Heroes' non-FA annual salary No. 2 is "Lee player," not Lee Yong-kyu

Kiwoom Heroes announced the results of the 2024 season's annual salary contract on the 22nd. Won Jong-hyun (four years, 2.5 billion won), Lee Hyung-jong (four years, 2 billion won), Lee Won-seok (one year, 1 billion won), and the second draft joined but signed 44 players, excluding Choi Joo-hwan (four years, 4.2 billion won), who is under FA contract, and military players. There are only six big annual salaries. Kim Hye-sung, who costs 650 million won, is by far the No. 1 player. Next are Lee Yong-gyu with 200 million won, Kim Jae-woong with 190 million won, Song Seong-moon with 130 million won, and Kim Tae-jin and Kim Hwi-jip with 110 million won. Although the annual salary negotiations for the 10 teams are not all over yet, it is most likely that there will be the fewest annual salaries among non-FA players in the 10 teams. Veterans were recruited as FA a year ago, but the key to this team is to foster and utilize younger players than veterans. Therefore, the cost-effectiveness structure is in place to maximize performance while effectively managing Payroll. However, this does not necessarily mean that the company is not investing at all. Kim Hye-sung's highest annual salary in his eighth year is now the next generation's flagship infielder Kim Hui-jip has become a multi-billion-year salary. And there is another hidden multi-million-year salary. Cho Sang-woo returned after finishing his career as a social service worker in December last year. Cho Sang-woo is still a suspended player. His annual salary is 340 million won. He signed the contract ahead of the 2022 season. When this season opens, Cho will be registered as an official player, and he is expected to continue his contract of 340 million won naturally. For this reason, Kiwoom's non-FA annual salary of No. 2 should be regarded as Cho Sang-woo, not Lee Yong-kyu. Cho Sang-woo will qualify for the Major League through posting by completing the eight-year full-time job normally after this season. Observers keep saying that Cho is considering going to the Major League. As there was a two-year hiatus, he is known to have a strong will to show something this season. Both responsibility and motivation are certain. Kiwoom's biggest concern this season is that the starting lineup without ace Ahn Woo-jin is not calculated. However, it could be Kiwoom's biggest strength in the 8th to 9th innings that Cho Sang-woo and Kim Jae-woong will keep. If even the two bullpen's billion-year-olds collapse, it could make it quite difficult to manage the mound. Kiwoom is a team of young players, but I realized in the 2023 season that if veterans are too sagging, the team's power will be reduced. It is too much to ask players who are not billion-year-olds to take over the pillar of this team. In a way, it is very important that a small number of billion-year-olds and veterans do their part. The role of Cho Sang-woo, who is hiding, is important.