[IS 포커스] ‘The strongest South Po’ Ryu Hyun-jin wins Warren Span Award

It is not Dallas Kaykle (32, the Chicago White Sox), who recorded an ERA from 1 point this season, and Max Pride (26, Atlanta), which boasts a 100% win rate (7 wins). The best left-handed pitcher in the MLB in 2020 is’Korean Monster’ Ryu Hyun-jin (33, Toronto).

The Warren Span Award Selection Committee selected and announced Ryu Hyun-jin as the winner of this season on the 22nd (Korean time). Ryu Hyun-jin is the first Asian pitcher to receive the Warren Span Award. It was recorded as the first ever winner among Toronto players.

Chuck Shirley Warren Spansang, co-chairman of the Spansang Selection Committee, revealed the reason for the selection, saying, “In spite of the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19), Ryu had an outstanding year to enjoy this award. Ryu Hyun-jin started in 12 games this year, played in the shortened season (162 games per team → 60 games), recording an average of 5 wins, 2 losses and an ERA of 2.69 (72 strikeouts in 67 innings).

The Warren Span Award was established in 1999 to honor the outstanding pitcher Warren Span, who was dedicated to the MLB Hall of Fame. Debuting in 1942, Span has been active for 21 years, recording 363 wins, the most MLB left-handed pitcher. Together with Steve Carlton (329 wins), he is considered the best left-handed pitcher in the league’s history. The’left-handed pitcher’ who performed the best of the year is determined as the winner through the selection committee.

MLB’s legendary stars have won this award. The first winner was Randy Johnson (Arizona at the time). Johnson has won Warren Spansang and National League video titles for four consecutive years since 1999. In 2003, Andy Pettit (then the New York Yankees) broke Johnson’s shouts. Yankees Ace Petit won 21 wins that year. Then, in 2004, 20 wins, Johan Santana (then Minnesota) and 2005, 22 wins, Dontrel Willis (then Florida) held the Warren Span Award.

Recently, the main character has changed every year. The winners were Kaikle (then Houston) in 2015, John Leicester (then Chicago Cubs) in 2016, and Clayton Kershaw (LA Dodgers) in 2017. Blake Snell (Tampa Bay) in 2018 and Patrick Corbin (Washington) in 2018 were certified as the best left-handed pitchers. Snell was added to the American League Cy Young, and Corbin was the team to win the World Series. The top winners of all time were Johnson and Kershaw. Cole Hamels (formerly Atlanta) and Madison Bumgarner (Arizona) have won over 100 personal careers, but have no relationship with Warren Spansang.

MBC SPORTS+ commentator Song Jae-woo said, “There were a lot of outstanding left-handed pitchers in the past, but this award has a symbolic meaning because it is given the name of Span,” he said. “It can be interpreted as a left-handed pitcher.”

Ryu Hyun-jin wore a Toronto uniform on the condition of receiving a total of 80 million dollars (88.8 billion won) for four years of free agent (free agent) last December. There has been quite a bit of concern over his choice of leaving the’pitch-friendly’ National League (NL) Los Angeles Dodgers. The Eastern District of the American League (AL), which Toronto belongs to, is where the strongest teams representing MLB such as the Yankees and Boston gathered.

Ryu Hyun-jin made a big success as an ace from the first season of the transfer and led the team to the postseason. It has been four years since 2016 that Toronto has crossed the threshold of fall baseball. Following the 2nd place in the 2019 NL Saiyoung Vote, this season, it was ranked 3rd in the AL Saiyoung Vote.

Commissioner Song Jae-woo said, “I haven’t received the Sai video for two years in a row, but the Warren Spansang is an award that can soothe that regret.” Is big,” he said.

Reporter Bae Joong-hyun [email protected]