![[공식발표]‘SSG foreign pitcher lineup is complete’ recruiting big leaguer → Anderson 1.2 million won…](https://sports.chosun.com/news/html/2024/11/17/2024111701001111900173312.jpg "[공식발표]‘SSG foreign pitcher lineup is complete’ recruiting big leaguer → Anderson 1.2 million won…")
[스포츠조선 나유리 기자]SSG Landers quickly completed the selection of foreign pitchers. Following the recruitment of a pitcher at the level of an active big leaguer, they also captured a pitcher who played the role of ‘ace’ this season. On the 17th, the SSG club officially announced that it had renewed a contract with Drew Anderson (30) for a total of $1.2 million (annual salary of 1.15 million, option 50,000). .”); Anderson was recruited by SSG as a replacement foreign player at the beginning of the 2024 season and recorded double-digit wins with 11 wins, 3 losses, 3.89 ERA in 24 games, 158 strikeouts, and 158 strikeouts. In particular, he set a new KBO League record for minimum innings pitched with 100 strikeouts. He showed an overwhelming figure of 12.3 strikeouts per 9 innings, proving his status as a top-class player in the league. SSG confirmed Anderson’s status as the first starter in the league this season with his strikeout ability, an important element of a foreign pitcher, and as he has completed his adaptation to the KBO League, he will be able to play in the spring. After going through a build-up process starting from camp, we decided that he would show his ability to play longer innings next season and pushed for a contract renewal.
After signing the contract, Anderson said, “I’m excited to be with us again and I’m grateful to the SSG club for making a good offer. I’m already looking forward to next season. I will do my best to help the team achieve good results.”
Meanwhile, SSG completed the recruitment of foreign pitcher Mitch White the previous day (16th) and completed the composition of foreign pitchers. White, born in 1994, is a Korean major league player who is quite familiar to domestic fans.
Koreans whose maternal grandparents immigrated from Korea to the United States. White’s mother is also Korean-American. White is a mixed-race athlete born to a Korean mother and an American father. White, who was also considered a candidate for the World Baseball Classic (WBC) national team last year, played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays before playing for the San Francisco Giants and Milwaukee Brewers this season. As soon as he became a free agent in early October, SSG sent him a love call.
![[공식발표]‘SSG foreign pitcher lineup is complete’ Recruitment of big leaguers → Anderson 1.2 million won…](https://sports.chosun.com/news/html/2024/11/17/2024111701001111900173313.jpg)
We understood White’s desire to “play in my mother’s country at least once” and actively contacted him. There were contract proposals from other domestic clubs as well as Japanese and American clubs, but the final contract was signed with SSG, which took an active stance from the beginning. The condition is a full guarantee of $1 million (about 1.4 billion won), which is the maximum amount that can be given to a new foreign player. As he is an active big league player, he was presented with full guarantee conditions without option incentives. The medical test has not been completely completed yet, but if no major problems are found, White will play at Landers Field next season.
SSG, which was looking for a pitcher to replace Roenis Elias as the first starter, quickly succeeded in capturing an active big leaguer. Of course, whether White will be able to achieve the results expected will be revealed after the start of next season, but as he moved quickly, the primary goal was achieved.
The remaining task now is to renew the contract with foreign hitter Guillermo Heredia. Fortunately, Heredia’s contract renewal is expected to end in the direction of retention, unless major variables arise. Heredia’s performance this year is better than last year, so there is a definite factor in raising his salary, but even if he renews his contract, it is unlikely to cause much pain as the upper limit of what the club can give him is set. SSG is currently coordinating in detail with Heredia.
Reporter Na Yu-ri [email protected]
Interview Questions:
1. As the SSG Landers completed their foreign pitcher lineup, how important was it for the team to sign both Drew Anderson and Mitch White? Could you discuss the strategic reasoning behind this move?
2. Drew Anderson has been quite successful in his debut season in the KBO League, setting a new record for the most strikeouts in a single season. How do you think he will continue to perform next season? Is there anything specific that the team plans to do to help him maintain or improve upon this success?
3. Mitch White has expressed his desire to play in Korea because of his Korean heritage. How does the team plan to integrate him into the team culture and help him feel comfortable playing in a new environment? Additionally, what challenges might he face adjusting to the KBO League after playing in Major League Baseball?
4. The team was able to secure both Anderson and White on full guarantee contracts. Can you talk about the decision-making process behind this approach? How did the team balance the potential risks and rewards of signing both players?
5. Lastly, with the potential renewal of Guillermo Heredia’s contract, how crucial will his presence be for the team’s success next season? What impact will he have on the team’s offensive lineup?
