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Bae Young-soo

Bae Young-soo is a former South Korean starting pitcher and current baseball coach, an acclaimed KBO ace who won MVP and multiple Korean Series championships.

1. Early Life and Amateur Career

Bae Young-soo was born on May 4, 1981, in Daegu, South Korea. He attended Daegu Chilseong Elementary School, Gyeongbok Middle School, and Gyeongbuk High School, all renowned for their baseball programs. During his first year at Gyeongbuk High School, he already demonstrated exceptional talent, throwing pitches with a top speed of 91 mph (147 km/h). However, he suffered a right shoulder injury in his third year, which significantly hampered his pitching performance.

Despite the injury, Bae was highly regarded. In the 2000 KBO League Draft, the Samsung Lions surprised many by selecting him as their first-round pick, overriding predictions that they would choose Jang Jun-kwan, a pitcher who had led Daegu Sangwon High School to a championship. Bae Young-soo signed with the Lions in November 1999, receiving the highest contract bonus ever for a high school graduate joining the team at that time, an amount of 250.00 M KRW. This high contract was noteworthy, especially considering that Jang Jun-kwan had reportedly considered moving to the United States to increase his own contract value.

2. Professional Career

Bae Young-soo's professional baseball career spanned two decades, primarily with the Samsung Lions, where he became a franchise star, and later with the Hanwha Eagles and Doosan Bears. His career was marked by periods of dominance, challenging injuries, and notable comebacks.

2.1. Samsung Lions (2000-2014)

Bae Young-soo spent the majority of his professional career, fifteen seasons, with the Samsung Lions, becoming a cornerstone of their pitching rotation and contributing significantly to their success.

2.1.1. Early Years and Development (2000-2003)

In his debut year in 2000, Bae made 25 appearances, though primarily as a reliever. He made his professional pitching debut on April 9 against LG Twins at Jamsil, giving up one run in one inning. His first professional start came on May 14 against LG Twins in Daegu, where he took the loss after giving up seven runs in two innings. In 2001, his second year, he emerged as a key pitcher, securing 13 wins, with 10 of those coming as a starter.

A notable incident occurred on September 18, 2001, in a game against the Lotte Giants. After repeatedly throwing inside pitches, Bae was physically assaulted by then-Lotte Giants player Félix José, who punched him in the face. José received a suspension for the remainder of the season and was removed from the first-team roster the following day. Ironically, after José left Korea due to a double-contract controversy before the 2002 season, Bae Young-soo went on an extraordinary 14-game winning streak against the Lotte Giants, starting from June 23, 2002, until August 31, 2005. This streak tied for the second-longest winning streak by a pitcher against a specific team in KBO history. The streak finally ended on April 8, 2006, in an opening-day game against the Lotte Giants, where he gave up four runs in 6.2 innings pitched and took the loss, coinciding with Félix José's return to the KBO.

In 2002, his performance saw a slight dip, recording 6 wins, though the team went on to win the Korean Series. He bounced back in 2003, achieving 13 wins and demonstrating strong performances.

2.1.2. Peak Performance and MVP Season (2004-2006)

The 2004 season marked Bae Young-soo's career peak. Under the guidance of pitching coach Sun Dong-yol, he blossomed into an ace, achieving 17 wins (16 as a starter) against only 2 losses, with a 2.61 ERA, leading the league in wins and winning percentage. His exceptional performance earned him the KBO League MVP award, making him the first starting pitcher in 14 years to receive the honor. In the Korean Series Game 4 against the Hyundai Unicorns, a team known for its strong batting lineup, he threw an unofficial 10-inning no-hitter, completing 116 pitches. However, the Samsung offense failed to score, and he was relieved in the 11th inning by Kwon Oh-joon, leading to the team losing the no-hitter in the 11th and the game ending in a 0-0 tie after 12 innings.

