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SSG, ‘Cold Stove League’ with Kim Kang-min

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After Kim Kang-min was selected by Hanwha in the second draft, professional baseball SSG 'Ace' Gwang-hyun Kim expressed his belief on social media, saying, "I respect someone's choice, but I don't think 23 years should be ignored."  Photo source: Kim Gwang-hyun’s Instagram

Following the manager's dismissal, the second draft controversy led to

general manager Kim Seong-yong's dismissal from his position as a reprimand.


After Kim Kang-min was selected by Hanwha in the second draft, professional baseball SSG 'Ace' Gwang-hyun Kim expressed his belief on social media, saying, "I respect someone's choice, but I don't think 23 years should be ignored." 


In this year's professional baseball stove league, SSG is receiving more attention than LG, which succeeded in winning the championship for the first time in 29 years. This is ‘unwelcome’ attention for the club’s leadership.


SSG announced on the 25th, “To take responsibility for the controversy that arose during the selection of managers and coaches and the second draft, we will change the position of General Manager Kim Seong-yong (53) to head of the R&D Center (formerly the training team).” Although it took the form of a change in position, it could actually be seen as a dismissal from position as a reprimand.


The final blow was the transfer of Kim Kang-min (41), a ‘one-club man’ for 23 years, to Hanwha. Kim Kang-min was selected by Hanwha as the 22nd pick in the fourth round in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) second draft held on the 22nd. Not only fellow players but also fans were surprised by the transfer of a veteran who had helped win the Korean Series five times since his days with predecessor SK.


The SSG club, which excluded Kim Kang-min from the list of 35 protected players, said, “We were discussing retirement, extension of active duty, and even the timing of the retirement ceremony with Kim Kang-min, so we had no idea that another club would nominate Kim Kang-min.” He explained, “In a situation where generational change is being actively promoted, it was difficult to include Kim Kang-min in the list of protected players.”


However, many clubs indicated ‘planned retirement or under discussion’ next to the names of veteran players who were not included in the protected player list. Hanwha alone appointed pitcher Jeong Woo-ram (38) as a playing coach just before the second draft, preventing other teams from nominating him. On the other hand, there was no respect for the veteran who devoted himself to the team for 23 years in SSG's actions.


Colleagues who were part of the 'SK Dynasty' era also unusually raised their voices. Ace Kim Gwang-hyeon (35) said on social networking service (SNS), “I respect someone’s choice, but I don’t think 23 years should be ignored. Goodbye, bro. “Oh, it’s really cold today,” he wrote. Outfielder Han Yu-seom (34) also asked on social media, “Is this right?”


SSG, feeling burdened by public opinion, held Director Kim, the working-level manager, responsible. However, SSG has been at the center of controversy several times in the past for handling things that are far from common sense.


As soon as SSG lost in the semi-playoffs against NC, they fired coach Kim Won-hyung (51), who led the team to third place in the regular season. Coach Kim, who agreed to a renewal of his contract during the Korean Series last year, laid down his baton after completing only one year of his three-year contract. SSG also parted ways with then-general manager Ryu Seon-gyu (53), who created a team that won both the regular league and the Korean Series, in December last year, citing 'direction' reasons. As Kim Kang-min, last year's Korean Series Most Valuable Player (MVP), decided to continue his career as a player at Hanwha, SSG's coach, general manager, and MVP, who were key players in last year's combined championship, all left. 19가이드03

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