‘The unstoppable bullpen duo’ Ko Hyo-jun (40) and Noh Kyeong-eun (39, SSG Landers) said, “We prepared the same as last year” before starting spring camp .If the results are the same as last year, the two can maintain their positions as SSG’s core bullpen. The two, who left for Biro Beach, Florida, USA, where the professional baseball SSG spring camp was set up on the 30th with their juniors, said in an interview with reporters before leaving the country, “There is nothing to change except having to adapt to changing regulations such as the automatic ball judging system and pitch clock. “We prepared the same way and will hold spring camp like last year,” he said .Left-handed bullpen Ko Hyo-jun pitched 58 innings in 73 games last year, posting 4 wins, 1 loss, 13 holds, and an ERA of 4.50. Right-hander Noh Kyung-eun appeared in 76 games and pitched 83 innings. He ranks second in the number of appearances in the 2023 KBO League, and has the highest number of innings of relief appearances. Despite frequent appearances, he posted 9 wins, 5 losses, 2 saves, 30 holds, and an ERA of 3.58, ranking second in holds.
The hold gap with Park Young-hyun (20, kt wiz), who was 19 years younger than last year and ranked first in holds, was only two .Noh Gyeong-eun said with a grin, “When asked about my goal last year, I answered ‘Hold Top 5’, but opportunities to hold came more often than I thought. This year, I will raise my goal to ‘Hold Top 3’.”He said, “Actually, I’m not greedy for an individual title. Being able to pitch at a hold opportunity means being recognized for my position, so I set my goal of being in the top 3. Of course, even if I’m not in a hold situation, I’ll do a good job blocking my opponent.” He added. Ko Hyo-jun, who is the second oldest KBO League pitcher in 2024 after Oh Seung-hwan (42, Samsung Lions), said, “Injuries are the biggest enemy at my age. My biggest goal is to play a good season without getting sick.” “We competed in good faith. Isn’t it natural for us to help each other and let the best pitcher at the time take the mound? I want to maintain good pitch and physical condition throughout the season,” he said.
If you achieve your short-term goals one by one, you may be able to reach larger goals. Ko Hyo-jun said, “I have been playing as a professional baseball player so far, so I have achieved my life goal to some extent,” but added, “I want to challenge big pitcher Song Jin-woo’s record as the oldest player. Having Gyeong-eun, who is one year younger, on the same team gives me more motivation.” “I get it,” he said. Song Jin-woo’s KBO League oldest appearance record is 43 years, 7 months and 7 days, and the oldest hold record is 43 years, 1 month and 26 days .If Ko Hyo-jun, born in February 1983, plays in the 2026 season, he can try to break the record .Noh Kyeong-eun hoped, “I also want to play as a player for as long as possible. I want to show my juniors that I can stand on the mound even after I turn 40.”Both Ko Hyo-jun and Noh Kyung took the 2022 recruitment test with ‘invincible status’ and signed with SSG .Ko Hyo-jun and Noh Kyeong-eun, who had overcome the crisis of retirement, played an active part in the team’s left and right winning teams for the next two years (2022-2023 season).The two, who are in their second prime, started spring camp in 스포츠토토존 2024 by shouting, “Like this, longer.”