In 2005, he continued his strong performance. He started the season with a no-walk complete-game shutout against the Lotte Giants on opening day, setting a promising tone. Although he experienced a decline in performance after a left ankle injury in July, he still achieved his third consecutive season with double-digit wins and led the league with 147 strikeouts. He also contributed to the team's regular season title by pitching as both a middle reliever and closer. In Game 2 of the Korean Series, he pitched 6.1 scoreless innings, setting the stage for a team victory. Later that year, he made his first appearance in Japan, starting in the Asia Series final against the Chiba Lotte Marines. Despite taking the loss, he struck out his high school senior, Lee Seung-yuop, twice.

The 2006 season was challenging due to a right shoulder injury, limiting him to 8 wins and 9 losses, though he maintained a 2.92 ERA. He achieved the unique feat among KBO pitchers in the 2000s of maintaining a sub-3.00 ERA for three consecutive years while qualifying for the innings pitched title. Despite his injury, he played a crucial "utility" role in the Korean Series, pitching both as a starter and reliever, recording 2 wins and 1 save, and helping the team clinch the championship against Ryu Hyun-jin's Hanwha Eagles. During the Korean Series, at the suggestion of then-manager Sun Dong-yol, Bae reportedly received strong pain injections of Depomedrol, a steroid-based prohibited substance, which allowed him to pitch with a fastball reaching 94 mph (151 km/h) despite his severe pain. While this heroic effort led the team to victory, it left his elbow severely damaged. Following the season, he traveled to the United States in November for diagnosis, where it was determined that surgery was unavoidable due to severe ligament damage. He underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow on January 27, 2007.

2.1.3. Rehabilitation and Comeback Attempts (2007-2011)

Due to the Tommy John surgery and subsequent rehabilitation, Bae Young-soo did not play any first-team games in 2007. Before the surgery, his fastball reached 96 mph (155 km/h), and his slider was 89 mph (144 km/h). His average fastball speed before surgery was 90 mph (145 km/h). Despite the severity of his injury, his recovery from the surgery was relatively fast compared to other players, returning to the mound after only one year of rehabilitation.

In 2008, he returned to the mound, reaching 91 mph (146 km/h) in spring training. While his fastball velocity fluctuated during the season, dropping to 86 mph (138 km/h) at one point, he regained form after the Olympic break, relying on his signature slider and other breaking balls. He eventually recovered his average fastball speed to 86 mph (138 km/h)-87 mph (140 km/h), with a top speed of 90 mph (145 km/h). He achieved 9 wins in his first season back, showing remarkable recovery for a pitcher just one year post-Tommy John surgery.

However, 2009 saw a significant decline, with Bae recording a dismal 1 win and 12 losses. This poor performance was attributed to the premature stress on the surgical area from his quick return, resulting in fastball speeds below 87 mph (140 km/h).

After the 2010 season, Bae Young-soo became eligible for free agency. He sought a move to Nippon Professional Baseball, negotiating with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows for a two-year contract worth up to 170.00 M JPY (approximately 2.30 B KRW). The deal was scuttled after he failed a medical test due to a liver enzyme issue related to Hepatitis B, which did not meet the club's standards. Consequently, he remained with the Samsung Lions, signing a two-year contract worth 600.00 M KRW in signing bonus, 200.00 M KRW in annual salary, and 300.00 M KRW in options. In 2010, he recorded 6 wins and 8 losses. Despite this, he secured a one-run save in Game 4 of the KBO League Playoff Series against the Doosan Bears, pitching 1.1 scoreless innings and leading his team to victory.

In 2011, he started the season well but experienced a decline in pitching velocity as the season progressed, finishing with 6 wins and 8 losses. However, his performance in the 2011 Asia Series against the Taiwanese team Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions was strong, pitching 5 innings and allowing only 1 run, contributing to his team's victory after Samsung won the Korean Series.

