KBO's home run king hoping for reunion with ace lefty

SEOUL, Nov. 30 (Yonhap) -- They won four championships together in South Korean baseball before going their separate ways in late 2019. Nearly two years later, SSG Landers' slugger Choi Jeong would love a reunion with the former staff ace, Kim Kwang-hyun.

Choi, 34, made his Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) debut in 2005 while the Landers were called the SK Wyverns under different ownership. Kim, 33, joined him two years later, and the pitcher-third baseman duo remained teammates until Kim signed with the St. Louis Cardinals in December 2019.

Kim's two-year contract with the Cardinals expired after this past regular season, and the left-hander is now a free agent. The Landers still own KBO rights to Kim, meaning if he wanted to return home, it would have to be with the Incheon-based franchise.

After the Landers missed out on the postseason by a half game in 2021, Choi believes Kim would be the missing piece of the puzzle that can take the team over the hump.

"Obviously, I would love to tell Kwang-hyun to come back and join our team again," Choi told reporters Monday at the annual KBO awards ceremony in Seoul, where he received a trophy for leading the league in home runs. "And personally, I would love to win another championship with Kwang-hyun."

With Kim spending his offseason at home in South Korea, Choi has spent some time with his longtime teammate and friend. Choi said he takes pride in his ability to lead Kim's mind, but it has been rather difficult this year.

"He's been keeping things really close to the vest," Choi said. "Whenever we talked in the past, I used to be able to figure out what he was really thinking inside. But I honestly have no idea now where he wants to sign. He hasn't given any indication whatsoever."

Kim was the 2008 KBO regular season MVP and was a perennial All-Star who consistently ranked among the league leaders in wins, ERA and strikeouts. In two seasons with the Cardinals, Kim went 10-7 with a 2.97 ERA in 35 games, including 28 starts.

With many of the top free agent pitchers already signed, Kim, who slots in a notch or two below the big names, could still be seen as a serviceable, back-of-the-rotation type starter. But a threat of a lockout is looming over a labor dispute between Major League Baseball and the players' union, and that would freeze all free agent signings. A middling free agent, such as Kim, could be left in limbo.

And if Kim chooses to return to the KBO, he could once again be a dominant starter here.

Choi admitted to being torn about where he wants to see Kim next year.

"It'd be great to see someone as talented as Kwang-hyun stay and pitch in the majors," Choi said. "I think he'd be disappointed to be coming home so early, too."

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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