Oh Seung-hwan (Samsung Lions) is 42 years old this year. It is amazing that he still throws the ball.
However, he can’t hide his age. He is losing speed. His fastball has become an ordinary fastball. He has no choice but to be beaten up.
In the first half of the season, he ranked first in saves and showed off his no-knock position. Going into the second half, however, he is reducing physical stamina. He returned to the second division but was eliminated from the final round. He is taking the mound due to mid-game skirmishes, but continues to be hit. Notably, he is being hit hard at the match against the leading Kia Tigers.
Then, some fans are throwing stones at him, who is also known as the “stone Buddha.” He is rebuking Kia batters, who may encounter him in the Korean Series, when he shows weak performance. He is a natural criticism from the perspective of fans, saying that he is causing inconvenience to them.
Pitchers over the age of 40 are also suffering in the U.S. Major League Baseball. When Rich Hill, who is registered as the oldest player at the age of 44, was hit hard in the big leagues, the baseball team didn’t look back and made a transfer nomination (DFA). In effect, the team was released. 메이저놀이터
Justin Verlander, the Cy Young Award winner, has allowed a whopping 19 runs during 17.2 innings in four games. Then, fans claim that he should be excluded from the postseason roster. Verlander is 41 years old.
In fact, it is a blessing in itself that a player over 40 can still play.
Oh is also a blessed player. He is one of the few pitchers who has played in Korea, Japan and the U.S. Moreover, he holds the record for most saves in the KBO. He has also achieved the oldest save ever. All of them have been achieved. He has also been praised as “Korea’s Mariano Rivera.”
It may be unfair for such a player to be criticized for his poor performance. However, there are aspects that cannot be helped due to the physiology of the professional world.
Oh Seung-hwan should wrap up his baseball life well now like the best finish.
Last year, when his coach came to the mound, he threw the ball into the stands (fortunately, there were no spectators), kicked the refrigerator and threw his glove into the locker room.
He might blame himself, or he might be dissatisfied with the coaching staff who replaced him. Players could not help but be surprised by his outspoken behavior, which was not like “Stone Buddha.”
This year, it was not that bad but disappointing. When the coach came to the mound to replace the pitcher, Oh did not even look at the coach and walked down the mound. There was no minimal courtesy toward the coach.
Oh now has to relax and throw. We should be thankful that we can take the mound and enjoy the game. We have nothing to lose, right?
I can understand the feeling of throwing better, but I shouldn’t give the impression of being chased by something.
A beautiful finish is more important than stepping away when clapping.
