'Time is on Kim Ha-sung's side'8th overall and 1st shortstop among uncontracted FA. There must be demand

Dec 11, 2024

Kim Ha-sung. AP Yonhap News

'If you wait, a deal will come for sure.'

Starting with the Major League Winter Meeting, which began this week, contracts for free agents (FA) players currently on the stove league market are rapidly progressing.

Juan Soto, the biggest fish in the FA, signed a 15-year-$765 million contract with the New York Mets on the 9th (Korea time), the highest amount ever. The New York Yankees, who missed Soto, caught left-hander Max Fried for eight years and $218 million (about 312.8 billion won) on the 11th. This is the highest contract ever for a left-hander. EXCEED 7-YEAR-$217 MILLION OF David Price, RETIRED IN 2022.

Prior to this, Willy Adames, who was considered the biggest infielder, also agreed to a seven-year $182 million (about 259.2 billion won) with San Francisco on the 8th. The Los Angeles Dodgers also succeeded in recruiting left-hander Blake Snell for five years and $182 million on the 1st.

Big-name FAs are signing a series of mega-contracts, but there are still more FAs left. The Stove League has only just started a fire. Therefore, just because the current contract has not been made does not mean you should be impatient.

The same goes for Kim Ha-sung, who came out as an FA from the San Diego Padres. Although the trip to San Francisco, which had been mentioned as the most likely destination, was canceled, there is a high possibility of meeting a new team as there is still a lot of time left.

Originally, Kim Ha-sung was strongly connected to San Francisco, where Lee Jung-hoo plays. Local media have also continued to report on the connection between Kim Ha-sung and San Francisco.

However, San Francisco eventually recruited Adames due to the gap in the early part of next season following Kim Ha-sung's surgery and relatively weak slugging power. As a result, there were concerns that Kim Ha-sung's position in the stove league might be rapidly decreasing.

However, Kim Ha-sung's defensive ability, which won the Gold Glove in the National League (NL) utility category in the 2023 season, is still an attractive appeal point.

Above all, Kim Ha-sung may benefit from the positional characteristics of the remaining FA. The status of non-FA contractors announced by CBS Sports in the U.S. on the 11th shows that Kim Ha-sung is quite competitive.

The media ranked the FA before the start of the stove league, where Kim Ha-sung was ranked 14th overall. This itself is a very high ranking. However, as the contracts of the top-ranked FA progressed, Kim Ha-sung's ranking rose relatively.

As of the 11th, Kim Ha-sung is ranked eighth overall among the uncontracted FA. In addition, there are only two infielders out of the previous seven uncontracted FA. There are only third baseman Alex Bregman (second overall in uncontracted FA) and first baseman Pete Alonso (sixth overall). Moreover, they are corner infielders with strong long balls, so their positions are different from those of Kim Ha-sung.

Kim Ha-sung's FA position is classified as a shortstop, and he is currently No. 1 among shortstop. It deserves to be evaluated as having relatively competitive edge because it is a position where the defensive power index is highly evaluated rather than the offensive power.

Therefore, as the stove league progresses, there is a high possibility that more teams will turn to Kim Ha-sung's value. Already, the Detroit Tigers are considered the most likely destination in the region. MLB TradeRoomers wrote "Hasung Kim, with his flagship, contact ability, and pioneering vision, can help Detroit, which is in the bottom of the steal and on-base percentage." In addition, if right-handed hitter Kim Ha-sung joins Detroit, where there are many left-handed hitters, the lineup will also be abundant."

FA 김하성. AP Yonhap News

The key is when Kim Ha-sung returns. Kim Ha-sung underwent shoulder surgery in October and is rehabilitating. The timing of his return is unclear. What is certain now is that it cannot come out at the opening of next year. Scott Boras, Kim Ha-sung's agent, insisted on 'return to the end of April', but San Diego general manager AJ Frelly said "may not be able to return until July"

Negotiations are not currently active due to this unclear timing of return. However, if safety provisions are inserted into the contract size and options, it is certainly an attractive FA. Not only Detroit, but also the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, and Los Angeles Dodgers are considered as candidates.

If you lower your eye level on the terms of the contract and wait, there is a high possibility that a new destination will appear in Kim Ha-sung.

wman@sportschosun.com