Its Choo Shin-soo Retires After the 2024 Season
SSG Choo Shin-soo will play until the 2024 season and end his active career.
Choo Shin-soo, who graduated from Busan High School and signed with Seattle in 2001
moved to the United States and became ‘the most successful Korean hitter in the big leagues’, intends to make his 24th season even more special.
Professional baseball SSG announced today (14th), “Choo Shin-soo has decided to retire after playing one more season in 2024.” 먹튀검증사이트
Choo Shin-soo said through the club, “During the off-season, I thought a lot with my family (about retirement and extending my active career).
Every time I did that, the support of SSG and the fans, and above all
the images of the younger players flashed before my eyes.” “
I felt that I had a great love for baseball and the team, so I thought about the club and my career path together.
Both the club and new coach Lee Sung-yong needed me and respected my opinion,” he said.
He continued, “I think the time has come to end my active career playing baseball in the U.S. and Korea since 2001,” adding, “
Next year’s performance is important, but depending on the team situation,
I can train with younger players on the Future Team at any time to improve my skills.” “
I want to contribute to the team by sharing experiences and thoughts,” he added.
Choo Shin-soo’s retirement season became more special with ‘minimum salary, donations and fan service, and captaincy selection.’
Choo Shin-soo decided to sign an annual salary contract for the 2024 season at 30 million won,
the lowest in the KBO League.
The SSG club explained, “Choo Shin-soo was considerate of the team’s management.
We are very grateful that he signed a contract with the minimum salary,” and added, “
With Choo Shin-soo’s consideration, the club can expand the range of operations,
including salary cap, player salary, and recruiting free-floating players.” I did.
Choo Shin-soo’s annual salary this year was 1.7 billion won.
Next year’s salary will be reduced by a whopping 1.67 billion won to 30 million won, the second largest reduction in KBO League history.
Choo Shin-soo’s friend Dae-ho Lee was cut by 1.7 billion won from 2.5 billion won in 2020 to 800 million won in 2021,
which remains the highest salary cut in KBO League history.
Choo Shin-soo plans to donate his entire annual salary of 30 million won.
Choo Shin-soo also promised donations and various fan services in 2024, ‘his final year of active duty.’
Choo Shin-soo said, “As this is the last season, I would like to express my gratitude to the fans who have supported me so far and give meaningful memories to both home and away fans.”
Even when Choo Shin-soo was playing in the Major League, he visited Korea in the off-season and donated large sums of money to Chungju Sacred Heart School, youth baseball,
patients with incurable diseases, and families of firefighters.
In 2020, $1,000 each was provided as living expenses to all 191 Texas minor leaguers
who were having difficulty making a living due to the lack of minor league games due to COVID-19.
He continued to actively perform good deeds after 2021, when he played in the KBO League.
As soon as Choo Shin-soo signed with SSG in 2021,
he donated 1 billion won out of his annual salary of 2.7 billion won at the time.
In addition to this, he sponsored baseball supplies to SSG’s low-paid players and delivered donations to his alma mater in Busan and to the baseball teams of schools in Incheon, SSG’s hometown.
Choo Shin-soo, as far as is known to the outside world, has donated a large amount of 2.4 billion won over the past three years.
Choo Shin-soo also suggested ‘various fan services’ to the club.
He plans to end his career by making meaningful memories with his fans,
including gifting autographed worn-out uniforms, special autograph sessions, and perhaps baseball support.
Specific details will be announced later.
Shin-Soo Choo also wore the SSG captain’s armband in his final season.
SSG’s new coach Lee Soong-yong wanted Choo Shin-soo to take over as captain, saying, “
Not only does he have a wealth of experience and leadership, but he is also highly respected by the players,” and Choo Shin-soo accepted coach Lee’s wishes.
Choo Shin-soo is the hitter with the best performance among Korean major leaguers.
After enduring his arduous minor league life, he made his big league debut in 2005, and since then, he has been through the major leagues until 2020, playing 1,652 games,
hitting 0.275, 218 home runs, 782 RBI, and 157 stolen bases.
In the KBO League, he posted a batting average of 0.260, 49 home runs, and 168 RBIs in 361 games over three seasons.
Adding 4 hits brings the total number of hits between Korea and the United States to 2,000.