Can infielder Seo Geon-chang, 34, who was released by the LG Twins, rejoin the Legion of Heroes?
Seo is currently without a team. The second baseman was named the 2014 Korean Baseball Organization Most Valuable Player (MVP), but his performance plummeted and he was removed from the LG roster in 2024. Being removed from the roster means that the team has no intention of re-signing him. He delayed exercising his free agency rights after this season, but was unable to avoid being released.
As a “free agent,” Seo can switch teams without restrictions. However, it is doubtful that any team will be eager to sign him. His batting average in the last two seasons is just .216 (71 hits in 329 at-bats). The precision hitting he displayed in his prime is nowhere to be seen. Even this season, he’s batting just .200 (22-for-110) in 44 games. His on-base percentage (0.260) and slugging percentage (0.282) combined for an OPS of 0.542, a far cry from league average (0.712). He was expected to be the opening day second baseman, but lost out to Shin Min-jae for the position. He ended up spending a lot of time in the Futures (second team) league and packed his bags after the season.
He is in his mid-30s. It was difficult for LG to wait for his rebound in the midst of an accelerated generational change in the position. It was the Kiwoom Heroes, his “home team,” who reached out to him. After hearing the news of Seo’s release, they were the first to express their intention to join him. Seo made his debut with LG in 2008, and after being released, he tried out for the team and wore the uniform of Kiwoom’s predecessor Nexen Heroes.
He made the leap to the main roster in 2012, and in 2014, he rewrote baseball history. With 201 hits, he became the first player to reach the 200-hit plateau in a season. He won the regular season MVP and the Golden Glove for second baseman that year, making him the best player in the KBO.
However, he has since been plagued by injuries, both major and minor, as well as frequent batting form modifications, and has been unable to recreate his former glory. Eventually, he was traded to LG in July 2021 for pitcher Chung Chan-heon. His status as a reserve free agent also played a role. Without a parent organization, the Heroes were unable to spend big money in the free agency market, so they used Seo as a selling point.
After being recruited by Kiwoom, Seo Jianchang joined Django. While Kiwoom’s return may be nostalgic, there’s also the team’s position competition to consider. Kiwoom’s current second baseman, Kim Hye-sung, has announced a switch to shortstop. While the second base position may seem like a free-for-all, it’s quite the opposite. Kim Hui-jip, Kim Tae-jin, and other competitors are holding out. The team recently acquired veteran Choi Joo-hwan in the second round of the draft, but his primary position is also second base. For Seo, the question is whether he can get playing time 아톰카지노 주소.
“When I got the news of his release, I called him first. I told him, ‘Isn’t it better to finish his career in our team?’ I told him to think about it and get back to me,” he said.