The Dream of Yang, No Excuses for Not Challenging

Editor-in-chief Ryu Dae-hoon

wherearetacos@naver.com

 Korean baseball player, Yang Hyeon-jong took his first step in the Major League Baseball. On April 27, Yang’s team, the Texas Rangers, had a game with the LA Angels. In the 3rd inning, head coach Chris Woodward came up and raised his left arm up to call Yang to the mound. Yang’s dream finally became a reality after 14 seasons of dedication in Korea.

 He never had a strong career in Korea from the beginning. He was drafted for the first pick of the first round in the 2007 draft. Fans had sky-high expectations on him for sure. However, Yang had to deal with higher levels of players under huge pressure. In the first two years, he only recorded one winning game while suffering seven lost games. He finally proved his name value in 2009. He made fantastic numbers with 12 wins, with a 3.15 ERA. His team at that time, the KIA Tigers, won the championship game thanks to Yang’s pitches.

I would like to say his days went great after that 2009 season, but that would be a lie. He had a shoulder injury and completely lost his balance after getting injured. The three seasons after he sustained his injury were awful. Yet, even though it is common for players to disappear after one good season, Yang was different. He went on a strict rehabilitation program and lead a clean, alcohol-free life. After the games had finished, he often went on to the mound to practice shadow pitching. The stadium was completely dark as the lights had been turned off after the game, but he did not care.

Now, he has become a great player. Among his accolades, he can claim Asian Game gold medal, two-time league champions, three-time All-Stars, Golden Glove Award and a season MVP. These are what define him. Before the 2021 season started, he announced he wanted to challenge for the MLB. His contract with Texas was a one-year Minor League deal. He must have had better contracts if he had stayed in Korea. However, he decided to follow his dream and challenge for a higher level.

 On his debut game, he faced legendary superstars like Mike Trout and Albert Pujols. If Yang had settled for the present and pursued a higher salary or stability, there would only have been a few chances to compete with Mike or Albert. He is now a 34-year-old rookie. Many people will say 34 is too old to be a rookie or challenge for a new league, but it is not. There may be excuses for fail the challenge, but no excuses for not challenging. It is never too late to challenge.