2.1.4. Resurgence and Final Years (2012-2014)

Following three seasons of struggles, Bae Young-soo's position was uncertain with the acquisition of new foreign pitchers Mitch Talbot and Brian Gordon. However, he dedicated himself to rigorous training in Japan during spring training and showed promising form in exhibition games, earning a spot as the fifth starter. On April 14, 2012, in his first start of the season against the Kiwoom Heroes, he pitched 7 innings, allowing only 1 run, and secured a win. On August 19, he defeated the Doosan Bears, becoming the first pitcher that season to record a win against all KBO teams. Furthermore, on August 26, in a game against the LG Twins, he recorded his 1,000th career strikeout, becoming the 25th pitcher in KBO history to achieve this milestone. In the same game, he pitched 7 scoreless innings to earn his 100th career win, becoming the 23rd pitcher in KBO history to reach that mark. He achieved double-digit wins for the first time in seven years. On September 26, against the KIA Tigers, he threw a career-high 140 pitches over 9 innings, striking out 6 and giving up 3 runs, but lost due to a shutout performance by opposing pitcher Yoon Suk-min. He demonstrated his ability to control the tempo of the game and manage crises, completing two full games. He finished the season with 12 wins and 8 losses, and a 3.21 ERA, marking his first sub-3.00 ERA and double-digit win season since his surgery. Despite a disappointing performance in Game 3 of the Korean Series on October 28 (3 innings, 3 runs), he pitched well in the first game of the Asia Series against Lamigo Monkeys, allowing 1 run in 5 innings, though he took the loss due to lack of run support.

In 2013, Bae was named the opening day starter against the Doosan Bears for the first time in five years, but struggled, giving up two grand slams. However, he quickly rebounded in his next start against the NC Dinos, pitching 7 innings and allowing only 1 run for a win. On August 8, in a game against the Hanwha Eagles, he pitched 6.2 innings, allowing 3 runs, and secured a win that surpassed Kim Si-jin's all-time wins record for the Lions. On September 7, against the LG Twins, he pitched 5 scoreless innings to secure a win, helping his team maintain its first-place position and becoming the first and only pitcher in the KBO's 9-team era to record wins against all teams in the league that season. Despite fluctuating performance, he achieved 14 wins, tying with Chris Seddon for the most wins in the league, his second time leading the league in wins (the first since 2004). He also recorded 14 starter wins, tying the record for the lowest number of starter wins by a wins leader (along with Han Hee-min in 1988, Kim Tae-won in 1990, and Aquilino López in 2009). On October 28, 2013, he started Game 4 of the Korean Series, but was pulled after 1.1 innings pitched and 2 runs allowed, taking the loss as his team scored only 1 run.

At the end of the 2014 season, Bae Young-soo entered free agency for the second time. On December 3, he signed a 3-year contract with the Hanwha Eagles worth a total of 2.15 B KRW (500.00 M KRW signing bonus, 550.00 M KRW annual salary), reportedly at the request of manager Kim Sung-keun. As compensation, Samsung selected pitcher Jung Hyun-suk, who then returned to Hanwha in a cash trade the very next day, making it effectively a cash compensation deal.

2.2. Hanwha Eagles (2015-2018)

Bae Young-soo's tenure with the Hanwha Eagles was largely affected by injuries and inconsistent performance. In 2015, contrary to expectations, he struggled as a starting pitcher, finishing with 4 wins and 11 losses and a high 7.04 ERA. The 2016 season saw him unable to make a single first-team appearance due to injuries, despite being briefly registered on the first-team roster on August 1 for a game against the KIA Tigers before returning to the second team the next day. In 2017, he made a comeback, pitching in 25 games with a 7-8 record. He was released by the Hanwha Eagles at the end of the 2018 season.

2.3. Doosan Bears (2019)

In 2019, Bae Young-soo signed with the Doosan Bears, primarily serving as a setup reliever. On September 14, 2019, in a game against the SK Wyverns, he committed the KBO's first-ever 0-pitch walk-off balk during a pick-off attempt before delivering a pitch. Despite this incident, he played a crucial role in the team's championship run. On October 26, 2019, he pitched the final out of Game 4 of the Korean Series in the 10th inning, securing the championship for the Doosan Bears. This appearance also set new KBO records for most career Korean Series appearances (25 games) and oldest player to record a save in the Korean Series (38 years, 5 months). Immediately after the series, he was offered a playing coach position but declined, announcing his retirement from active play on October 29, 2019, ending his 20-year playing career. At the time of his retirement, his 138 career wins were the most among active KBO players.

