""I'm confident in left-handed hitters" "Full contract"Unusual treatment is useless? Should I take out the last card for KIA foreigners
Aug 03, 2024
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Cam Aldred (28, KIA Tigers) entered the KBO League through the injury replacement foreign player system introduced this season. Kia signed a down payment of $25,000, an annual salary of $300,000, and a total of $325,000 with Aldred as Will Crow, who was expected to be an ace, went on the operating table due to an elbow injury in early May.
Aldred's contract was different from other injury short-term replacement foreign players. In order to take advantage of the short-term injury replacement foreign player system, a medical certificate is needed that the existing player will be injured for more than six weeks. SSG Landers, Doosan Bears, and Hanwha Eagles using this system first signed a six-week contract and then watched the situation later. Among them, Hanwha signed a formal contract with Ryan Weiss on the day of the expiration of six weeks.
KIA signed Aldred until Nov. 30. It was like a formal contract, not a 'short-term contract'. Some criticized that he used another foreign player without using a replacement card, and that he was aiming for the loophole of the system. First of all, there was no problem with the contract itself as there was no KBO restriction clause.
Aldred seemed to adapt to the KBO League by showing relatively steady performance, although not overwhelming. On June 14, his second appearance, he won his first game against KT Wiz by allowing five scoreless innings. However, as we entered July, the number of days of shaking began to increase.
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This weakness was evident in the match against Doosan on the 30th of last month. While he did not get a single hit against left-handed hitters, his hit rate against right-handed hitters was 571. Yang Seok-hwan even allowed a home run, and he failed to properly block the right-handed bottom line composed of Huh Kyung-min, Kim Jae-ho, and Kim Ki-yeon.
Aldred, who collapsed against Doosan on June 8, his debut, with six runs on six hits, three walks, four strikeouts and six runs in three innings, once again collapsed with eight hits (one home run) and one walk, four strikeouts and seven runs in four ⅓ innings.
KIA manager Lee Bum-ho also expressed regret. Manager Lee said "I threw well before that, but it wasn't good for a specific team. If you throw well against all teams, you'll be the most wanted pitcher, but I think it was hard against Doosan" he pointed out.
Manager Lee continued, `He also seems confident against a team with a lot of left-handed hitters. When the left-handed batter came out, there was a large space on the right side, so he could kick the sweeper a little harder, but there were cases where he fell out (from the strike zone) because he was afraid of being crowded by the left-handed batter. I thought he was conscious of being a right-handed hitter."
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In the meantime, there are also rumors that KIA has contacted another foreign player. He is known as a player with a lot of major league experience.
According to the starting rotation, Aldred will play against Hanwha in Daejeon on the 4th. Can Aldred erase his anxiety towards himself. The deadline for replacing foreign players is the 15th, and they must be replaced before then to play in the postseason. The time for KIA to make a decision is also approaching.
bellstop@sportschosun.com
