Should we recruit Eom Sang-baek (28), the Hanwha Eagles’ ‘most important FA starting pitcher’ who is trying to advance to baseball in the fall of next season?
Hanwha declared the end of its rebuilding process in 2024, showing ambitious steps to advance to the post season. It signed an FA contract with Ahn Chi-hong, one of the top second basemen in the KBO League, for a total of 7.2 billion won (approx. It signed an eight-year, 17-billion-won contract with “Korean Monster” Ryu Hyun-jin, which is the highest contract in the history of the KBO League. Hanwha, which has shown aggressive play in the stove league, was considered a dark horse in the top five.
Contrary to expectations, Hanwha failed to make the fall baseball stage. It ranked first with eight wins and two losses in its first 10 games since the season’s opening, but its performance has plummeted since then. The team suffered a humiliating loss to the bottom of the league due to its loss against the LG Twins on May 23. Since then, it replaced the head coach as manager Kim Kyung-moon in June and threw a winning move, but ended the season in eighth place with 66 wins, 76 losses and two draws (0.465 win rate).
One of the main reasons that Hanwha failed to advance to the semifinals was the lack of four or five starters. Moon Dong-ju, who has become the next generation star of the KBO League beyond the Hanwha Eagles, suffered ups and downs with seven wins, seven losses and an earned run average of 5.17 in 21 games in the 2024 season. Kim was out for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. None of the young pitchers stood out enough to play in the starting rotation.
Through the FA market, young starting pitchers such as Choi Won-tae and Um Sang-baek can become eligible to become free agents. If they plan to throw a winning move next season, they can recruit players from the FA market.
Among Choi Won-tae and Um Sang-baek, the player that Hanwha will pay attention to is Um Sang-baek. Um, who is in his late 20s, is considered the biggest fish in the FA market. It is a side arm that is uncommon in the league, and he has completed military service at the Sangmu Baseball Organization, which makes it an attractive sale.
Um Sang-baek is an outstanding pitcher, but there are concerns as well. He recorded 13 wins and 10 losses and an ERA of 4.88 in 29 games in the 2024 season. He achieved the most wins and the most strikeouts (159) in one season, but his ERA soared from 3.63 in the 2023 season to 4.88 this year. He also allowed 26 homers, ranking second in the number of homeruns. The batting average was 0.266, the highest since the 2021 season. 메이저놀이터
Another factor that causes players to lose points is the collapse of baseball in fall. Um Sang-baek became a losing pitcher at the second game of the semi-playoff against LG by allowing six hits, two strikeouts and four runs during four innings. Even in the most important game, he was not satisfied with his performance in the semi-playoff, as he allowed four hits, two strikeouts and three runs (two earned runs). His semi-playoff record was two losses and an earned run average of 9.00 in two games.
The key lies in the judgment of Hanwha’s board members. In addition to starting pitchers, Hanwha also urgently needs to strengthen its outfielders. If other clubs enter the race to recruit players, there is a chance that Hanwha will withdraw its position. It remains to be seen what decision the Hanwha Eagles will make on Um Sang-baek.
