“Waino, Respect!”
St. Louis Cardinals’ “Eternal Ace,” Adam Wainwright (42), has finally reached the milestone of 200 career wins.
Wainwright pitched seven innings of four-hit ball with two walks and three strikeouts in the Cardinals’ 1-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, today (Sept. 19).
Wainwright’s sinker only touched 87.6 mph (141 km/h) on the day, but he used a diverse repertoire that included a sinker (32 pitches), curveball (20), cutter (20), changeup (9), and four-seam fastball (4).
It was Wainwright’s fifth win of the season and his 200th career victory. He made history as the 122nd player in Major League Baseball history to reach 200 career wins. There are currently only five active pitchers with 200 career wins. Justin Verlander (255 wins), Zack Greinke (224), Max Scherzer (214), and Clayton Kershaw (209) are the only active pitchers to reach 200 wins.
Wainwright’s 200th career win was also congratulated by SSG Landers’ “lefty ace” Kim Kwang-hyun. In his Instagram story, Kim referenced Wainwright’s nickname, “Waino,” and added the word “Respect,” which means “respect.
The relationship between Wainwright and Kim dates back to 2020, when Kim was just a rookie in the major leagues. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted Major League Baseball’s preparations for the new season, making it even more difficult for a player like Kim to adjust, especially when he was about to make his major league debut.
With St. Louis’ home stadium, Busch Stadium, closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it wasn’t practical for Kim to find a place to work out. That’s when Wainwright came to the rescue. Wainwright allowed Kwang-hyun to continue his training by playing catch in his backyard, a relationship that was nothing short of a lifesaver.
The major leagues were playing a shortened season that year, and Kim had a successful debut season, going 3-0 with a 1.62 ERA in 39 innings pitched in eight games. Afterward, he held a press conference in South Korea to thank Wainwright.
“The conditions were really grim. When I moved to St. Louis, the baseball field, indoor weight room, and other workout facilities were all closed. It was really hard to work out.” “Wainwright’s house had a big yard. We were able to consistently play 50-yard catch in the yard. We bonded while playing catch together.” Wainwright went out of his way to get permission from the sheriff to enter the park to play catch with Kim at a longer distance.
Although Kim last pitched in the United States in 2021, going 7-7 with a 3.46 ERA in 106⅔ innings over 27 games, he hasn’t forgotten Wainwright’s goodwill.먹튀검증
Wainwright has decided to retire after this season. Wainwright, who made his major league debut with St. Louis in 2005, had a breakout season, winning 14 games in 2007, followed by 11 wins in 2008, 19 in 2009, 20 in 2010, 14 in 2012, 19 in 2013, and 20 in 2014. Achilles, hamstring, and elbow injuries plagued him from 2015-2018, but he bounced back with 14 wins in 2019, five wins in the shortened 2020 season, 17 wins in 2021, and 11 wins last year. This year, he’s just 5-11 with a 7.40 ERA, but he’ll likely hang up his jersey with 200 career wins.