"He was paid 7 billion won, and it is 100% Choi Won-tae's fault," says former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, turning his "indiscriminate criticism" from the manager to Choi Won-tae

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo (72) has once again launched criticism following the loss in Game 1 of the Korea Series.

On the 4th, former Mayor Hong stated on his social networking service (SNS) account, "Samsung Lions will only survive if they discard Choi Won-tae. They paid him a whopping 7 billion won, yet he is this pathetic. Next year, drop Choi Won-tae and play baseball."

Choi Won-tae started Game 1 of the 2026 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO Postseason Korea Series (best-of-seven) against KT Wiz on the 3rd at Suwon KT Wiz Park. He collapsed after throwing 43 pitches over two innings, allowing five hits (one home run), one walk, and three runs while striking out three batters.

Samsung mounted a fierce comeback in the latter half of the game by attacking the KT bullpen, but ultimately failed to overturn the deficit, falling short by a single run with a 7-8 loss, which deepened the sense of regret.

Choi Won-tae's struggles in the postseason are not a recent phenomenon. While his career ERA of 4.44 leaves something to be desired during the regular season, he is a pitcher who has consistently held down the starting rotation, amassing an impressive 93 wins (70 losses). In the 2024 postseason, it was Samsung that dismantled Choi Won-tae, then a pitcher for the LG Twins. However, after the season ended, Samsung signed him as a free agent in the offseason with a four-year contract worth up to 7 billion won.

While there may be controversy over the size of the contract, he has fulfilled his role following behind the foreign pitchers and Won Tae-in. Over the past two years, he has pitched in 51 games, covering 249⅓ innings with a record of 15 wins (12 losses).

However, he has become a completely different pitcher in the postseason. Following his loss in Game 1 of the Korea Series, his record stands at two wins and four losses with one save and two holds in 23 games, with an ERA of 8.40. As a starter, his ERA reached as high as 10.31.

Samsung Manager Park Jin-man attributed the loss in Game 1 to his own delay in making pitching changes, but also expressed difficulty regarding Choi Won-tae's future usage, stating, "I will need to think it over and discuss it after he comes in, but it seems unlikely that his next appearance will be easy."

Former Mayor Hong said, "Choi Won-tae has always been like this. I have only seen him pitch well once. It is a waste of money," adding, "The Samsung front office was truly foolish to spend 7 billion won on a player who is merely a journeyman."

Describing Choi Won-tae as having "pitched well only once" is an overly stingy assessment, but it is not entirely wrong if limited to the postseason. However, it is worth noting that his single best performance in the postseason came last year after he transferred to Samsung. He posted a record of two wins and one loss with an ERA of 2.20 in the postseason. As a remark from a Samsung fan, this criticism seems somewhat excessive given that it directly targets a pitcher who delivered a dazzling performance last year.

If the scope is expanded to include the regular season, Choi Won-tae's contribution cannot be ignored in Samsung's ability to finish second and advance to the Korea Series. This is an issue separate from his salary. The statement to "drop Choi Won-tae next year" lacks persuasiveness when considering the entire season as a long-term race.

Additionally, former Mayor Hong criticized, "If he was going in and out of internet cafes before important games, such a player has no right to be a professional. He should be expelled."

He criticized Choi Won-tae by treating as fact rumors circulating that the pitcher visited internet cafes to play games before matches, although this has not yet been confirmed.

Finally, former Mayor Hong emphasized, "If one cannot repay a manager's trust, they are worthless as a professional player. Samsung's loss in Game 1 of the Korea Series yesterday was 100% due to Choi Won-tae."

Former Mayor Hong's harsh criticism of Samsung has been repeated several times this season. In April, following a four-game losing streak, he pointed out that the team was filled with "players who are not home run hitters but swing up every day and just get struck out, pitchers who cannot throw a single proper strike and only produce walks, and batters in the .100 range whose lower bodies wobble and waists collapse so they cannot even make proper contact."

In August, his criticism turned to Manager Park Jin-man. Former Mayor Hong criticized him as "a truly foolish manager who leads such players to a two-game losing streak against NC," and further stated, "Table setter Kim Seong-yoon will not grow into a bigger player unless he fixes his sweeping swing. What is the hitting coach doing? I have been passing time watching Samsung Lions games for fun, but I should stop watching them now."

As baseball fans, it is perfectly acceptable to rejoice or grieve over results. People with social influence can also cheer for specific teams and voice their disappointment. However, Mayor Hong's remarks go beyond healthy criticism and evoke images of aggressive fans. These are particularly regrettable statements because they could shake the team currently playing in the Korea Series and a specific player.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original