Chong Tae-Hyon
Encyclopedia
Tae-Hyon Chong (Hangul
: 정대현, Hanja
: 鄭大炫) (born November 10, 1978 in Gunsan
, Jeollabuk-do
, South Korea
) is a South Korean professional baseball
pitcher
who is a free agent. He bats and throws right-handed. Chong is considered one of the most unusual submarine pitchers, almost hitting his arm on the ground.
in Sydney
. At the Intercontinental Cup, he was 1-1 with a 1.47 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 18.1 innings. In Korea's first game of the round-robin tournament
against Cuba
, Chong came on to pitch in relief and led his team to a 4-3 victory, which was South Korea's first victory over Cuba at international baseball competitions organized by the IBAF. Besides, he pitched a 8.2 inning shutout victory over the Netherlands
with nine strikeouts.
In 2000, as a senior Chong was selected for the South Korea national baseball team for the 2000 Summer Olympics
held in Sydney
, Australia
. As the only amateur player on the 24-man roster, Chong started two critical games against Team USA
, facing Roy Oswalt
as a starter
in both of the games. In the first game against the United States in the round-robin, he pitched seven scoreless innings with five strikeouts, allowing six hits. In the semifinal game against the United States, he gave up only two runs and five hits in 6.1 innings with six strikeouts. Due to his impressive performance, Team South Korea eventually won their first Olympic medal.
, he had a mediocre rookie season, pitching only 16.2 innings in 18 games as a setup man with a 5.40 ERA
and 20 strikeouts, allowing 19 hits and 10 earned run
s.
In , Chong had a better season, pitching 42 innings in 24 games with a 3.21 ERA and 30 strikeouts. In November, he was selected for the South Korean national team and led his team to the silver medal at the 2002 Intercontinental Cup
. In the round-robin tournament
, Chong racked up 11 strikeouts against Panama
, allowing 2 runs and 6 hits in 5.2 innings pitched, and pitched a 5-1 complete game victory over Dominican Republic
. Chong started for South Korea in the gold medal game, and allowed 2 runs over 6 innings in a 1-2 loss to Cuba
. He tied José Ibar
of Cuba for the Cup lead in strikeouts.
In the season, he pitched 51 innings in 37 games, going 4-3 with a 2.29 ERA
, 2 saves and 8 holds, allowing 33 hits, 4 home runs and 13 earned runs.
In , Chong appeared in 52 games with 69.1 innings pitched and posted a record of 2-3 with a 2.34 ERA, 2 saves and a career-best 16 holds, allowing 62 hits and 2 home runs.
In , Chong got an injury at his arm and missed the first half of the season, undergoing arthroscopic surgery. He came back from injury in the second half of the season and posted a remarkable ERA of 0.37, racking up 3 saves and 6 holds and allowing only 1 earned run in 24.1 innings pitched.
In , Chong shared the Wyverns' closer
role with former Major League Baseball
relief pitcher
José Cabrera. Chong recorded 15 saves and 11 holds with a 2.57 ERA.
Chong had his career-best season in , when Cabrera left via free agency to the Lotte Giants
and Chong became the full-time closer for the Wyverns. Chong posted career-highs in saves (27) and strikeouts (65) with a 0.92 ERA, and allowed only 50 hits and 3 home runs in 78.1 innings pitched. He became the first pitcher to have a sub-1.00 ERA in 70+ innings pitched since 1995, when South Korean pitching legend Sun Dong-Yeol
posted a 0.49 ERA in 109.1 innings pitched.
In , Chong was called up for the South Korea national baseball team and participated in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games held in Beijing
, China
. He led his team to the gold medal, pitching 4 innings with 7 strikeouts, allowing one run and saving two.
In the gold medal game, closer Chong contributed to escaping the one-out bases-loaded jam by inducing a game-ending double play along with battery mate Jin Kab-Yong
to edge Cuba 3-2.
In , Chong was sidelined in the early part of the season due to a chronic knee problem. He came back to the bullpen in May but was demoted from his role as Wyverns closer, losing the job to Lee Seung-Ho
. Chong completed a strong season as a flexible set-up man and an occasional closer as well, posting a 1.40 ERA with 8 holds and 4 saves in 49 games.
