Coach Song Jin-woo giving a high five to Ryu Hyun-jin in 2012
Ryu Hyun-jin signs the second 8-year contract in history. If the period is fulfilled, active duty until the age of 44
Coach Jin-woo Song (58) of the Oneston semi-professional baseball team, who holds the record for the oldest player to play in professional baseball, asked Hyun-jin Ryu (36), who returned to the KBO League after signing an 8-year contract with the Hanwha Eagles, to break his record. I sent a message of support.
Coach Song Jin-woo said in a phone call with Yonhap News on the 22nd, “It is surprising that Hanwha signed an 8-year contract with Ryu Hyun-jin. There may be internal circumstances at the club, but I hope Hyun-jin completes the entire contract period.”
He added, “I hope to break my record by running for all eight years without any injuries and in good health.”
On the 22nd, the Hanwha club announced that it had signed an 8-year contract with Ryu Hyun-jin, who returned from his Major League Baseball (MLB) career, for a total of 17 billion won.
The total amount was somewhat expected, but the contract period was surprising.
The 8-year contract is the longest contract in KBO League history, and is the second following the free agent contract (5+3 years, total KRW 14 billion) signed by NC Dinos with Park Min-woo in November 2022.
The situations of Park Min-woo and Ryu Hyun-jin are different.Park Min-woo signed an 8-year contract when he was 29 years old, but Ryu Hyun-jin is currently 36 years old.
He will turn 37 next month when the regular season opens.
In order to fulfill the eight-year contract, Ryu Hyun-jin must remain active until 2031, when he turns 44.
If Ryu Hyun-jin completes the contract period, he will far exceed the record of the oldest player in KBO League history (43 years, 7 months, 7 days) set by coach Jin-Woo Song in 2009.
Some say it is unrealistic.
There is also an interpretation that Hanwha signed an 8-year contract as a way to extend the payment period to solve the problem of exceeding the salary cap (total annual salary cap).
However, the Hanwha club explained that this contract contained ‘symbolism’.
Hanwha said, “This contract contains the meaning of a new history in the KBO League. If Ryu Hyun-jin remains active during the contract period, he will surpass Hanwha legend Song Jin-woo and set a new record in Korean professional baseball.” 일본야동