Outfielder Mike Tuckman, 33, who played for the Hanwha Eagles last season, is still feeling the disappointment of not being re-signed.
“I was disappointed,” Tuckman said in the Chicago Cubs’ clubhouse before the team’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Nov. 21 (KST), recalling the winter when his contract with Hanwha fell through.
Tuckman, who had previously signed a $1 million deal with Hanwha for the 2022 season, batted .289 with a .366 on-base percentage, .430 slugging 메이저놀이터 percentage, 12 home runs and 43 RBIs in 144 games. A possible re-signing was raised after the season, but Hanwha reversed course and he returned to the United States.
In the long run, it’s probably for the best that he didn’t re-sign with Hanwha, as he’s now back in the U.S. and has a chance at the big leagues.
Tuckman called it “disappointing” for a different reason. “My understanding was that there were positive talks to re-sign me, but unfortunately those talks stopped and they signed another player,” he said.
“I was looking forward to playing for Hanwha again,” he said, “but I felt that the way we handled the situation was not the best. In the end, I tried to accept it as ‘business,'” he said, swallowing his regret.
Despite his disappointment, he reflects on his time in Korea, describing his year there as a “wonderful experience of a lifetime.”
“I enjoyed living in Daejeon. I think I had a positive experience. It also helped that my coach was a foreigner. Last year, I was the only foreigner on the team for a while because other foreign players got injured early on, so it was helpful to have a coach and manager that I could understand.”
He also talked about the advantages of living in Daejeon, saying, “The city is in the middle of the country, so it doesn’t take much time to go anywhere.
“Even if we didn’t understand each other, we were always welcomed,” he said, emphasizing that he enjoyed his time in Korea.
One of the things that impressed him most about playing baseball in Korea was the “stadium atmosphere”. “The fans were so passionate. The singing, chanting, and other things they do throughout the game are really fun.”
He was particularly impressed with the Hanwha fans’ “Strongest Hanwha” chants in the eighth inning. “No matter what situation the team was in, the fans cared a lot, chanted, and supported us. I am also very grateful to the Hanwha fans for being so nice to me and my family here,” he said.
