In July 2021, the violation of the Corona 19 quarantine rules shook the entire NC club.
Four players, Park Seok-min, Park Min-woo, Lee Myung-gi, and Kwon Hee-dong, were suspended for 72 games by the KBO. Park Seok-min was suspended for 50 games, 25 more than the other three in the club’s own discipline. Park Seok-min, who returned only in June, has the last record in the first team this season against KIA on July 26th. He ended the season intact in the second team after being expunged from the first team entry due to back pain.
During this year’s Stove League, the direction of the 4 members diverged. Park Min-woo, who obtained the qualification as a free agent (FA), became a so-called ‘lifetime NC’ player with a total of up to 14 billion won over 8 years (5+3 years).
Kwon Hee-dong and Lee Myung-gi also obtained FA qualifications, but in fact are in the process of breaking up with NC.
And Park Seok-min decided to go with NC next season. Park Seok-min, who earned an annual salary of 700 million won this season, will take a massive cut of 50 million won in annual salary next season and extend his active service life.
Park Seok-min, who sat directly at the negotiating table without an agent even when signing the FA contract, accepted the salary cut this time as well.
There 토토 is only one reason for signing his contract while drastically reducing his ransom. It is because of his will that his active service life cannot end in disgrace.
Even when Park Seok-min wore the NC uniform, his status was high. Park Seok-min was a strong hitter representing the league, and ahead of the 2016 season, he transferred from Samsung to NC under the condition of a 4-year, 9.6 billion won FA contract. Park Seok-min, who only recorded a 30% batting average (0.307) in the first year of transfer and finished all the other 3 seasons at 20%, earned FA qualification again ahead of the 2020 season and stamped for up to 3.4 billion won in 2+1 years. In the first year of his contract renewal, he contributed to the team’s combined championship with his batting average of 0.306 and 63 RBIs.
But from last season, it went downhill again. Park Seok-min recorded a batting average of 0.149 in 16 games played in the first team this year as well. It was his worst season outside of his rookie year at Samsung. It’s a sad situation to end like this.
Also, due to the circumstances of the team, Park Seok-min had a glimmer of hope. Noh Jin-hyeok, who was in charge of one axis of the existing infield, such as third base and shortstop, moved to Lotte with an FA contract. With young players such as Kim Joo-won occupying the infield position, the experience of a veteran can be added.
However, all of this is a scenario that can be drawn under the premise that Park Seok-min proves his skills with a healthy body. Park Seok-min now has to go back to the starting point and compete with his juniors from spring camp. If he survives, he can announce a resurrection, but if he loses the competition, his baseball life after that cannot be guaranteed. A club official hinted, “Park Seok-min is working hard in Changwon.”