First 1st nomination local boy in tears, desperate goodbye...Why can't I calm down
Jul 29, 2025
|
Right-hander Kim Si-hoon, who is now a KIA Tigers pitcher, shed tears as he said goodbye to the NC Dinos.
Kim Si-hoon was included in the 3-3 trade between KIA and NC on the 28th. KIA received Kim Si-hoon, pitcher Han Jae-seung, and infielder Chung Hyeon-chang, and gave up outfielders Choi Won-joon, Lee Woo-sung, and infielder Hong Jong-pyo to NC.
Kim Si-hoon is Masan 'Local Boy' After graduating from Masan Yangdeok Elementary School, Masan Dongjung Middle School, and Masan High School, he joined NC in 2018 as the first nomination. It was symbolic that he was the first designated player selected in Masan, Changwon, his hometown, for the first time since the foundation of NC. Kim Si-hoon appeared in a Masan High School uniform on the first day of his visit to Masan Stadium after the nomination, showing off his pride from the region.
After joining the team, he had a hard time because his control was not caught, and after solving the military problem, he made his first team debut in 2022, four years after joining the team. In that year, he proved his value by recording 4-5 wins, 11 holds, 83 ⅓ innings, and a 3.24 ERA in 59 games.
Since then, he has pitched whenever the team wants, regardless of the starting and must-win groups, and pitched 52 ⅔ innings in 61 games in 2023 and 107 ⅓ innings in 39 games last year. The fatigue accumulated while running just looking ahead was a problem this year. He has been sluggish in 15 games this season, with only one hold, 16 innings and an 8.44 ERA. After spending more than half of the season reorganizing in the second division, he was notified of the trade.
Kim Si-hoon shed tears as he said his last goodbyes to his fans during the game when he was so proud of wearing the NC uniform.
In an interview with NC club TV on the 29th, Kim Si-hoon said, "(The trade) was) completely unthinkable. I was stunned when I got the call. I couldn't figure out what to do, and my head got complicated and I had a lot of thoughts. Since KIA said they wanted me, I thought I should go and do well."
When asked to pick a memorable moment in NC, he burst into tears.
|
He wiped away tears once again by leaving a word to pitchers Shin Min-hyuk and Kim Young-kyu, who were in the same class as him.
Kim Si-hoon was embarrassed by tears that couldn't stop crying, saying, `Why can't I calm down so much?'"There were many things that happened because we were nominated together, and I'm sorry that we left first because we were happy to play baseball together. It's not like I'm going to another country, I'm not quitting baseball, and I can meet you in a place other than a baseball stadium. I want to tell you that it was fun and fun while we were together."
Finally, Kim Si-hoon thought about the day when he would tell NC fans "This kind of story." I don't know what to say first when I'm actually going to do it. There must have been a lot of people who supported me since my debut, and there must have been some who criticized and reprimanded me. I think there were many NC fans, so I was able to go with a trade because KIA showed good performance. Thank you for your support. I'm sorry to the fans that I haven't been able to add anything since 2022. Although I'm leaving, I hope you continue to love NC. It's a pity that I can't be with you until the end. Thank you for your support."
KIA will immediately use Kim Si-hoon and Han Jae-seung as its best players as it has recently lost six consecutive games due to the collapse of the bullpen. Though unfamiliar, Kim Si-hoon opened a new chapter of opportunity.
KIA general manager Shim Jae-hak expressed expectation, saying, `Kim Si-hoon is a player with excellent ball power enough to play in the must-win group, and Han Jae-seung is also a player with fast ball and ball power, so both players are expected to help the bullpen.'
|
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
