Choo Shin-soo to accompany SSG to front of second division in 2025
Choo Shin-soo to accompany SSG to front of second division in 2025
Blog Article
Choo Shin-soo, who ended his career with the end of the 2024 season, will also accompany the professional baseball SSG Landers in 2025.스포츠토토
"Choo will work as the front desk of the Futures (second division) team next year," a Shinsegae Group source said on Wednesday. Choo is expected to help SSG's prospects grow by serving as the front desk, not the coaching staff.
SSG considers Choo Shin-soo to be "the club's asset." Choo also said he wants to help SSG in any form.
After a long discussion, SSG and Choo Shin-soo decided to "Choo Shin-soo's first post since retirement" as the "second division front."
Choo Shin-soo is having a "comfortable winter" in which he does not have to prepare for next season.
Choo Shin-soo, who started "off-season training" faster than anyone else when he played in the U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Korean KBO League, decided to retire without regret, and this winter, he plans to spend time with charity activities and meetings with fans instead of training.
He is also trying to pay off his "heart's debt" by increasing his time with his family.
Many baseball officials and fans were curious about Choo's next move. Whenever Choo was asked about it, he said, "I just retired. I am physically and mentally tired now," adding, "I have received many suggestions, but I will not start unless I am ready for the position. I will take enough time to rest and think about it."
After closing the KBO League schedule this year, SSG and Choo Shin-soo talked carefully about their "2025 plan."
First of all, Choo Shin-soo felt burdened by his "2025 leadership debut." Choo Shin-soo, the most successful Korean batter in MLB, said, "Even though I have a lot of experience as a player, it is a different matter to teach someone as a leader," and lowered himself, saying, "I am not ready to take the lead as a leader."
After graduating from Busan High School, Choo Shin-soo, who moved to the U.S. by signing with the Seattle Mariners in 2001, made his big league debut in 2005 after enduring a hard minor league life.
Since then, he has played in the big leagues until 2020, with 1,652 games, a batting average of 0.275 (1,671 hits in 6,87 at-bats), 218 home runs, 782 RBIs, and 157 steals.
Business games, hits, home runs, RBIs and stolen bases are all Korean big leaguers' records. He also set MLB Asian records including 20 homers and 20 steals (2009) and the cycling hit (2015).
Choo Shin-soo, who was offered a recruitment by MLB clubs after the end of the 2020 season, chose to go to SSG in the Korean professional baseball league in 2021.
Choo Shin-soo failed to set a cumulative record (0.263, 396 hits, 54 home runs, 205 RBIs, 51 steals) that stood out for only four seasons in the KBO League.
However, the club has changed all records of the oldest hitter in the batter's category. SSG wanted to make the most of Choo's experience as soon as possible, having played 2,814 games and 12,145 at-bats in the MLB, Minor League, and KBO League. The point of contact between the club and Choo was the "second division front."
Choo spent quite a lot of time with young players, volunteering to go to the second division last year and this year. "I shared my experiences and thoughts while training with younger players in the Futures League," he said, looking back on his time in the second division.
Choo willingly opened his wallet and devoted time for his juniors in the second division. SSG and Shinsegae Group paid attention to this scene, and suggested a position as the "fronts of the second division" after Choo's retirement.
Choo Shin-soo also accepted it after much consideration. Being not a "field leader," Choo is relatively free to travel between the U.S., where he has family, and Korea, where he has SSG juniors.
In addition, Choo Shin-soo, who still has a lot of connections in MLB, can help SSG clubs by scouting foreign players even when he stays in the U.S.
"I will play baseball even if I am born again. I will never lose my relationship with baseball even after I retire," Choo said at his retirement press conference on July 7.
Choo Shin-soo, who thought a lot about the direction of the development of Korean baseball and expressed various opinions, started his second life by discovering and fostering future resources in the SSG second division after retirement.