Sung-min Cho
From BR Bullpen
Sung-min Cho
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 4", Weight 209 lb.
- School Korea University
- High School Shinil High School
- Born April 5, 1973 in Seoul South Korea
Sung-min Cho has pitched in Nippon Pro Baseball and the Korea Baseball Organization.
Cho was 47-16 in 100 games in college, drawing interest from numerous quarters. He also played for the South Korean national team. In the 1994 Baseball World Cup, he was 2-1 with a 3.97 ERA. He struck out 28 batters in 22 2/3 IP to help South Korea win the Silver Medal. Only Masanori Sugiura struck out more batters in the Cup that year. The Los Angeles Dodgers were among the front-runners, but the top deal came from the Yomiuri Giants, who offered a signing bonus over $1 million and a 8-year agreement.
Cho debuted with Yomiuri in 1997, going 1-2 with 11 saves and a 2.89 ERA. He struck out 30 in 28 innings and allowed just 16 hits. He led the Giants in saves, edging out future major-leaguer Masao Kida. He then started 1998 on a strong note, but injured his arm in the All-Star Game and never recovered. Cho was 7-6 with a 2.75 ERA in 1998. He had the lowest ERA of any starting pitcher in a rotation that included Masaaki Saito, Masumi Kuwata, Hideki Okajima and Balvino Galvez. He tied Kenjiro Kawasaki, Kenshin Kawakami and Masahiro Yamamoto for the Central League in shutouts (3).
He injured his elbow in March of 1999 and did not pitch that year for the Giants. He got into only 10 games in 2000, going 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA and 20 hits allowed in 14 innings. After not pitching for Yomiuri in 2001, he went 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA in six brief appearances in 2002. Overall, Yomiuri had a 11-10 record from Cho to show for their investment. He pitched only 158 1/3 IP for the team, saved 11 and had a 2.84 ERA.
Returning to South Korea, Cho married actress Jin-sil Choi in a nationally televised wedding. The marriage did not last, though, and they got divorced in 2004. There were charges of domestic abuse.
Cho then became a baseball commentator for MBC ESPN.
In 2005, Cho returned to the baseball diamond with the Hanwha Eagles. He was 2-2 with a 6.52 ERA, allowing 30 hits and 15 walks in 19 1/3 IP. The next season, he threw 6 2/3 IP, giving up 12 hits and 6 walks with a 6.75 ERA and no decisions. Cho was 1-2 with a 4.19 ERA in 2007.
Sources: KBO player page, Japanbaseballdaily.com by Gary Garland, Korean wikipedia entry, IBAF site
