Kang Ri-ho (formerly known as Kang Yun-goo) expressed his honest feelings to the fans.
On the 3rd, Kang Ri-ho talked about his current situation and the theory of FA contract conflict with the Lotte Giants, an elemental club, that had recently emerged through his social media (SNS) live broadcast.
Regarding the content of a controversial media outlet’s report, Kang Ri-ho said, “I think it was right to say that I was wrong to say one point and that I couldn’t play many games.” “It’s not that I’m embarrassed about one point. It was embarrassing not to be able to catch it,” he said. He corrected the meaning by saying that it was not dissatisfaction with the role he played at Lotte, but embarrassment about his performance.
Kang Ri-ho, who revealed that he had been contemplating whether to apply for free agency since August of last year, said to the general manager and head coach Seong Min-gyu, “If I leave now, I will be lost for sure. What will I do if I become lost?” He said he applied for FA.
Kang Ri-ho said, “I’ve been playing baseball for 14 years, and I’ve never spent a day without it. All baseball players are aiming for the FA jackpot, and I was one of them. It’s the dream of all baseball players. I’m going to kill it. Even if I do free agency, I go to the game once a week, but I wondered if this would be meaningful.
He said, “I’m not sick, but my heart hurt because my speed fell. Last year, I couldn’t go out for about 14 days, and then took the mound with 2 outs in the 9th inning. I blocked it and got on the bus (after the game), but I didn’t make a sound and only shed tears. Is it meaningful to do it?” He also confessed that he had been thinking realistically for a long time, saying, “From 2020, my speed decreased and I struggled (to survive). I thought that it was right that I was a pro.”
Regarding the controversy over the right to hold, “I thought that asking for the right to hold is simply to release the right to hold, if you really need it after a year, you will get it even if you give a little more money, or you won’t. I thought it could be seen as ‘I will leave Lotte’,” he explained. 스포츠토토
Regarding the story that Lotte and the direction did not match, Kang Ri-ho revealed that he meant that he accepted the reality that he was behind in priority and could not play because Lotte ranked first in average velocity and had many potential pitchers. Accepting that his position at Lotte had narrowed himself, he revealed the reason for applying for FA, saying, “There is no compensation for the C grade, so if there is a team that needs me, let’s try one more time.”
Kang Ri-ho said, “I couldn’t find a team until January, so I told my agent, ‘I think I have to quit. I don’t think there will be a place in the pro league.'” I want to play as a starting pitcher. The skills I learned on the mound are a waste.” After the broadcast ended, Kang Ri-ho sent a greeting to the fans via SNS, saying, “I love and thank the Lotte fans for listening to my story that was not properly organized. I will think about it a little more carefully.”