Batting average .283 Role Baseball Player Home runs 309 Height 1.78 m | RBI 1022 Weight 84 kg Name Song Ji-man | |
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Song Ji-Man (Hangul: 송지만, Hanja: 宋志晩) (born March 2, 1973 in Incheon, South Korea) is a South Korean former outfielder in the Korea Baseball Organization professional baseball league. He bats and throws right-handed.
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Hanwha Eagles
Upon graduation from Inha University in Incheon, Song made himself eligible for the 1996 KBO Draft and was selected in the second round by the Hanwha Eagles.
In 1999, Song joined his first 20-20 club and became a member of the Korean Series championship team. In 2000, he joined his second 20-20 club, batting a career-high .338 and having his first 30+ home run season (32), and won his first Golden Glove Award after the season.
In 2002, Song posted career-highs in home runs (38) and RBI (104), and won his second Golden Glove Award. However, Song was hampered by arm injuries during the whole 2003 season, batting only .253 and hitting a career-low 9 home runs.
Hyundai Unicorns
After the 2003 season, Song was traded to the Hyundai Unicorns. In 2004, he smacked 22 home runs and drove in 74 runs, and led his team to their last Korean Series champion. In 2005, Song had another solid season in the Unicorns, batting a respectable .271 and amassing 24 home runs and 74 RBI. After the 2005 season, he was selected as a member of the South Korea national baseball team and competed in the inaugural World Baseball Classic in March 2006.
Nexen Heroes
In the early 2000s (decade) Hyundai Group ran into financial problems, and they eventually abandoned the Unicorns in 2007. The team was sold and became the Heroes. After a series of fire sales for the Unicorns' best players and franchises in the 2007 offseason, The Heroes kept attempting to trade Song for another big deal. However, prior the 2008 season, Song announced that he would stay in the Heroes, accepting a 60% salary cut offered by the team. In 2008, Song batted .280, accumulating 13 home runs and 62 RBI. On April 20, 2008, he hit his 250th home run, which was the 9th record in KBO league's history. In 2009, Song had an offensively productive season again, batting .289 and posting 22 home runs and 67 RBI. On May 19, 2009, he had his 1700th hit in his career, which was the 5th record in the KBO pro league's history.