*This content was translated by AI.View Original
Everything changed in just three days. Simultaneous contract terminations for both the manager and the general manager, the appointment of a new manager and GM, and furthermore, success in retaining Wang Yencheng (25), the No. 1 Asian quota player.
On the 13th, Hanwha Eagles announced, "We have appointed Ryu Ji-hyun (55), manager of the national baseball team, as our 15th new head coach," while simultaneously promoting Seok Jang-hyun (52) Gyeong Yeong-ji-won (Head) to general manager, marking the first internal promotion to the GM role in franchise history.
All decisions were made just three days after Hanwha announced on the 10th that it would part ways with Manager Kim Kyung-moon (68) and General Manager Son Hyuk (53) due to contract expirations.
Regarding the appointment of Manager Ryu Ji-hyun, the possibility was raised first. Since the atmosphere had effectively solidified around Manager Ryu without any discussion of additional candidates, it was sufficiently predictable.
The story was different for GM Seok Jang-hyun. While the franchise had previously entrusted the GM role to external figures such as managers and commentators, he is the first person from a staff background to rise to the position of general manager.
Although Hanwha advanced to the Korea Series last year for the first time in 19 years, it is still premature to consider them a powerhouse team. They entered the postseason for the first time in 11 years in 2018, but subsequently fell back to being the bottom-ranked team. Although they finished second in 2025, they plummeted to ninth place this season. Therefore, in a situation where achieving a turnaround next year is crucial, they installed a new manager and general manager.
New GM Seok clearly pointed out current issues. In a phone call with StarNews, GM Seok stated, "I believe a reset of roles is necessary overall," adding, "There are parts that need to be discussed with the manager, but in the pitching staff, there are distinct roles for both the starting rotation and the bullpen, so such a reset is needed. Similarly, it seems some level of setting is required for position players regarding batting order or positions."
This was also an area where Hanwha struggled this season. Jung Woo-ju, who left a strong impression last year by being selected for the national team despite being a rookie due to outstanding performance, started in the bullpen this season but moved between the starting rotation and the bullpen as his slump continued. After returning to the bullpen, he also made a start late in the season.
While it may have been a desperate measure found due to player underperformance, this criticism can be interpreted as meaning that this process could further fuel confusion for a player who is still in their early career years.
The operation of the bullpen this season has also been mentioned countless times as a Hanwha issue. While it is necessary to define roles to some extent for the sake of pitchers' routines and physical management, their roles and deployment timing changed frequently.
Hanwha's team ERA, which was first at 3.55 last year, dropped to 5.26, falling to ninth place. In particular, the bullpen was even worse at 5.40, and it cannot be said that this is unrelated to such management practices.
Similar problems were seen in the position player lineup as well. The batting order changed frequently, and there was also confusion regarding defensive positions. Moon Hyun-bin (22), a national team outfielder who has been a top-tier hitter in the league, had consistently played as the starting left fielder since last year, when he grew primarily as a left fielder. However, after the mid-season point, he suddenly switched between center field and left field. The cause was the failure to find a definitive resource for the center field position, but ultimately it only increased confusion. The No. 1 hitter, a concern throughout the season, also failed to find its owner until the end of the season.
Of course, player utilization is entirely within the manager's domain. GM Seok is well aware of this. "We are trying to ensure that this is not just an issue for the first division, but is prepared organically in coordination with the minor league," he emphasized, adding, "I believe my role is to prepare things so that the team flows within a certain stable framework rather than riding a roller coaster."
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*This content was translated by AI.View Original
