Chung Min-cheol’s Year-End Party at Mt. Jiri

“With a good friend of mine I climb the mountain. Whether we climb up the rocky summit or not, it doesn’t matter much. After we go as far as we can go, we will stop and rest. …My friend let me hear your reed pipe. Insects of the deep valley, come out and dance… Slowly and peacefully I climb the mountain. Let’s look widely here.” (“Mt. Jiri” --Lee Seong-bu)

Hanwha pitcher Chung Min-cheol (picture) perhaps had a similar thought. A thirty-six year-old born in the Year of the Rat, Chung went to Mt. Jiri for a five-day trip from Dec. 26 to usher in “Muja Year,” or the Year of the Rat. He was with his close friend Hyundai player Hong Won-gi and his teammates, as well as his former Dae Jeon High School classmates, Goh Dong-jin and Yun gyu-jin.

Chung closed the year by visiting Nogodan, Banyabong, Samdobong, Cheonwangbong and Baemsagol.

“Last year meant a lot to me,” said Chung. “The double-digit victory (12 victories/5 losses) proved that I’m still alive as a pitcher.”

Chung likes mountain. Whenever a season ends, he goes to the mountain.

“While climbing mountains, the concerns of the world disappear,” he says. “As I climbed up Mt. Jiri, I renewed my resolutions for the new season. This year, I aim to break my record last year by one more victory.”

Chung made his debut in the majors in 1992. He has won 155 games and lost 112, with a career ERA of 3.33. But in 2004, he suffered a severe slump as his elbow injury left him only with six losses.

However, he came back, winning nine games in 2005, seven in 2006, and 12 last year. This was possible as he transformed himself from a smoke-ball hurler to a pitcher who can control the ball.

“As a pitcher in his mid-thirties, I needed to give up speed to be able to survive,” he said. “Now, I’ve developed an ability to pitch the ball precisely where I want.”

Chung Min-cheol leaves for Hawaii on Jan. 15 for team training. He pledged to prove himself as a veteran pitcher without injuring himself.

With reassurance, he said, “If I have a chance, I want to participate in the second round of the Beijing Olympics preliminary match in March.”

beetlez@donga.com