SEOUL-- Reunited with his old team that fell on hard times last year, All-Star catcher Yang Eui-ji said Wednesday he wants to lift the club back to the postseason in his second tour of duty.

Yang was re-introduced as a member of the Doosan Bears at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. On Nov. 22, Yang signed a four-year deal with a player option for two more seasons with the Bears, valued at up to 15.2 billion won (US$12.2 million).

Yang made his Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) debut with the Bears in 2007. Then after the 2018 season, he signed a four-year deal with the NC Dinos as a free agent.

With the 12.5 billion won contract from 2018 expired, Yang chose to return to the team that drafted him in the eighth round in 2005.

The Bears will look to Yang to lead them back to the promised land. They missed the postseason for the first time in eight years in 2022. They had played in every Korean Series from 2015 to 2021, winning three titles in the process. Yang was the Korean Series MVP in 2016.

"I go into every season looking to win a championship," Yang said. "I've missed the postseason the past two years with NC, too. I want to get back to playing as much playoff baseball as possible, and take this team to the Korean Series. I am really looking forward to the 2023 season."

Yang helped the Dinos to their first Korean Series title in 2020, earning the Korean Series MVP award for himself after beating the Bears.

"I cried so much after that title and I didn't think I'd ever be able to return to Doosan because I celebrated too much," Yang said with a laugh. "But then I've had fans come up to me and tell me they wanted to see me back in Doosan uniform. This is where I realized my dream of becoming a professional ball player, and I am so happy they wanted me back."

Yang had already been the league's most complete backstop in his first stint with the Bears, and then elevated his game to another level as a Dino.

From 2019 to 2022, Yang ranks first in slugging percentage (.561), first in on-base plus slugging (.969), second in home runs (103), second in RBIs (397), third in on-base percentage (.408), and fourth in total bases (986). He was the runner-up in the regular season MVP voting in 2019 and 2020.

Yang's four-year deal with the Dinos had paid him 12.5 billion won. His combined total of 27.7 billion won from two free agent deals is the most ever earned by a KBO player in the open market.

Yang, who will turn 36 in June, said being paid big bucks at an age when most players slow down doesn't put any extra pressure on him.

"I am really looking forward to going out on the field and showing people what I have," Yang said. "Watching from the opposite dugout last year, I felt Doosan players were running low on confidence. I want to be able to change that."

Yang saw his offensive numbers dip across the board in 2022. That could be a source of concern for the Bears, who could be playing him through Yang's age-42 season if the catcher picks up his options.

In 2022, Yang batted .283, his first sub-.300 average since 2017. His slugging percentage came to .480, 101 points lower than 2021. He got on base at a .380 clip, his lowest on-base percentage in six seasons. Yang did hit 20 home runs, his fifth consecutive season with at least that many.

On the other hand, Yang doesn't have to keep hitting bombs and knocking in runs to remain valuable into his late 30s. He has long been considered the KBO's top game caller, a steady presence behind the plate who puts pitchers at ease. If Yang can remain serviceable at the plate and maintain his defensive acumen behind the dish, the Bears will be able to live with the final couple of years of his contract.

Yang will be playing for rookie manager Lee Seung-yuop, a veritable KBO legend who has jumped right into managerial waters without any coaching experience. Upon his appointment, Lee, the KBO's all-time home run leader with 467, had specifically asked the ownership to help address the team's need at catcher. And they went out and got him the best catcher available in free agency and the best catcher in the KBO, period.

"It's an honor to be playing for him in his first season as manager," Yang said. "Back in his playing days, he was always a humble man who always took great care of younger players. I was so in awe of him that I barely got to talk to him when he stepped into the batter's box."

Source: Yonhap News Agency

GSEOUL-- Reunited with his old team that fell on hard times last year, All-Star catcher Yang Eui-ji said Wednesday he wants to lift the club back to the postseason in his second tour of duty.

Yang was re-introduced as a member of the Doosan Bears at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. On Nov. 22, Yang signed a four-year deal with a player option for two more seasons with the Bears, valued at up to 15.2 billion won (US$12.2 million).

Yang made his Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) debut with the Bears in 2007. Then after the 2018 season, he signed a four-year deal with the NC Dinos as a free agent.

With the 12.5 billion won contract from 2018 expired, Yang chose to return to the team that drafted him in the eighth round in 2005.

The Bears will look to Yang to lead them back to the promised land. They missed the postseason for the first time in eight years in 2022. They had played in every Korean Series from 2015 to 2021, winning three titles in the process. Yang was the Korean Series MVP in 2016.

"I go into every season looking to win a championship," Yang said. "I've missed the postseason the past two years with NC, too. I want to get back to playing as much playoff baseball as possible, and take this team to the Korean Series. I am really looking forward to the 2023 season."

Yang helped the Dinos to their first Korean Series title in 2020, earning the Korean Series MVP award for himself after beating the Bears.

"I cried so much after that title and I didn't think I'd ever be able to return to Doosan because I celebrated too much," Yang said with a laugh. "But then I've had fans come up to me and tell me they wanted to see me back in Doosan uniform. This is where I realized my dream of becoming a professional ball player, and I am so happy they wanted me back."

Yang had already been the league's most complete backstop in his first stint with the Bears, and then elevated his game to another level as a Dino.

From 2019 to 2022, Yang ranks first in slugging percentage (.561), first in on-base plus slugging (.969), second in home runs (103), second in RBIs (397), third in on-base percentage (.408), and fourth in total bases (986). He was the runner-up in the regular season MVP voting in 2019 and 2020.

Yang's four-year deal with the Dinos had paid him 12.5 billion won. His combined total of 27.7 billion won from two free agent deals is the most ever earned by a KBO player in the open market.

Yang, who will turn 36 in June, said being paid big bucks at an age when most players slow down doesn't put any extra pressure on him.

"I am really looking forward to going out on the field and showing people what I have," Yang said. "Watching from the opposite dugout last year, I felt Doosan players were running low on confidence. I want to be able to change that."

Yang saw his offensive numbers dip across the board in 2022. That could be a source of concern for the Bears, who could be playing him through Yang's age-42 season if the catcher picks up his options.

In 2022, Yang batted .283, his first sub-.300 average since 2017. His slugging percentage came to .480, 101 points lower than 2021. He got on base at a .380 clip, his lowest on-base percentage in six seasons. Yang did hit 20 home runs, his fifth consecutive season with at least that many.

On the other hand, Yang doesn't have to keep hitting bombs and knocking in runs to remain valuable into his late 30s. He has long been considered the KBO's top game caller, a steady presence behind the plate who puts pitchers at ease. If Yang can remain serviceable at the plate and maintain his defensive acumen behind the dish, the Bears will be able to live with the final couple of years of his contract.

Yang will be playing for rookie manager Lee Seung-yuop, a veritable KBO legend who has jumped right into managerial waters without any coaching experience. Upon his appointment, Lee, the KBO's all-time home run leader with 467, had specifically asked the ownership to help address the team's need at catcher. And they went out and got him the best catcher available in free agency and the best catcher in the KBO, period.

"It's an honor to be playing for him in his first season as manager," Yang said. "Back in his playing days, he was always a humble man who always took great care of younger players. I was so in awe of him that I barely got to talk to him when he stepped into the batter's box."

Source: Yonhap News Agency