Samsung: "Thank You, Kwons"

Kwon Oh-taek, the public relations manager of the pro baseball team Samsung, wants to hold a Kwon family meeting one of these days.

This is because two pitchers with the last name Kwon played a big role in the playoffs against Doosan, giving Samsung the ticket to the Korean Series.

They are “old rookie” Kwon Oh-joon (24) and left-handed pitcher Kwon Hyuk (21). To manager Kwon, Kwon Oh-joon is of the same generation and Kwon Hyuk is his nephew by blood.

The two were at their prime during the postseason games. Kwon Oh-joon, who became a pro this season after spending time as a Marine, earned one win and one save in the playoffs against Doosan after finishing the pennant season with 11 wins. During the second playoff game, he saved the team’s first win when he took the mound in the ninth inning with his team leading 3-1 and struck out three consecutive hitters.

To Kwon Hyuk, the draft-dodging scandal of his teammates was a chance to get into the spotlight. When left-hand pitchers Oh Sang-min and Ji Seung-min were banned from the game due to the scandal, he took their place and protected the bullpen with fastballs averaging 150km/h. In the third game of the playoffs, he took the mound in the sixth inning with his team leading 1-0 and threw a perfect performance shutting down the Doosan lineup, including five strikeouts, over three and two-thirds innings. Even Samsung manager Kim Euong-yong, who is known to be ungenerous in giving out praise, said, “Kwon Hyuk was so good,” and gave him a thumbs up.

Kwon Oh-joon and Kwon Hyuk, who are known to be head Coach Sun Dong-yol’s favorite disciples, also happen to be roommates. They pledged victory during the playoffs; now they are aspiring to be the key players in the Korean Series against Hyundai. During the season, Kwon Oh-joon faced Hyundai in nine games, earning one win and recording an ERA of 3.80; Kwon Hyuk had five games against Hyundai and had an ERA of 0.96 without wins or losses.

Kwon Oh-joon cut a “V” sign into his hair to symbolize victory, and Kwon Hyuk cut a “three” sign, showing his hope for Samsung’s third championship. Will their dreams eventually come true?

Jong-Seok Kim kjs0123@donga.com