secure.” “He is a warm senior. It’s a shame.”
Despite this, Lee Jae-won’s position remained narrow. Despite being a good lead and catcher with excellent game management, Lee was stymied due to his batting performance. In fact, Lee had high expectations for his offensives after his debut as a professional since his high school days. Lee Jae-won, who joined the team in 2006, was recognized for his batting performance among key catchers Park Kyung-wan and Jung Sang-ho, receiving opportunities in the primary league.
In his first year as a rookie, he recorded a batting average of 333 with four RBIs in 23 games. In the following year, he began to show his presence with a batting average of 333 with three homers and 21 RBIs in 66 games. After visiting Sangmu, he started playing as a starting player in 2014.
Lee Jae-won performed well with a batting average of 337, 12 homers and 83 RBIs in 120 games that year. He drew attention as an offensive catcher, but he also built the trust of his fellow pitchers through his stable pitching lead. In 2015, he hit .282 with 17 homers and 100 RBIs in 140 games, culminating in his team’s victory in the Korean Series. In the 2018 season, he served as the captain and led the team well as its main catcher.
Lee Jae-won became a free agent after winning in 2018 and recorded W6.9 billion for four years. In his first year after signing as a free agent, he was okay with a batting average of 26.8 percent, 12 homers, and 75 RBIs in 139 games in 2019. Since then, his performance has declined. He worked harder than anyone else during the offseason and camp, but the results did not come out.
Lee Jae-won is aiming to recover his fame in the Hanwha Eagles. He is the catcher who won the 2018 and 2022 Korean Series. Kim Kwang-hyun threw the ball, and Lee Jae-won took the ball to lead the team to the top. He recently told OSEN over the phone, “I’m sorry to the front desk that I’ve been with you for 18 years. I’m grateful to my fellow players. I played for a good team. I won a lot, and I have many happy memories as a key player. I’m sad that I can’t retire here, but I’m in good physical condition. That’s why I’m going to try more.”
Kim left a heartfelt message of support. Kim said, “I went there to play more baseball. I hope I do well in Hanwha. I will meet you as an enemy, but I will do my best to win the game. That is also the attitude of a professional. In the meantime, I will really cheer for you if you always do well.”