Shim Chang-min, a 31-year-old sidearm pitcher who was once a member of the national team but suffered a slump in recent years, has found a new team. Will he succeed in reviving after overcoming the three-year hiatus.
The LG Twins announced on Wednesday that they have recruited right-handed pitcher Shim Chang-min. “He has experience and know-how in must-win teams, and we expect that he will benefit the team with competitive pitching and improved ball control as a result of the test,” the team said.
Shim Chang-min is a veteran pitcher who will enter his 15th year of professional baseball next year. After graduating from Kyungnam High School, Shim joined the Samsung Lions in 2011 after receiving the fourth overall pick in the first round, and posted an ERA of 31 wins, 29 losses, 51 saves, 80 holds, and 4.22 earned runs in 485 games (491 innings).
Shim was once a bullpen pitcher who is considered to be one of the best in the league. Shim had three double-digit holds, and in 2016, he pitched in 62 games, recording 2 wins and 6 losses with 25 saves and 4 holds with an ERA of 2.97. He was also selected for the national team, including the 2015 WBSC Premier 12 and the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
Amid his stellar performance, Shim moved to the NC Dinos through a 2-1 trade (Shim Chang-min + Kim Eung-min ↔ Kim Tae-gun) at the end of 2021, just before he became eligible as a free agent. However, Shim suffered a slump since then. Shim, who had an ERA of 19.29 in three exhibition games in his first season, recorded one win, two losses and an ERA of 14.21 in 11 games through mid-May. Since then, he has had trouble with his elbow and has not been able to pitch since early June.
Last year, former coach Kang In-kwon included him in the opening entry as a candidate for the setup man, but there were no additional pitches after playing in five games in the first division. In the 2024 season, he played in 21 games in the second division alone, recording an 8.84 ERA. In the three years at NC, he played in only 16 games in the first division.
In the end, Shim Chang-min was notified of his release by NC on September 29, just before the end of the season. He did not give up his willingness to extend his career, but he took the tryout test, and eventually was chosen by LG to find his third team. 스포츠토토
Shim Chang-min has had trouble controlling his ball since he was discharged from the military. In 2020, he allowed 20 four pitches (18 walks and 2 hit balls) during 20 ⅓ innings, and in the following year, he recorded 32 walks in 51 ⅓ innings. When he transferred to NC, he even said, “I think it will be okay if I reduce the number of walks.”
However, the NC Dinosaurs allowed more four outs. During his three seasons in the Futures League, he allowed as many as 105 pitches (86 walks, 19 pitches) during 57 ⅔ innings. Consequently, the point of his revival will also likely depend on restraining walks. Also, the fact that he is still capable of competing with batters, as he allowed 22 walks and recorded 37 strikeouts during 19 ⅓ innings in his second division this year, can be a silver lining.
LG already had a successful case of bringing in a player who was released by NC Dinosaurs. It was Kim Jin-seong (39). He was released by NC Dinosaurs after posting an ERA of 7.17 in 2021, but transferred to LG immediately. He signed a two-year, 700 million won contract with 12 holds and an ERA of 3.10 from the first season of his transfer. Last year, he contributed to the overall win by posting 5 wins, 1 loss, 4 saves, 21 holds and an ERA of 2.18.
Shim Chang-min, who visited his new team, said through the club, “I’m so grateful that the LG Twins trusted me and gave me a chance. I know what the club expects from me.” “I want to prepare well for the rest of the time before the season and repay the expectations with my skills. I hope it will help LG win the championship once again, and I will work hard to reach the fans in a better way than before.”
