“If Need to, Bring Them All along“, SK Is Expected to Create Sensation

`The Wyverns` is heating up the stove league.

The SK Wyverns, a three-year-old professional baseball club next year, are vigorously flapping their wings to soar to the sky breaking the `egg` known as `permanent inferior team`. With the bold investment, the SK has scouted excellent players during this stove league thus expecting to create much sensation. And as the SK is supposed to settle in the Incheon Munhak Stadium, an ultra modern stadium of major league-style, it is systematically stepping forward to become the best club in Korea.

▼ How much money did it spend during the stove league? = The SK signed a 4-year contract of 1.1 billion won (contract deposit 500 million won) with free agent Kim Won-Hyung and a 4-year contract of 1 billion won (contract deposit 500 million won) with former Lotte Kim Min-Jae. And it paid 342 million won, equal to 450 percent of his salary of this year (76 million won), to the Lotte as a compensation in order to trade him. Further, it decided for the trade of 2 to 6 with the Samsung. It sent Brito and Oh Sang-Min, and received Kim Ki-Tae, Kim Dong-Su, Kim Sang-Jin, Lee Yong-Hoon, Kim Tae-Han and Jung Kyung-Bae. As a compensation for 6 players, it paid 1.1 billion won to the Samsung.

The SK spent total 3.54 billion won to scout the core players. And if the salary burden of the players traded from the Samsung is added, the SK has invested about 4 billion won for introducing the new players. Furthermore, the SK plans to spend a budget of 16 billion won for salary and bonus of the players next year, following a 26 billion won budget for building a training center and accommodations for players this year.

▼ Why did the SK invest such a huge amount of money? = Ahn Yong-Tae, president of the SK Wyverns said, "The SK has been interested in nurturing the professional sports such as basketball (SK Knights and SK Bigs) and soccer (Bucheon SK) as well as baseball. What is the reason for the existence of the professional sports clubs? The professional sports should be able to provide dream and hope for the children, and to entertain the adult fans. The company can simultaneously accomplish two purposes, the elevation of the image of company and the contribution to social well-being through nurturing the professional sports clubs. It is a matter of course to make a daring investment for the successful operation of professional sports club. Many teams have been negligent in investing to the club."

▼ What is the goal of the SK next season? = The SK was at the bottom of the league (8th place) last year when the team was founded, and it was ranked in the 7th place this year. It aims at advancing to the playoffs next year. The SK recorded the lowest team`s batting average (0.260) this year, but this situation will change next year because slugger Kim Ki-Tae, Kim Dong-Su and Kim Min-Jae joined the team. And two newly-imported players, Fernandez and Castellano are the sluggers who have proven their abilities in the minor league and the Mexican league. As Lee Yong-Hoon, Kim Sang-Jin and Kim Tae-Han joined the SK`s mound, which recorded team`s ERA 4.38 (2nd place) with Hernandez, Kim Won-Hyung and Lee Seung-Ho this year, the team has been much invigorated.

Now, the SK is ready for advancing to the playoffs. President Ahn said confidently, "We are going to try to grab the victory trophy within 4 years since the team`s foundation."

Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com