If done well, KBO history will change. On the day when Park Byung-ho and KIA laughed, will the last 'Big Deal' be achieved
Jul 31, 2024
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July 31 is 'Trade Deadline'. According to the 'Article 86' of the professional baseball rule, the 'transferable period' is from the day after the end of the KBO postseason to July 31 of the following year. The disclosure is due on August 1.
It is also the last opportunity for the club to strengthen its power except for the replacement of foreigners.
A total of five trades have been made this year. Starting with Kiwoom Heroes and SSG Landers exchanging Lee Ji-young and 250 million won in cash in the third round in January, LG Twins Kim Min-sung and Lotte Giants Kim Min-soo, LG Son Ho-young and Lotte Woo Kang-hoon, KT Wiz Park Byung-ho and Samsung Lions Oh Jae-il changed their uniforms in turn. The latest trade was a trade between Kiwoom and the NC Dinos on May 30, and Kiwoom sent promising shortstop Kim Hwi-jip, while NC gave up the first and third round nominations for rookies in 2025.
In the meantime, there have often been "big deals" that changed history at trade deadlines. A case in point is the 2011 trade between Kiwoom and LG. Kiwoom sent veteran bullpen agent Song Sung-young and promising pitcher Kim Sung-hyun to LG. LG sent pitcher Shim Soo-chang with Park Byung-ho. Park Byung-ho left LG and had an explosive potential. He has been the home run and RBI king for four consecutive years since 2012, and has also made the major league stage. He stood tall as a big gun representing the KBO League.
In 2017, the KIA Tigers had a big smile. In 2016, he recruited save king Kim Se-hyun and Yoo Jae-shin, and sent rookies Lee Seung-ho and Son Dong-wook. Kim Se-hyun cracked down on KIA's back door perfectly. He finished the season with 18 saves and seven holds, and was at the center of KIA's victory by allowing no runs in four games in the Korean Series.
The ranking fight is fiercer than ever before this season. The gap between No. 1 KIA and No. 2 LG is six games apart. However, the difference between the second and seventh-place NCs is only 5.5 games.
There are definitely itchy parts in each club. Each situation is different, including starters, bullpens, and compliant fielders. You can look at 'win-win' as long as you get the cards right.
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Jo Sang-woo, a closer representing the league, played with a 2.79 ERA with six saves and eight holds in 42 games this season. Like Kim Se-hyun's trade in 2017, there was an evaluation that it could be a 'winning contractor'.
At one point, there was a 'Gapron Park' among numerous officials and baseball fans, but Cho Sang-woo was left out of the first-team entry due to shoulder pain and was quiet. However, Cho Sang-woo is still an attractive card to win.
In addition to this, underwater work was being done everywhere to scratch their itch.
The trade deadline has come. Where will the 'one shot' that will change 'history' come from.
bellstop@sportschosun.com
