Whenever there is a Stove League, there is a voice of ballmen among the pitchers.

It is because of the difference in amount with others. It is not easy to find a high-paying player among pitchers, while the team’s top hitters can easily reach salaries in the billion won range. The view that the so-called gap between the rich and the poor is more revealed during Stove League. Compared to batters with numerous FA contracts worth 10 billion won, the pitcher broke the 10 billion won barrier for the first time when ‘great pitcher’ Yang 토토사이트 Hyeon-jong returned to his parent team KIA Tigers last year and signed for a total of 10.3 billion won in 4 years. In the 2023 FA market, among the internal and external free agents contracted by the 17th, the total amount spent on 10 batters reached 67.4 billion won, while the total amount of 5 pitchers was 7.53 billion won. The scenery doesn’t look much different from the saying, ‘Pitchers are poor, batters are rich’, which is talked about every time in Stove League.

However, it was proven in this Stove League that any pitcher with ability can get a lot of money.

After the season, the Lotte Giants signed a multi-year non-FA contract with Park Se-woong (27) for a total of 9 billion won over 5 years. If Park Se-woong decides to enlist in the military after next year, Lotte cannot use him as a starter for two years. However, it is evaluated as a contract that recognizes the skills of Park Se-woong, who has solidified his position as a native ace. In terms of records, such as double-digit multipliers for two consecutive years, average ERA in the 3-point range, and the number of quality starts (6 or more starting innings, 3 or less ERA), Park Se-woong’s value was worth investing enough money for Lotte.

Gu Chang-mo (25, NC Dinos) also hit the jackpot. NC signed a non-FA multi-year contract with Gu Chang-mo for up to 13.2 billion won for 6+1 years. Koo Chang-mo, who was unable to stand on the first team stage last year due to injury, returned this year and announced a revival with a double-digit win. However, since his debut in the first team in 2016, the issue of his durability has been constantly discussed in that there has never been a season in which he has filled the regular innings. Even so, NC chose to capture the value of Gu Chang-mo, who has the potential to go up through the skills that a healthy Koo Chang-mo showed, the WBC (World Baseball Classic) that will continue from next year, and the Hangzhou Asian Games in advance, and catch it before obtaining FA qualification. It is a condition that Gu Chang-mo, now in her mid-twenties, has nothing to lose.

In the meantime, for players, the FA market was considered the only way to get a lot of money. However, as non-FA multi-year contracts were activated, an atmosphere was formed in which players who were helpful to the team regardless of position were held in advance before FA qualification, leading to actual contracts. It has become an era where pitchers can become ‘rich’ if they have skills.