On November 21, 2011 Chong signed a 2-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball.
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
: 정대현, Hanja
Hanja
Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...
: 鄭大炫) (born November 10, 1978 in Gunsan
Gunsan
Gunsan is a city in North Jeolla Province, South Korea. It is located on the south bank of the Geum River just upstream from its exit into the Yellow Sea. Gunsan is served by frequent railway service on the Gunsan Line from Iksan. It is also connected to the Seohaean Expressway.Kunsan Air Base...
, Jeollabuk-do
Jeollabuk-do
Jeollabuk-do is a province in the southwest of South Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former Jeolla province, and remained a province of Korea until the country's division in 1945, then became part of South Korea...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
) is a South Korean professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
who is a free agent. He bats and throws right-handed. Chong is considered one of the most unusual submarine pitchers, almost hitting his arm on the ground.
Amateur career
In 1999, as a junior at Kyung Hee University, Chong was selected as a member of the South Korea national baseball team for the 1999 Intercontinental CupIntercontinental Cup (baseball)
The Intercontinental Cup is a baseball tournament between the members of the International Baseball Federation . It was first held in 1973 in Italy, and was held every other year following until 1999....
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. At the Intercontinental Cup, he was 1-1 with a 1.47 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 18.1 innings. In Korea's first game of the round-robin tournament
Round-robin tournament
A round-robin tournament is a competition "in which each contestant meets all other contestants in turn".-Terminology:...
against Cuba
Cuba national baseball team
The Cuba national baseball team is the national team of Cuba. The team is made up of amateur players from the Cuban national baseball system, as there are no professional sports leagues in Cuba...
, Chong came on to pitch in relief and led his team to a 4-3 victory, which was South Korea's first victory over Cuba at international baseball competitions organized by the IBAF. Besides, he pitched a 8.2 inning shutout victory over the Netherlands
Netherlands national baseball team
The Netherlands national baseball team is the national baseball team of the Netherlands. They are currently the top team in Europe and currently the sixth ranked men's baseball team in the IBAF World Rankings....
with nine strikeouts.
In 2000, as a senior Chong was selected for the South Korea national baseball team for the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
held in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. As the only amateur player on the 24-man roster, Chong started two critical games against Team USA
United States national baseball team
The United States National Baseball team represents the United States in international baseball competition. The United States has won the previous two Baseball World Cups, having lost this title to the Netherlands in 2011, and is currently second in the IBAF World Rankings, behind Cuba.The team...
, facing Roy Oswalt
Roy Oswalt
Roy Edward Oswalt is an American Major League Baseball pitcher and Olympic gold medalist who is currently a free agent. Oswalt, a slender six-foot right-handed starting pitcher, is currently in his eleventh major league season...
as a starter
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
in both of the games. In the first game against the United States in the round-robin, he pitched seven scoreless innings with five strikeouts, allowing six hits. In the semifinal game against the United States, he gave up only two runs and five hits in 6.1 innings with six strikeouts. Due to his impressive performance, Team South Korea eventually won their first Olympic medal.
Notable international careers
| Year | Venue | Competition | Team | Individual Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Intercontinental Cup Intercontinental Cup (baseball) The Intercontinental Cup is a baseball tournament between the members of the International Baseball Federation . It was first held in 1973 in Italy, and was held every other year following until 1999.... |
7th | 1-1; 1.47 ERA (3 G, 18.1 IP, 3 ER, 21 K) | |
| 2000 | Olympic Games Baseball at the 2000 Summer Olympics Baseball at the 2000 Summer Olympics was the third time an Olympic baseball tournament had been held as a full medal sport, and the ninth time it had been part of the Summer Olympic Games in any capacity. It was held in Sydney, Australia from 17 September through to the bronze and gold medal games... |
 |
0-0; 1.35 ERA (2 G, 13.1 IP, 2 ER, 11 K) | |
Professional career
In , signed by the SK WyvernsSK Wyverns
SK Wyverns Baseball Club is a South Korean professional baseball team founded in 2000. Based in Incheon, they play their home games at Munhak Baseball Stadium.Their current manager is Man Soo Lee .-History:...
