“If you can’t break it, it’s an accident.”
SSG Landers said on the 6th, “We signed a free agent (FA) contract with Choi Jeong, the team’s symbol and franchise star,” adding, “SSG evaluated that Choi Jung played a leading role in winning five Korean Series titles in his team’s career and showed top-notch skills in the league with extraordinary efforts and consistency throughout his career. He also predicted that he will lead the offense as a core of the team’s batting lineup for many years to come.”
Choi’s contract with SSG amounts to 11 billion won (11 million U.S. dollars) for four years (down payment of 3 billion won, annual salary of 8 billion won). It is a free agent contract with full coverage. It is the third free agent contract in his career. With this contract, Choi will play at SSG until 2028 and will join the era of Cheongdam, which is scheduled to open in 2028.
Choi was nominated by the SK Wyverns in 2005 for the first round of nomination for Yoo Shin-go, and made the professional debut. Having hit one home run during his debut season, Choi hit 12 home runs in 2006, and then steadily hit home runs. Having hit 19 home runs in 2007, Choi hit 24 home runs in 2008, surpassing the 20 home runs mark, and 31 home runs in 2010. In 2016 and 2017, he hit 40 home runs and 46 home runs, surpassing the mark of 40 home runs.
Since then, Choi has continued to hit home runs in double digits for 19 consecutive years until this season. Choi is the only player in KBO league history to hit double-digit home runs for 19 consecutive years.
Also, on Apr. 24, 2024. KBO history has been renewed. Choi Jung hit his 468th career home run in an away game for the Lotte Giants in Busan. He surpassed the 467th homerun that Doosan Bears coach Lee Seung-yeop hit while playing for the Samsung Lions.
Even after setting a new record, Choi added 27 more home runs. In this season, Choi posted a batting average of 0.291 OPS of 0.978 with 136 hits, 37 homers, 107 RBIs, and 93 runs in 129 games. He still showed off his skills and led SSG’s batters.
SSG immediately pursued a multi-year contract with Choi Jeong after the season was over. At the negotiation table, there was talk about a four-year, more than 10 billion-worth contract, and SSG said on the 4th, “I met with the player (Choi Jeong) today and talked positively. We want the player to proceed with the FA contract, so we will announce it after the contract on the 6th when the FA market opens.” 먹튀검증
As expected, Choi Jung signed with SSG on the 6th and signed a third FA contract.
Choi now faces the first 500 home runs in the KBO history in Incheon and 600 home runs. “I had an interview last year about setting a new record for the most home runs, but I think it’s the same,” Choi said through his team after signing the contract. “I have five more to go, so if I fail to break the record next season, it will be an accident. So I hope that the 500 home runs will pass naturally. And the bigger goal is 600 home runs. Now that I have one goal, I am more motivated. I want to do better. Rather than 500 home runs, I will aim for 600 home runs and play harder.”
Choi also has another goal. He said, “First of all, I want to win the home run title once again. I think there are a lot of good players at third base these days, so I want to have a more competitive season and get the Golden Glove again.”
