'Lee Dae-ho couldn't go and retired, and Kang Min-ho is going in the end.'" Ah! Lotte's sad years

Oct 21, 2024

Samsung Kang Min-ho (left) shaking hands with Lotte Lee Dae-ho (right) and Jeon Jun-woo looking at them. Sports Chosun DB

It's our first time since our professional debut. Korean Series for the first time in 21 years. Former teammates were summoned along with the story of Samsung Lions' Kang Min-ho.

Samsung's Kang Min-ho will play the Korean Series against the KIA Tigers from the 21st. Kang Min-ho will perform in the Korean Series for the first time since his professional debut. Born in 1985, 39 years old this year, he joined the Lotte Giants in 2004 as a high school graduate after graduating from Pocheol Technical High School. However, he had no connection to the Korean Series.

Lotte went through the dark ages and the highest box office period. During his tenure as manager Jerry Royster (2008-2010), he had the best time in the club's history while playing as the main catcher, but he did not advance to the Korean Series at that time. Lotte advanced to the semi-playoff for the third consecutive year from 2008 to 2010, but failed to reach the playoffs and fell.

In 2011 and 2012, he went straight to the playoffs and advanced to the postseason for the fifth consecutive year. However, even then, the threshold for the Korean Series was high. Lotte's last advance to the Korean Series was in 1999. It was in the 20th century. Twenty-five years have already passed, and none of the players who played for Lotte in the meantime have made it to the Korean Series. It's a sad time.

Kang Min-ho during his Lotte days. Sports Chosun DB

Kang Min-ho played 14 seasons for Lotte and moved to Samsung ahead of the 2018 season. Seven seasons have passed since the transfer. Coincidentally, however, Samsung was also spending inconsistent time passing through the tunnel of the 'Dynasties', so it was the first time in nine years to advance to the Korean Series since 2015. That's why Kang Min-ho's story (?) got more attention. On the Korean Series stage, which was not so touching, it was so emotional that he won the ticket to the finals by hitting the final home run in Game 4 of the playoffs.

But at the same time, there are some old colleagues who are mentioned together. It is the Giants members who shared Kang Min-ho's heyday when he played for Lotte.

The game between NC and Doosan at Jamsil Baseball Stadium on the 20th, and NC Son Ah-seop, with two outs, is receiving a commemorative plaque after a hit in the top of the sixth inning. Son Ah-seop recorded a career-high 2,505 hits with this hit, setting a new KBO league record for the most hits. Jamsil= Reporter's wook@sportschosun.com/2024.06.20/

Along with Kang Min-ho, Son Ah-seop of the NC Dinos, who played more than 2,000 games and failed to advance to the Korean Series, is now left alone. Until this season, he had played 2058 games, becoming the only player who has played more than 2,000 games in the regular season and failed to reach the Korean Series.

Son Ah-seop played for Lotte from the 2007 season to the 2021 season when he was a high school graduate rookie, and moved to NC ahead of the 2022 season. However, NC has not advanced to the Korean Series since its first unified championship in 2020. It's before Son Ah-seop's transfer.

Lee Dae-ho, who was Lotte's permanent absentee (No. 10) and a symbolic player, finally failed to make it to the Korean Series and took off his uniform. Lee played 1971 games from the 2001 to the 2022 season. When he played in Japan, his team, the Softbank Hawks, won the Japanese Series and even became the MVP of the series, but it was regrettable that he failed to resolve his win at Lotte.

Lee Dae-ho's retirement ceremony appearance. Sports Chosun DB

Lotte's veteran players, who have already exceeded 1,000 games, were also summoned 'forced' Jeon Jun-woo joined Lotte as a college graduate rookie in the 2008 season and played 1,725 games so far this year, while Jung Hoon joined Lotte Giants in 2010 after serving as a nurturing player and played 1,399 games so far this year. They are also members who have never advanced to the Korean Series.

The players' sadness is the sadness of the Lotte Giants and the resentment of the fervent Lotte fans. As KIA and Samsung face off this year, the Korean Series of popular local teams will be held for the first time in 18 years, and Lotte, the popular team representing the league, finished seventh in the regular season and tasted another elimination. Will he be able to win next year. I'll wait again.

youll@sportschosun.com