, he had a mediocre rookie season, pitching only 16.2 innings in 18 games as a setup man with a 5.40 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
and 20 strikeouts, allowing 19 hits and 10 earned run
Earned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable . Any runner who tags his base and reaches home plate is scored against the pitcher as an earned run...
s.
In , Chong had a better season, pitching 42 innings in 24 games with a 3.21 ERA and 30 strikeouts. In November, he was selected for the South Korean national team and led his team to the silver medal at the 2002 Intercontinental Cup
Intercontinental Cup (baseball)
The Intercontinental Cup is a baseball tournament between the members of the International Baseball Federation . It was first held in 1973 in Italy, and was held every other year following until 1999....
. In the round-robin tournament
Round-robin tournament
A round-robin tournament is a competition "in which each contestant meets all other contestants in turn".-Terminology:...
, Chong racked up 11 strikeouts against Panama
Panama national baseball team
The Panama national baseball team is the national team of Panama. They are currently the 16th ranked baseball team in the world.- Roster :PitchersManuel Acosta,Albenis Castillo,Bienvenido Cedeno,Bruce Chen,Manuel Corpas,Jorge Cortez,...
, allowing 2 runs and 6 hits in 5.2 innings pitched, and pitched a 5-1 complete game victory over Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. Chong started for South Korea in the gold medal game, and allowed 2 runs over 6 innings in a 1-2 loss to Cuba
Cuba national baseball team
The Cuba national baseball team is the national team of Cuba. The team is made up of amateur players from the Cuban national baseball system, as there are no professional sports leagues in Cuba...
. He tied José Ibar
José Ibar
José Ibar Martínez is a Cuban baseball player and Olympic silver medalist.-External links:*...
of Cuba for the Cup lead in strikeouts.
In the season, he pitched 51 innings in 37 games, going 4-3 with a 2.29 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
, 2 saves and 8 holds, allowing 33 hits, 4 home runs and 13 earned runs.
In , Chong appeared in 52 games with 69.1 innings pitched and posted a record of 2-3 with a 2.34 ERA, 2 saves and a career-best 16 holds, allowing 62 hits and 2 home runs.
In , Chong got an injury at his arm and missed the first half of the season, undergoing arthroscopic surgery. He came back from injury in the second half of the season and posted a remarkable ERA of 0.37, racking up 3 saves and 6 holds and allowing only 1 earned run in 24.1 innings pitched.
In , Chong shared the Wyverns' closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
role with former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
José Cabrera. Chong recorded 15 saves and 11 holds with a 2.57 ERA.
Chong had his career-best season in , when Cabrera left via free agency to the Lotte Giants
Lotte Giants
The Lotte Giants are a professional baseball team based in Busan, Korea, and one of the original franchises of the Korea Baseball Organization league. The Lotte Giants are owned by the Japanese-South Korean Lotte conglomerate....
and Chong became the full-time closer for the Wyverns. Chong posted career-highs in saves (27) and strikeouts (65) with a 0.92 ERA, and allowed only 50 hits and 3 home runs in 78.1 innings pitched. He became the first pitcher to have a sub-1.00 ERA in 70+ innings pitched since 1995, when South Korean pitching legend Sun Dong-Yeol
Sun Dong-Yeol
Sun Dong-Yeol is a retired pitcher in the Korea Professional Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball, and is New manager of Kia Tigers in the Korea Professional Baseball...
posted a 0.49 ERA in 109.1 innings pitched.
In , Chong was called up for the South Korea national baseball team and participated in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games held in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. He led his team to the gold medal, pitching 4 innings with 7 strikeouts, allowing one run and saving two.
In the gold medal game, closer Chong contributed to escaping the one-out bases-loaded jam by inducing a game-ending double play along with battery mate Jin Kab-Yong
Jin Kab-Yong
Jin Kab-Yong is a catcher who plays for the Samsung Lions in the Korea Baseball Organization...
to edge Cuba 3-2.
