If it's not just speed that's lost, it's a serious problem. Is Ko Woo-seok's 'Mental's hello?
Jul 06, 2024
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Two months have passed since he moved to the Miami Marlins and threw for Triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. He obviously signed a major league contract with his former team, the San Diego Padres, but his status is still minor. There is no promise of when Miami's call-up news will be released.
It even makes me think that Miami may not have intended to use it in the Major League when it recruited Ko Woo-seok in the first place. On May 5 (Korean time), Miami sent Luis Arraez, the batting king whose annual salary soared to tens of millions of dollars, to San Diego and received three minor league prospects and Ko Woo-seok instead. Double-A 23-year-old outfielder Jacob Marcy, Double-A 23-year-old first baseman Nathan Matorella, and Single-A 19-year-old outfielder Dillon Head are also quite notable prospects in San Diego. It's hard to get rid of the feeling that Ko Woo-seok was inserted.
Of course, not only Ko Woo-suk but also these three fielders are delaying their major league debut. The reason is simple. All three are not hitting well in Single A and Double A, respectively. It is not a skill that will bring him to the Major League immediately.
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Miami is also a team that has nothing to do with the postseason this season. He is playing every day under the guise of 'rebuilding'. It is not known whether he properly gives young players a chance and spends the season with a systematic development vision over the course of his pitching, but it seems that Ko Woo-seok is not included in the plan.
Ko Woo-seok will receive an annual salary of $2.25 million next year and a mutual option for $3 million in 2026, with a buyout of $500,000. However, Ko Woo-seok was excluded from the 40-man roster after the designation assignment and changed to a minor league status, so the right to reject the minor league was meaningless. Miami will pay $2.25 million in annual salary next year, but it will be okay if it does not raise it to the big leagues. Given that Ko Woo-seok was excluded from the big league's power with these regulations in mind, future trade or unconditional release cannot be ruled out.
Ko Woo-suk will be agonizing over several options during the offseason after this season. As the salary is guaranteed, there is a possibility that next season will be prepared as it is as the contract is, but a KBO U-turn can also be considered.
The problem is that Ko Woo-seok is rarely able to throw 'his own ball' in Triple A now. He appeared in relief against the Charlotte Knights (under the Chicago White Sox) on the 5th and allowed two runs after hitting two solo home runs in one inning. This is the first time he has hit two homers in a game since his debut in U.S. baseball this year. One home run was hit as the curve fell into the middle, and the other was a flat fastball into the middle.
It was the first time in four months since he moved to the U.S. that he suffered only once in 354 games while throwing for seven years with the LG Twins. Triple-A ERA soared to 4.29. It is embarrassing for big league officials to see.
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This season, the average fastball speed of Major League bullpen pitchers is 94.8 miles, and the average speed of Triple-A bullpen pitchers is 93.6 miles.
Time can solve the problem if the cause of the drop in restraint is due to lack of adaptability or season preparation, but if it is due to aging or injury, the situation is unlikely to improve. Since he was born in 1998, his age should be considered 'outside of the question', and in the end, if there is an injury or not, there is a problem with the pitching form.
In fact, a more serious problem than confinement reduction is 'mental'. Korea's representative closure tried to start enthusiastically across the Pacific Ocean, but he asked if he could find 'motivation' in unexpected turbulent times such as elimination from the opening roster, trade and waiting for release. It is inevitable that confidence and motivation weaken over time. If you hang in there and still spray the fastball, you can see hope, but I don't think that's it.
Even if the future is uncertain in the United States, Ko Woo-seok has somewhere to go back. After February next year, you can re-enter LG if you want. Whatever time it is, I will wear my LG uniform again with the treatment of 'unsatisfactory'. Almost all the 'U-turners' who had previously experienced American baseball did. Even Yoon Seok-min, who returned from the Major League without throwing a game, received 4 years and 9 billion won.
It remains to be seen what will happen next year, and I think Miami may call it once before the end of this season. I want them to show me something when that's the time.
jhno@sportschosun.com
