Jung Bong
Bong Jung-keun | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Pitcher | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born: Seoul, South Korea | July 15, 1980||||||||||||||||||||||||
Batted: Left Threw: Left | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Professional debut | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
MLB: April 23, 2002, for the Atlanta Braves | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
KBO: April 11, 2007, for the LG Twins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last appearance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
MLB: June 20, 2004, for the Cincinnati Reds | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
KBO: October 4, 2016, for the LG Twins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
MLB statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Win–loss record | 7–4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Earned run average | 5.17 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Strikeouts | 62 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
KBO statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Win–loss record | 55–46 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Earned run average | 3.41 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Strikeouts | 654 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Saves | 109 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Teams | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Jung Bong | |
Hangul | 봉중근 |
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Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Bong Jung-geun |
McCune–Reischauer | Pong Chung-gŭn |
Bong Jung-keun (Korean: 봉중근; Hanja:
Career
[edit]Amateur
[edit]Bong is often considered one of the greatest hitting pitchers in Korean high school baseball history. While attending Shinil High School in Seoul, he was a highly regarded five-tool player and control pitcher in the Korean High School baseball league, playing as the team's 3rd batter and No.1 starter.[1]
In September 1996, as a freshman at Shinil High School, Bong was named the Best Pitcher in the 50th Golden Lion Flag National High School Baseball Championship, taking 4 of the team's 5 wins. As the team's leadoff hitter, he batted .353 with 6 hits in 17 at-bats.[2]
In May 1997, Bong led his team to its national title at the 52nd Blue Dragon Flag National High School Baseball Championship, going 11-for-16 with 9 RBIs as a batter and racking up 3 wins as a starting pitcher. He won batting (.688), RBI and wins titles, and was unanimously named the tournament MVP.[2]
In September 1997, Bong helped his team to capture another national title at the 51st Golden Lion Flag National High School Baseball Championship. He was named Best Pitcher, earning 4 out of the team's 5 wins as a utility pitcher. As a batter, Bong finished runner-up in batting (.571, 8-for-14) and won the stolen bases title.[2]
International
[edit]In August 1997, Bong competed for the South Korea national junior baseball team in the World Junior Baseball Championship held in Moncton, Canada. In the round robin phase, he went 15-for-25 with 11 RBIs and 13 runs, and hit home runs in 4 consecutive games, playing in 5 preliminary games as a center fielder and relief pitcher. South Korea was eliminated by USA 7–0 in the quarterfinals, but Bong additionally accumulated 3 hits and 3 RBIs in the 5th–8th classification games. He finished the tournament with a .500 batting average (18-for-36), 14 RBIs and 4 home runs, and was named the tournament MVP. He also won the home run title and was selected to the All-Star team as an outfielder as well.[2]
Bong also helped Korea to the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.[3]
Bong also appeared in the 2009 World Baseball Classic against Japan as a starter, allowing 3 hits and scoring 2 strikeouts in 51⁄3 innings for a 1–0 victory.[3]
Notable international careers
[edit]Year | Venue | Competition | Team | Individual Note |
---|---|---|---|---|
1997 | Canada | World Junior Baseball Championship | 5th | .500 BA (18-for-36), 4 HR, 14 RBI MVP, All-Star (OF), HR title |
2006 | United States | World Baseball Classic | 0–0, 0.00 ERA (3 G, 2.2 IP, 0 ER, 1 K) | |
2008 | China | Olympic Games | 0–0, 8.31 ERA (2 G, 8.2 IP, 8 ER, 6 K) | |
2009 | United States | World Baseball Classic | 2–0, 0.51 ERA (4 G, 17.2 IP, 1 ER, 4 K) All-Star (P) | |
2010 | China | Asian Games | 0–0, 0.00 ERA (1 G, 1.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 K) |
Major League Baseball career