3. National Team Career

Bae Young-soo represented South Korea in the 2006 World Baseball Classic (WBC). In the preliminary round against Japan, he pitched effectively, striking out Tomoya Satozaki on three pitches using his slider. Although his fastball velocity was slightly lower, around 89 mph (143 km/h), he confidently retired Japanese batters. However, he struggled with his pitching balance during the tournament's later stages in the United States, and his performance was not as stellar. His participation in the WBC allowed him to fulfill his military service obligations.

4. Coaching Career

After retiring as a professional player, Bae Young-soo transitioned into coaching. In 2020, he began his coaching career as the second-team pitching coach for the Doosan Bears. He was promoted to the first-team bullpen coach for the Bears in 2021. In 2023, he moved to the Lotte Giants as their pitching coach. As of 2024, he serves as a pitching coach for the SSG Landers.

5. Pitching Style and Characteristics

Bae Young-soo's pitching style was characterized by a powerful fastball that typically ranged in the mid-87 mph (140 km/h) range, complemented by a sharp slider. He was known as a true power pitcher who relied on the sharpness and movement of his pitches. Despite his injuries, he developed a more nuanced pitching approach, focusing on control and inducing weak contact, as well as an ability to manage high-pressure situations effectively.

Throughout his career, Bae was involved in several notable anecdotes and acquired various nicknames. During the 2006 WBC, a TBS television announcer famously mistook him for the popular actor Bae Yong-joon, referring to him as "Bae Yong-joon" on the mound. (In Korean, while the surnames are the same, the pronunciation of the given names "Young-soo" and "Yong-joon" differ). Following his controversial hit-by-pitch against Ichiro Suzuki in the 2006 WBC, he was briefly nicknamed "Baeyeolsa" (배열사Korean), meaning "Bae the Martyr," reflecting a perception of his assertive pitching in the context of Korean-Japanese baseball rivalry. In 2013, after giving up two grand slams in the opening game against the Doosan Bears, he was jokingly called "Gaeman-du" (개만두Gaeman-duKorean), a portmanteau referencing "opening day" and "grand slam" with a somewhat comical connotation.

He maintained a close relationship with his high school senior, Lee Seung-yuop, a legendary KBO slugger. During the 2006 WBC, they notably exchanged jersey numbers, with Bae wearing number 36 (his Samsung number was 25) and Lee wearing number 25 (his Chiba Lotte Marines number was 36). This exchange later influenced Lee Seung-yuop's decision to wear number 25 with the Yomiuri Giants.

6. Awards and Honors

Bae Young-soo received numerous individual awards and contributed to multiple team championships throughout his distinguished career.

  • KBO MVP: 1 (2004)
  • Most Wins: 2 (2004, 2013)
  • Most Starter Wins: 1 (2013, with 14 starter wins)
  • Best Winning Percentage: 1 (2004)
  • Most Strikeouts: 1 (2005)
  • Golden Glove Award: 1 (2004)

His team achievements include:

  • Korean Series Champion: 2002, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013 (with Samsung Lions), 2019 (with Doosan Bears)

7. Major Records and Milestones

Bae Young-soo achieved several significant records and milestones during his KBO League career:

  • April 9, 2000:** Made his professional debut against LG Twins at Jamsil (1 inning, 1 run allowed).
  • May 14, 2000:** Made his first professional start against LG Twins in Daegu (2 innings, 7 runs allowed, loss).
  • October 25, 2004:** Pitched an unofficial 10-inning no-hitter in Game 4 of the Korean Series against Hyundai Unicorns (116 pitches).
  • April 2, 2005:** Pitched a no-walk complete-game shutout on Opening Day against Lotte Giants in Daegu (9 scoreless innings).
  • October 21, 2006:** Recorded his first Korean Series win as a starter (6 scoreless innings).
  • August 26, 2012:** Achieved his 100th career win and 1,000th career strikeout in a game against LG Twins at Jamsil (7 scoreless innings).
  • May 4, 2013:** Achieved his 100th career win as a starter against Lotte Giants at Sajik (6 innings, 2 runs allowed).
  • September 21, 2013:** Achieved his 110th career win as a starter against Nexen Heroes at Mokdong (5 innings, 5 runs allowed).
  • May 22, 2015:** Achieved his 120th career win as a starter against KT Wiz at Suwon (7.1 innings, 3 runs allowed).
  • April 14, 2018:** Achieved his 130th career win as a starter against Samsung Lions at Daejeon (5.2 innings, 1 run allowed).

