LG, which seeks to build a dynasty, is 'frown' over successive pitchers' departure
LG Twins, who dream of "building a dynasty," is on alert. Left-hander Pilseungjo Ham Deok-ju is expected to be away during the first half due to injury.
An LG official said on the same day, "Ham Deok-ju performed a left hip pin fixation surgery at Sejong Sports Orthopedic Surgery on the 16th due to a microfracture of the main skull of the left arm."
Ham Deok-ju's departure is painful for LG. He has firmly defended LG's waist as the main bullpen pitcher for the 2023 season.
Ham Deok-ju, who entered the professional league as the 43rd player in all five rounds in 2013, is a left-hander whose unique dynamic pitching form and change-up are considered strengths. He wore LG's pin-strip uniform through a trade at the beginning of the 2021 season, but he suffered injuries that year and the 2022 season and played only 29 games (33.2 innings).
Ham Deok-ju, who struggled desperately, displayed robust performance in the 2023 season. Playing in 57 games (55.2 innings), he has established himself as a major player in LG's bullpen, with four wins and no loss, four saves and 16 holds with an ERA of 1.62. He ended the regular season early due to pain in his left elbow in late August of that year, but was able to win 86 wins, two draws and 56 losses thanks to Ham's presence.
Since then, Ham Deok-ju has continued to make a good pitch with the main bullpen resources in the Korean Series against the KT Wiz. He played in four games and recorded one win and an ERA of 2.70, contributing greatly to LG's overall win for the third time in 29 years since 1994 (1990-1994, 2023).
Ham Deok-ju, who became a free agent after the season, received a request for an identification check from the Major League Baseball (MLB) secretariat at the end of November last year. The request for an identification check is a preliminary step for recruiting players, and although this process is often not done by actual recruitment, it was clear that some clubs were interested in Ham Deok-ju.
However, Ham chose LG. On March 24, he decided to accompany LG for a total of 3.8 billion won (3.81 million U.S. dollars) over four years, including a down payment of 600 million won (620,000 dollars), an annual salary of 1.4 billion won (1.1 million dollars), and incentives of 1.8 billion won. "Ham Deok-ju is a pitcher with a lot of experience including his national team experience. In the 2023 season, he recovered his health and performed his role in the team's must-win group. I will continue to throw balls for the team in good health," he said.
In response, Ham Deok-ju also said, "The team performed the best this season, and I'm glad that I was able to help the team by throwing without injury," adding, "I felt happy that I could throw it healthy again. I will do my best to help the team continue to be a strong team with a steady and healthy appearance in the future."
However, LG and Ham Deok-ju's wish came to an end due to unexpected injury. "The rehabilitation period for Ham is expected to be about six months. He will return to the team from June to July," an LG source said. The rest period for the 2024 All-Star is scheduled from July 5-8. In fact, he is unable to play in the first half of the regular season.
The departure of Ham Deok-ju, who had 35 wins, 21 losses, 59 saves, 49 holds and an ERA of 3.50 in 397 games (501.2 innings) until last year, is a pain in the neck for LG. All-weather right-hander Lee Jung-yong already joined Sangmu on April 18 to serve in the military. On top of that, right-hander Ko Woo-seok, an undisputed closing pitcher, also joined hands with the San Diego Padres through a posting system (closed competitive bid) to advance to the big league.
LG initially planned to fill Ko's vacancy with right-handed Yoo Young-chan. However, Yoo Young-chan did not have much experience, so this plan necessitated the presence of veterans. Meanwhile, experienced Ham Deok-ju will take a hiatus, and LG, which has set a new goal of building a dynasty, will face unfavorable factors even before the start of the spring camp.