KBO 40 Legends: Strong starters

The KBO on Monday announced the final members of the league's "40 Legend" team, a round-up of the top players of all time. The cornerstone of every baseball team is a good starter, and these four legends are some of the best the KBO has ever seen.

Clockwise from top left: Lee Kang-chul, Jeong Min-chul, Cho Kye-hyeon and Jung Min-tae. [KBO]

The KBO on Monday announced the final four members of the league’s “40 Legend” team, a round-up of the top 40 KBO players of all time that has been slowly compiled since the All-Star game in July.

Players were chosen for the 40-man squad from a list of 177 candidates, including all former Golden Glove and Korean Series MVP winners, as well as any pitchers who had recorded 800 appearances with 100 wins, 150 saves and at least one 20-win season and any batters who had appeared in 2,000 games, hit 200 home runs, 2,000 hits and had at least one 40-home run season.

All active players, including those playing overseas, were excluded.

The cornerstone of every baseball team is a good starter, and these four legends are some of the best the KBO has ever seen.

Lee Kang-chul

Lee, the cornerstone of the unstoppable Tigers team of the 1990s, recording at least 10 wins and 100 strikeouts in 10 straight seasons and winning five Korean Series titles.

Lee Kang-chul [KBO]

Jeong Min-chul

Hanwha Eagles General Manager Jeong wasn’t always behind a desk. Back in the ‘90s he became the youngest pitcher to reach 100 wins, at 27, a record that is yet to be beaten in the KBO.

Jeong Min-chul [KBO]

Jung Min-tae

Hyundai Unicorns pitcher Jung was a workhorse, racking up at least 200 innings pitched for five consecutive seasons, a record he shares to this day. Jung holds the record for the most consecutive wins by a pitcher, at 21.

Jung Min-tae [KBO]

Cho Kye-hyeon

Tigers starter Cho also put in some serious hours, but he preferred to do it in one game. Cho retired in 2001 with 64 complete games to his name over 13 seasons in the KBO.

Cho Kye-hyeon [KBO]

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]