8. Personal Life and Anecdotes

Outside of his baseball career, Bae Young-soo has been involved in various public activities. On May 30, 2014, he was appointed as the first honorary public relations ambassador for Kyungpook National University.

One of the most widely recounted anecdotes of his career is the physical altercation with Félix José of the Lotte Giants on September 18, 2001. After Bae threw consecutive inside pitches, José, angered by what he perceived as dangerous pitches, punched Bae in the face. José was subsequently suspended for the rest of the season and removed from the first-team roster. Coincidentally, after José left the KBO due to a contract dispute, Bae Young-soo embarked on a remarkable 14-game winning streak against the Lotte Giants, a record for a pitcher against a specific team. This streak ended on April 8, 2006, in a game against the Lotte Giants, which happened to be Félix José's return to the Korean baseball stage.

Another memorable moment occurred on Opening Day of the 2013 season. Bae Young-soo, starting for the Samsung Lions against the Doosan Bears, notoriously gave up two grand slams in the same game, one to Oh Jae-won and another to Kim Hyun-soo. This unusual occurrence led to him being given the nickname "Gaeman-du."

9. Controversies

Throughout his career, Bae Young-soo faced controversies, most notably involving allegations of illegal pitching. In 2017, he was frequently criticized for actions that were perceived as violating pitching rules. On April 27, 2017, in a game against the Lotte Giants, a balk controversy arose. Subsequently, on July 17 and August 20, he was again accused of illegal pitching actions, particularly against the Lotte Giants, and also in games against the KT Wiz and Kiwoom Heroes. These actions, including rubbing rosin on his uniform or adjusting the ball in an unusual manner, drew significant public criticism for being unprofessional.

On August 22, 2017, the KBO officially ruled that rubbing rosin on his uniform constituted an illegal pitch. The KBO warned that any future instances would result in disciplinary action. This ruling, however, drew criticism from the public, with many questioning why his past alleged illegal pitching incidents were seemingly overlooked and not penalized retroactively.

10. Career Statistics

YearTeamGWLSVHLDCGSHOIPHHRBBHBPSORERERASO/9
2000Samsung2502000045.15992133236346.756.35
2001Samsung351380000169.2169118989682713.775.09
2002Samsung2267000081.194134356355505.536.97
2003Samsung301350010163.2174117779985824.515.44
2004Samsung351720042189.21636741114465552.616.83
2005Samsung3111112121173.014810481114761552.867.65
2006Samsung32890400157.11421338913356512.927.61
2007SamsungDid not play in KBO first team
2008Samsung27980000114.2127153837159584.555.57
2009Samsung23112000075.2106182274073617.264.76
2010Samsung31681000119.2136113786469634.744.81
2011Samsung25680100103.012752764767625.424.11
2012Samsung261280020160.015973938964573.215.01
2013Samsung271440000151.01939381410183794.716.02
2014Samsung25860010133.21711439511187815.457.47
2015Hanwha324110100101.11242139145693797.044.99
2016HanwhaDid not play in KBO first team
2017Hanwha257800101281551729138682725.066.04
2018Hanwha1123000055.26961564742416.637.60
2019Doosan3712000045.15041131025234.571.99
Career Totals499138122371132167.223662007241361436118410744.465.96
  • Bold indicates league leader in that season.

11. Uniform Numbers

Bae Young-soo used several uniform numbers throughout his playing and coaching careers:

  • 25 (2000-2014, Samsung Lions; 2019, Doosan Bears)
  • 37 (2015-2016, Hanwha Eagles)
  • 33 (2017-2018, Hanwha Eagles)
  • 91 (2020-2022, Doosan Bears coach)
  • 88 (2023, Lotte Giants coach)
  • 98 (2024, SSG Landers coach)