‘Cannon Heater Kim Jae-hyun’ is one of the strongest franchise stars in LG Twins history.
He joined as a high school graduate in 1994 and immediately became the main outfielder and led LG to the championship. Along with rookies Ryu Ji-hyeon and Seo Yong-bin, who were college graduates, they dragged their brother’s squad as a rookie trio and decorated the heyday of LG and Korean professional baseball. The 134 hits in 125 games that year were the most hits in the debut season of a high school graduate in professional baseball history for 23 years until Lee Jung-hoo (Kiwoom) joined in 2017.
‘Cannon Heater’, which LG fans longed for even in their dreams, has returned to LG after 19 years.
On the 29th, LG officially announced that it had appointed Kim Jae-hyeon (48) as power reinforcement coordinator. Kim Jae-hyun took a look at not only the 2nd team but also the 1st team, communicated with the field, and became the person in charge of strengthening LG’s training. This is a new position created by LG for the purpose of strengthening strategic functions within the front, such as advice and improvement to the front and players in general.
Jaehyun Kim was the most painful finger of longtime LG fans. The breakup between LG and Kim Jae-hyun was not ordinary. After he became a junior high school student, he underwent surgery for an injury and was rehabilitated with indomitable will and stood on the ground, but the club was concerned about the risk and did not take care of the player’s pride. In 2004, when Kim Jae-hyeon became a free agent (FA), his contract with LG failed and he moved to SK. Like other players, it wasn’t a matter of numbers in terms of the contract, so Kim Jae-hyun’s comeback was a long-cherished desire for fans who had sadly left. Kim Jae-hyun and LG, who have been active as coaches in other clubs and national teams, have not been able to make a point of contact for 20 years. There were several unknown opportunities, but Kim Jae-hyun, who was unable to make a decision, finally took LG’s hand.
In a phone call with a reporter on the 29th, Kim Jae-hyun said, “I came back after a really long road. In fact, I really wanted to come back,” he said. But he always thought it was a place I had to return to someday, and I thought this was my last chance.” 안전놀이터
Kim Jae-hyun returned to LG as a front, not as an on-site coaching staff. LG, which has been a candidate for the championship for several years but has not won, replaced the command tower and coaching staff and recruited franchise star Kim Jae-hyun to the newly created position for the season with the only goal being the championship. It is an important challenge for both LG and Jaehyun Kim. It is also the reason Kim Jae-hyun decided to return to LG.
Kim Jae-hyun said, “I’m looking forward to it because I really wanted to come back, but it’s a lot of pressure. As an LG fan and as a third party while commenting, there are regrettable parts that I thought of. In the end, it will all come down to the fact that they didn’t win. Even though it is the best club in terms of fandom, it has not won a championship for 29 years. It cannot be said that it is the director’s fault. There will be many reasons, and I think I need a process to see from the outside and see if my thoughts are correct,” he said.
Kim Jae-hyeon is already going to his office to figure out his business. He has already met and talked with director Yeom Gyeong-yeop, who left for the US camp on the 27th, and discussed the future direction. Starting with the Futures team training, which starts on February 1st at Champions Park in Icheon, he starts working in earnest. After 19 years, Jaehyun Kim put on the LG glossy jumper again.