▲ Hanwha Eagles right-handed pitcher Moon Dong-ju. yunhap news
The Hanwha Eagles, the professional baseball team, became the first in the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) to lose double-digits for three consecutive years. It can be seen as a decrease in performance in the process of rebuilding the team, but as the period increases, the view that it is not a rebuild but a ‘black history’ is increasing.
From the 9th to the 22nd against the Doosan Bears, Hanwha had 1 draw and 10 losses in 11 matches, recording 10 consecutive losses. Previously, Hanwha lost 18 consecutive losses from the NC Dinos match on May 23, 2020 to the Doosan Bears on June 12 of that year, and last season suffered 10 consecutive losses from SSG Landers on June 19 to the Doosan match on July 1. Since the start of professional baseball in 1982, the Sammi Superstars and Ssangbang Raiders, which are evaluated as the weakest in power, have not been beaten by teams that are considered underdogs. Hanwha broke this record.
▲ Hanwha players. Provided by Watcha
Hanwha, which ranked 3rd in 2018, started rebuilding by ranking 9th in 2019. Hanwha recorded a win rate of 0.326 in 2020 and 0.371 last year. However, this year, which has been in the rebuilding for the third year, has a big game gap with the ninth-place NC, making it the most powerful candidate.
On the other hand, the KIA Tigers, which started rebuilding around the same time, have strengthened their power to the point of aiming for fall baseball this season. KIA, which ranked 7th in 2019 and went into rebuilding to reinforce power, took 6th place in 2020 and ranked 9th last year, failing to meet expectations. However, it is evaluated that young pitchers such as Lee Ui-ri and Jung Hae-young have been nurtured through the two-year rebuilding process, and their strength has been reinforced when young fielders gain experience.
In addition, outfielder Seong-beom Na was brought in through free agency last winter, and catcher Dong-won Park was also recruited through an active trade. In other words, it succeeded in rebuilding through development and investment at the same time. An official from a club said, “The rebuilding process should not simply give new players a chance, but should be a work to balance and strengthen the overall team power. It is a time when (Hanwha) needs to change.”
By Kim Dong-hyun
