As a baseball player, my bowl was up to here.”
Kang Ri-ho (former Kang Yoon-gu) has decided to retire from active service. He said on his personal SNS in the afternoon of the 8th, “I decided to retire after a lot of consideration.”
At the end of Kang Ri-ho’s baseball career, there was a lot of regret. Since receiving the first nomination from Woori Heroes (currently Kiwoom) in 2009,메이저놀이터 he has been a professional for 13 years, and the FA declaration has hampered him.
He played in 402 games in 13 seasons in the KBO League with 32 wins, 29 losses, and two saves and 48 holds with an earned run average of 5.07 in 638.2 innings. He had an ERA of 5.48 in 29 games in the 2022 season when he was a professional player.
He was noted as a bullpen long relief resource (the pitcher responsible for the second longest innings after the start), but his control was a disadvantage. After all, no team has been looking for him since the FA declaration. Since then, his choice has been a “re-challenge” in an independent baseball team.
It was a sad situation. With the so-called “FA Mia” professional club unable to sign a contract, the only condition for him to continue his career was independent baseball.
However, Kang Ri-ho’s decision to retire was surprisingly cool. On the evening of the same day, Kang Ri-ho, who had an interview with MHN Sports, said, “I thought it was right to quit. “As a baseball player, my bowl was up to here,” he said adding, “I had a strong idea of what it would mean to go to the professional league in Inje.”
He blamed himself for his lack rather than regret. Before the modifier “FA Mia,” he thought his lack of justice, not injustice, caused the situation.
Kang Ri-ho also recalled his professional life, saying, “I haven’t achieved much, but I put great meaning on the experience of betting my life on one thing really hard.”
“The bottom line is that there were more players (in the professional league) who were better than me,” he said.
In independent baseball, Kang Ri-ho’s baseball played a big role in erasing all these lingering feelings.
He said, “In the professional league, I usually pitched as a bullpen. On one side of the mind, the “starting pitcher” appearance remained. “I felt satisfied playing as a starting pitcher in the independent league,” he said.
Regarding independent league players who played on the ground until the end like him, he said, “It is true that there is a lack compared to professionals. Nevertheless, there are many players who are competitive enough, he said. “The top teams in the independent league, such as Yeoncheon Miracle and Paju Challengers, are stronger than most Futures teams. Therefore, I think pitchers who can throw more than five innings against the two teams are competitive in the first division. “I hope the independent league will receive attention from many people,” he said.
If Kang Ri-ho has any regrets, it is “missing” for his hometown team Kiwoom.
“In fact, I missed Kiwoom when I was in NC and Lotte, where I had been. His teammates who played baseball with him in Kiwoom gave him unconditional support. “I’m still grateful,” he said.
Now Kang Ri-ho begins his second life. There is no fixed destination. However, the word firmly engraved on one side of Kang Ri-ho’s chest is “fans’ love.”
Kang Ri-ho said, “Thank you for supporting baseball player Kang Ri-ho. I will keep your support, love, and passionate support for a long time. I hope you will always be happy,” he said with his last greeting.