[edit]Bong began his career with the Braves, signing with the team in 1998 while still in High school for a bonus of $1.7 million. Bong made his major league debut in 2002 pitching 6 innings in one game.[3] The next year, he was moved to the bullpen and pitched in 44 games, winning six and losing two, and recorded his first save.[3] With the Reds in 2004, he pitched 151⁄3 innings, winning one game and losing one. He missed the whole 2005 season due to shoulder surgery, and the Reds outrighted him to Triple-A Louisville after the season.[3]
KBO League career
[edit]The Reds released him on May 12, 2006; he returned to Korea to continue his career.[4]
In 2008, with the LG Twins, Bong had a 2.66 ERA and 140 strikeouts.[1]
Bong retired from professional baseball on September 19, 2018, after 12 years playing for the LG Twins.[5]
Personal records
[edit]Year | Team | G | GS | W | L | SV | H | CG | ShO | IP | H | HR | BB | K | R | ER | ERA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | ATL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.0 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 7.50 |
2003 | 44 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 57.0 | 56 | 8 | 31 | 47 | 32 | 32 | 5.05 | |
2004 | CIN | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15.1 | 17 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 8 | 4.70 |
2007 | LG | 24 | 22 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 111.2 | 121 | 6 | 60 | 56 | 71 | 66 | 5.32 |
2008 | 28 | 28 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 186.1 | 153 | 13 | 80 | 140 | 66 | 55 | 2.66 | |
2009 | 26 | 26 | 11 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 172.1 | 160 | 13 | 71 | 127 | 70 | 63 | 3.29 | |
2010 | 28 | 28 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 178.1 | 166 | 13 | 83 | 130 | 74 | 71 | 3.58 | |
2011 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16.1 | 13 | 1 | 14 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 4.96 | |
2012 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38.0 | 26 | 1 | 14 | 36 | 5 | 5 | 1.18 | |
2013 | 55 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61.0 | 44 | 2 | 17 | 54 | 10 | 9 | 1.33 | |
2014 | 50 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49.2 | 51 | 2 | 17 | 45 | 16 | 16 | 2.90 | |
2015 | 47 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49.1 | 60 | 10 | 23 | 39 | 28 | 27 | 4.93 | |
2016 | 19 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 36.1 | 41 | 4 | 22 | 20 | 23 | 20 | 4.95 | |
TOTAL | 276 | 119 | 62 | 49 | 110 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 976.2 | 916 | 76 | 444 | 716 | 422 | 386 | 3.95 |
Filmography
[edit]Television shows
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
2022 | Back to the Ground | Contestant | [6] |
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Ex-MLB pitcher Bong Jung-keun announces retirement". Yonhap News Agency. September 19, 2018. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Retiring pitcher has no regrets after sacrificing for club". Yonhap News Agency. September 28, 2018. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "Atlanta Braves: Jung Bong calls it a career". September 20, 2018.
- ^ "Jung-Keun Bong on KFFL".
- ^ "Ex-MLB pitcher Bong Jung-keun announces retirement". September 19, 2018.
- ^ Cha Hye-young (May 11, 2022). "봉중근, 일본 톱타자 이치로에 굴욕 안긴 과거 재조명 ('빽 투 더 그라운드')" [Bong Joong-geun re-examines the past when Japan's top hitter Ichiro was humiliated ('Back to the Ground')] (in Korean). Ten Asia. Retrieved May 11, 2022 – via Naver.
External links
[edit]- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Career statistics and player information from Korea Baseball Organization
- Bong Jung-Keun at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)
- Jung-Keun Bong at databaseOlympics.com at the Wayback Machine (archived September 28, 2011)
- Bong Jung-keun Fancafe at Daum (in Korean)
- 1980 births
- Living people
- Atlanta Braves players
- Cincinnati Reds players
- Major League Baseball players from South Korea
- South Korean expatriate baseball players in the United States
- Major League Baseball pitchers
- Gulf Coast Braves players
- Macon Braves players
- Myrtle Beach Pelicans players
- Greenville Braves players
- Richmond Braves players
- Louisville Bats players
- Chattanooga Lookouts players
- LG Twins players
- Olympic baseball players for South Korea
- Baseball players at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- Olympic gold medalists for South Korea
- 2006 World Baseball Classic players
- 2009 World Baseball Classic players
- Olympic medalists in baseball
- Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- Asian Games medalists in baseball
- Baseball players at the 2010 Asian Games
- Baseball players at the 2014 Asian Games
- Asian Games gold medalists for South Korea
- Medalists at the 2010 Asian Games
- Medalists at the 2014 Asian Games