KIA is "Win now" and Kiwoom is "Sell now."
Dec 22, 2024
|
|
Both teams have clear intentions. Defending champion KIA wants to win back-to-back championships. Kiwoom has started rebuilding.
But there is a difference in goals. KIA only looks to win in 2025. It is true that it is unclear how long Kiwoom's reconstruction work will last.
On the 19th, Kiwoom sold the present to KIA and bought the future. KIA gave 1 billion won in cash and 2 tickets for the first and fourth rounds of the 2026 rookie nomination to Kiwoom to get one Cho Sang-woo.
The task of rebuilding itself is full of variables. It is not easy to attract potential prospects, but it is even more difficult to foster them as star players.
In this context, the interests of the two teams matched.
In the case of KIA, Cho Sang-woo was the last puzzle. KIA was still at its best as long as it strengthened one reliever who will surely take responsibility for one inning. The period for guaranteeing that all 2024 winners will play together is also until next year.
After the 2025 season, first starter Yang Hyun-jong, Golden Glove shortstop Park Chan-ho, and main center fielder Choi Won-joon will become FA along with Cho Sang-woo. KIA went all-in in 2025 when it can be calculated rather than 2026, which is unclear.
Kiwoom is at the bottom for the second consecutive year. After finishing second in 2022, star Lee Jung-hoo left for the Major League. Kim Hye-sung, a key ball and player, is also aiming to advance to the Major League this winter. Even with Cho Sang-woo, it is expected to be in the lower ranks in 2025. In addition, Jo Sang-woo is FA a year later. It is negative to ask if Kiwoom can win the battle for Cho Sang-woo by sticking to other clubs with financial power.
Of course, it was beneficial for Kiwoom to sell Cho Sang-woo. The key was how expensive it was to sell. For Kiwoom, 1 billion won in cash and two in the first round of the rookie nomination right, four in the fourth round, is rather a profitable business.
Of course, the fans are disappointed. There is a great sense of loss as the star who has been supporting for many years is being sold.
|
|
In the KBO League, the so-called 'tanking' is not as simple as the major leagues.
Major League Baseball has a huge pool of players and active trade. Major League Baseball's method is to quickly complete its power through trade and FA acquisition for the next one to two years if it is the last place for three to four years, collecting one round and growing up to be the mainstay of three players.
In our league, even if we take one pick for three years, there is no guarantee that it will work out. In other words, Lee Jung-hoo (then Kiwoom 2017's 1st nomination), Kang Baek-ho (KT 2018 2nd 1st) and Noh Si-hwan (Hanwha 2019 2nd 3rd) should be selected for the third consecutive year. There are also limited sales on the FA market every year. Kiwoom, which is not a rich club, has the only option to earn as much rights as possible for rookies.
Kiwoom's general manager Ko Hyung-wook said, `It is difficult to make such a bold decision during rebuilding. We have the advantage of being able to pick all 1st and 10th in the first round and 1st in the second round. It means a lot to pick the 10th and 11th in a row."
dhhan@sportschosun.com
