Shocking Real Reality A cool-headed prospect of a cheap one-year FA MLB.COM, Kim Ha-sung's most realistic FA contract outline appears
Dec 29, 2024
|
The cold reality is becoming increasingly apparent. Kim Ha-sung (29)'s dream of 'FA jackpot' is practically impossible. It was an unlikely challenge from the beginning.
No matter how high the price inflation is in the Major League, few teams have to give expensive long-term contracts to players who have undergone surgery just before the season and are not even sure when they will return to the new season. This is why news of Kim Ha-sung's contract has not been heard even at the end of 2024.
Originally, Kim Ha-sung was also well-received in MLB as a 'defensive and good hitting infield agent'. It is a defensive power recognized as the Gold Glove Award in the National League (NL) utility category in 2023. However, the uncertainty caused by shoulder surgery has overshadowed all the advantages.
|
But few MLB teams believe this. Rather, what Kim Ha-sung's former San Diego Padres general manager A.J. Preller said about the timing of Kim Ha-sung's return is gaining more convincing power. "Kim Ha-sung's return is the first problem we have to solve immediately after the World Series, and accordingly, we and the players themselves will decide whether to choose mutual options," Preller said in an interview with local media on October 22nd. "We may not be ready to play until May, June or maybe July next year."
All MLB clubs got more hints from General Manager Preller's words than agents. Kim Ha-sung has no choice but to start with uncertainty next season.
|
In the midst of this, a very realistic prospect of Kim Ha-sung's future career, which is still evaluated as a 「FA infielder with usefulness」, came out.
|
MLB.COM published a comprehensive special article on the 29th (Korea time) 'A realistic FA target of one suitable for each team'. This is an article in which reporters in charge of 30 teams working at MLB.COM directly recommended players and explained the reason for this.
With Loki Sasaki's face in the center of the MLB.COM front page, Kim Ha-sung is second from left. Appeared as one of the five major FA.
Here, Kim Ha-sung was selected as a reporter in charge of two clubs. In the end, it is also used that there are not many teams other than two teams that can be connected to Kim Ha-sung.
The teams in question are the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers. There are some differences in size, but they are all classified as small market clubs.
However, there is a difference between league and power. Milwaukee ranked first in the NL Central this year (93 wins and 69 losses). Oakland remained in fourth place (69 wins and 93 losses) in the American League West, failing to advance to the postseason.
|
The Milwaukee side is similar. Reporter Adam McKelvey said "A shoulder injury could delay the start of the 2025 season, which is linked to a significant risk for Kim Ha-sung. However, a one-year contract has significant advantages."
On the other hand, reporters in charge of the big market team, which seemed to be connected to Kim Ha-sung, did not mention Kim Ha-sung's name at all. The Los Angeles Dodgers or New York Yankees have no reason to take Kim Ha-sung, who is not immediately available. Local experts say that a one-year contract as a backup agent to foster prospects is worth taking from teams like Oakland or Milwaukee.
Even for Kim Ha-sung, it may be a better option than 'FA Mia'. Once they sign a contract and return quickly to reproduce their pre-injury appearance in offense and defense, they can draw a new big contract from the stove league a year later.
Kim Ha-sung signed a four-year - $28 million contract with San Diego in 2021. And it rejected the $8 million mutual option for 2025 and declared FA. Based on this history, MLB.COM's realistic outlook is to sign a contract with Milwaukee or Oakland for "1 year - 5 million to 8 million dollars (about 7.4 billion won to 13.3 billion won)."
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
