"It's impossible"→D-1 Diaz Recruitment, the urgent behind-the-scenes story revealed by General Manager Lee Jong-yeol "If you weren't prepared in advance"
Aug 15, 2024
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On the 14th, the Samsung club signed a total of $170,000 with Lewin Diaz, a foreign hitter, including an annual salary of $50,000 and an option of $20,000 and a transfer fee of $100,000," the official announcement said.
Diaz is a 28-year-old Dominican Republic native who is a left-handed first baseman with a physique of 1m88 and 105kg
He started his professional career by signing with the Minnesota Twins in 2013, and in 2020, he hit .181 in 112 games and 13 home runs in his three major league seasons with the Miami Marlins.
This season, he led his team to the postseason with a 75G batting average of 0.375 77 RBIs and 19 home runs and an OPS of 1.099 for Campeche and Mexico City teams in the Mexican professional baseball league.
The Samsung club expressed its expectation, saying, `Diaz has not only the long-range power needed at his home stadium, Daegu Samsung Lions Park, but also the starting skills in the defense of the first base, and is expected to quickly adapt to the KBO league as a player with a dedicated attitude and passion for the team.'
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He signed David McKinnon ahead of this season, but he broke up after the All-Star Game. There was sophistication with a batting average of more than 300, but the problem was the long-shot power with only four home runs when Rafak was used as a home run.
Ruben Cardenas, who was recruited in July, raised expectations as a Rafak-type big gun foreigner by launching a home run in two games and hitting a walk-off come-from-behind home run against Kim Won-joong. However, after being at the center of controversy due to a back injury while swinging, he left the KBO League in disgrace in seven games. He was 8 for 24 (0.333) with two homers and five RBIs in seven games.
The match against Hanwha on the 6th, when he replaced as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning, was a watershed moment.
Cardenas, who felt pain again during the swing, has since been at the center of criticism for his clumsy swing and defense. Considering the physical condition and the anger of the fans, it was no longer easy to accompany them.
But there was no time to change. There are only nine days left until the 15th, the deadline for players to play in autumn baseball.
Some officials from the Seoul metropolitan area shook their heads, saying "Replacement is almost impossible in administrative procedures at this point."
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Lee Jong-yeol, head of the Samsung Lions, said, `It was possible because we were preparing in advance"I was doing a list of foreign hitters in advance, and from the time I was injured (against KT on July 26), I started looking for something just in case."
There were two kinds of focus. First, we quickly narrowed down the targets to players who are playing now and players who can solve the visa problem within the second deadline and come quickly."
Of course, it wasn't without problems. a tight week's project. Diaz's trip to Korea was canceled even if one of the various processes was twisted, and Samsung was going to play fall baseball without a foreign hitter.
Diaz's team, Mexico, found it difficult to accept that the player they brought to win was lost to the postseason. Discontent was widespread, but the player's will was strong. The special agreement between the club and Diaz was the priority.
Players also had to take the risk of crossing the Pacific Ocean for only 100 million won with options combined. Samsung tried to persuade him by mentioning his hopes for next season, and eventually succeeded in catching the player's mind.
Administrative procedural matters are at their last juncture. General manager Lee Jong-yeol said, `I didn't even have time to bring players to Korea and send them to Japan to get a visa. It would have been difficult without your help,' he said, suggesting that it was a success of the 007 visa issuance operation that mobilized all possible networks locally.
hschung@sportschosun.com
