Samsung Lions' closer Oh Seung-hwan has withdrawn his candidacy from the most valuable player (MVP) race in the nation's top baseball league, his club said Thursday.
The right-handed pitcher was among four players shortlisted for the MVP honors in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). He and his teammate outfielder Choi Hyung-woo, Kia Tigers' right-hander Yoon Seok-min, and reigning MVP Lee Dae-ho of the Lotte Giants were selected last week as candidates by the league and the association of local baseball journalists. Baseball writers and broadcasters will vote for the winner next Monday.
According to the team, Oh at first wanted to be the first full-time closer to win the MVP, but after being named MVP in the championship Korean Series last week, decided to step aside for his teammate Choi. No other KBO candidate has ever backed out of the MVP competition in the past.
Oh pleaded with voters to select Choi, who led the KBO with 30 home runs, 118 runs batted in (RBI) and .617 slugging percentage.
Oh topped the KBO with 47 saves and struck out 76 batters in 57 innings, with an earned run average (ERA) of 0.63. No full-time closer has won an MVP in the KBO. In winning the 1996 MVP, Hanwha Eagles pitcher Koo Dae-sung split his time as a starter and a closer, and led the league in wins with 18 and was second in saves with 24.
Since KBO votes are cast after the postseason, unlike in Major League Baseball, playoff performances often factor into decisions.
Since the Lions won the Korean Series, Oh and Choi were expected to duel for the MVP, while Yoon and Lee, whose teams were knocked out early in the playoffs, were seen as outsiders.
Yoon had a fine season of his own. He won the pitching triple crown as the league leader with 17 wins, 2.45 ERA and 178 strikeouts.
Lee, who won last year's MVP in a landslide after topping in seven categories, led the KBO in batting average, hits and on-base percentage this season.
A Lions official denied the club pressured Oh to give up his candidacy for Choi.
"We are actually surprised by Oh's decision," the official said. "This was all done out of good will between teammates. I hope people don't get the wrong idea." (Yonhap)