I wasn't going to come to KBO Jung Sung, who went all the way to KIA Mexico, how did you embrace the ML 88 home run slugger
Dec 26, 2024
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KIA Tigers' new foreign hitter Patrick Wisdom (33) is an infielder who has been on the Major League stage until this year. He played in a total of 455 games in seven major league seasons and recorded a batting average of 0.209 (274 hits in 1311 at-bats), 88 homers, 207 RBIs, and an OPS of 0.750. Although he is in his early 30s, Wisdom was preparing to continue his career in Major League Baseball next year. After the end of this season, he moved on to the Mexican Winter League.
Wisdom played in 75 games for the Chicago Cubs this year, batting only 0.171 (27 hits in 158 at-bats), eight homers, 23 RBIs and an OPS of 0.629. In the minor league Triple-A, he hit .407 (11 hits in 27 at-bats) with three home runs, 10 RBIs and an OPS of 1.417 in nine games. It was a report card that needed a rebound to remain in the big league.
"I had no intention of coming to our league," KIA general manager Shim Jae-hak recalled when he first contacted Wisdom. Going to the Mexican league means looking for possibilities there. The number of games (75 games) has not played that much in the Major League this year. Since he is an old player, he seems to have been trying to go to Mexico to find possibilities again and try his last challenge in the major leagues."
General manager Shim visited Mexico, where the Winter League was held, and talked with Wisdom. He first met Wisdom's agency in the Winter League. "I think it took about two days to visit the agency representative and explain the KBO League and persuade him by strongly appealing to the position he will play in when he comes to our club and the expectations we want."
Did the sincerity of visiting Mexico and persuading him with all his heart work. Wisdom stopped looking for major league contracts and decided to accept KIA's offer to take on a new challenge in Korea.
KIA announced on the 26th that it signed a total of $1 million (about 1.4 billion won) with Wizdom, including a down payment of $200,000 and an annual salary of $800,000.
General manager Shim watched the Mexican league game in which Wisdom played with club officials and carefully examined it. Wisdom played in eight games for Naranheros de Hermosio, batting .250 (7 hits in 28 at-bats), three homers, nine RBIs and an OPS of 1.007. If you hit it, half of it was a long shot.
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KIA was able to persuade Wisdom on the basis of its own conviction to have a big shot boasting 88 home runs in the Major League. If Wisdom continues the Mexican league's performance to the KBO League, it is expected to build a solid KIA slugging line with Kim Do-young (21), Na Sung-bum (35) and Choi Hyung-woo (41) next season.
KIA said "Wizdom is a player with excellent slugging power, with more than 20 home runs in three consecutive seasons from 2021 to 2023 in the Major League and a record of 28 home runs in one season. In addition to his long-range hitting power, he also has above-average running speed and good throwing ability."
Wisdom's position was somewhat stranded as a first baseman. In addition to the first baseman, third baseman and outfielder are also possible. KIA manager Lee Bum-ho will make the final decision after seeing Wisdom's defense in the spring camp, but he is likely to have him play first baseman rather than outfielder to focus a little more on the batting.
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rina1130@sportschosun.com