In , Chong was sidelined in the early part of the season due to a chronic knee problem. He came back to the bullpen in May but was demoted from his role as Wyverns closer, losing the job to Lee Seung-Ho
Lee Seung-Ho
Lee Seung-Ho is a South Korean baseball relief pitcher for the Lotte Giants in the Korean Baseball Organization...
. Chong completed a strong season as a flexible set-up man and an occasional closer as well, posting a 1.40 ERA with 8 holds and 4 saves in 49 games.
KBO career statistics
| Year | Team | ERA | G | W | L | SV | HD | CG | ShO | IP | H | HR | BB | K | R | ER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | SK SK Wyverns SK Wyverns Baseball Club is a South Korean professional baseball team founded in 2000. Based in Incheon, they play their home games at Munhak Baseball Stadium.Their current manager is Man Soo Lee .-History:... |
5.40 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16.2 | 19 | 2 | 11 | 20 | 10 | 10 |
| 2002 | 3.21 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42.0 | 37 | 2 | 11 | 30 | 15 | 15 | |
| 2003 | 2.29 | 37 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 51.0 | 33 | 4 | 20 | 34 | 16 | 13 | |
| 2004 | 2.34 | 52 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 69.1 | 62 | 2 | 19 | 50 | 22 | 18 | |
| 2005 | 0.37 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 24.1 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 18 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2006 | 1.94 | 59 | 8 | 4 | 15 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 74.1 | 55 | 3 | 26 | 52 | 19 | 16 | |
| 2007 | 0.92 | 60 | 3 | 2 | 27 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 78.1 | 50 | 3 | 32 | 65 | 12 | 8 | |
| 2008 | 2.67 | 49 | 4 | 3 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60.2 | 51 | 4 | 25 | 50 | 18 | 18 | |
| 2009 | 1.20 | 56 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 52.2 | 40 | 1 | 21 | 43 | 11 | 7 | |
| 2010 | 1.40 | 49 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 45.0 | 31 | 1 | 8 | 47 | 7 | 7 | |
| 2011 | 1.48 | 53 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 52.2 | 43 | 1 | 28 | 39 | 12 | 9 | |
| Total | 1.93 | 477 | 32 | 22 | 99 | 76 | 0 | 0 | 569.0 | 431 | 24 | 207 | 448 | 143 | 122 | |
Notable international careers
| Year | Venue | Competition | Team | Individual Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Intercontinental Cup 2002 Intercontinental Cup (baseball) The 2002 Intercontinental Cup was held in Havana, Cuba from November 8 through November 20, 2002. Cuba defeated South Korea 2-1 in the final to win the tournament.... |
 |
1-1, 2.18 ERA (3 G, 20.2 IP, 5 ER, 24 K) SO Strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters.... title |
|
| 2006 | World Baseball Classic 2006 World Baseball Classic ---------Pool B:-------------Pool C:-------------Pool D:-------------Pool 1:-----------------Pool 2:-------------Finals:-Semifinals:-Final:-Final standings:... |
|
0-0, 5.40 ERA (3 G, 3.1 IP, 2 ER, 6 K) | |
| 2007 | Asian Baseball Championship Asian Baseball Championship The Asian Baseball Championship is the main championship tournament between national baseball teams in Asia, governed by the Baseball Federation of Asia . It is held every other year in odd-numbered years and since 1983 it also functions as the qualification games for the Baseball at the Summer... |
|
0-0, 1 SV, 0.00 ERA (2 G, 1.2 IP, 0 ER, 2 K) | |
| 2008 | Final Olympic Qualification Tournament | |
0-0, 1 SV, 0.00 ERA (2 G, 2.1 IP, 0 ER, 2 K) | |
| 2008 | Olympic Games |  |
0-0, 2 SV, 2.25 ERA (3 G, 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 7 K) | |
| 2009 | World Baseball Classic 2009 World Baseball Classic The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the... |
|
0-0, 0.00 ERA (3 G, 1.2 IP, 0 ER, 2 K) | |
| Asian Games | |
1-0, 0.00 ERA (2 G, 1.1 IP, 0 ER) | ||
On November 21, 2011 Chong signed a 2-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from the KBO official site
- databaseOlympics