At first, Ko Woo-seok was also a finalist Kim Hye-sung, who was said to be the Dodgers' main second baseman, is really cool about the minor league ML

Feb 27, 2025

AP Yonhap News

This is the cold reality of Major League Baseball.

It was around this time last year. The San Diego Padres' spring camp in the U.S. Major League Baseball began to deteriorate sharply when Ko was sluggish in the exhibition game. It was an atmosphere in which going to the minor leagues became a fait accompli. However, because there is a Seoul series against the LA Dodgers, Ko Woo-seok, who has to go there together, just couldn't make a quick decision.

When Ko Woo-seok first signed a contract with San Diego, there were only a lot of prospects. Along with Roberto Suarez and Yuki Matsui, they were mentioned as candidates for the closing race. It could have been a unique 'lip service' to the local media in the United States. They may have had no choice but to give a good evaluation to the players based on their performance and status in Korea. The Korean media also had no reason to view the player making a fresh start negatively.

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Kim Hye-sung, who went to the LA Dodgers, should not just pass this case of Ko Woo-seok. Kim Hye-sung, who dreamed of entering the Major League, joined hands with the Dodgers. 3+2 year maximum of $22 million condition.

The start was full of good news. Gavin Lux, who was considered a contender for second base, was traded after joining Kim Hye-sung. Everyone saw Kim Hye-sung's recruitment as having an impact. Naturally, local reports began to emerge that predicted Kim Hye-sung as the main second baseman in the opening game of this season.

The start of the spring camp was also in a good mood. Kim Hye-sung's active personality, passion for baseball, and excellent skills in defense and baserunning were enough to win favor.

But Major League Baseball is cool. If anything is lacking, negative gaze begins to develop. the most important hit as a fielder. It's holding Kim Hye-sung back. He started against the Milwaukee Brewers on the 27th (Korea time), but had no hits and one strikeout in three times at bat. A day earlier, the Seattle Mariners also had no hits in three at-bats and two strikeouts. His batting average in the exhibition game fell to 83, 1 for 12 at-bats.

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Therefore, local media, including manager Dave Roberts, are starting to talk about going to the minor leagues. He talks painfully about the hit. Kim Hye-sung will be crazy, too. Originally, the balls were strong enough to hit with their own form or not, but the Dodgers and coaching staff are demanding a change in form, saying, `I can't survive here with that form.' It's hard just because of the pressure to show, but as the performance falls, I have no choice but to feel more pressure in the future at-bats.

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If it were Korea, Kim Hye-sung would have believed and waited even if he was a little bad. However, Kim Hye-sung is just one of dozens of potential players in the Dodgers. If the contract had been large, it would have been treated, but even if it seems to us as a large amount of billions and tens of billions of won, it is only a 'wrong price' contract in their world. So did Ko Woo-seok. To put it really bluntly, it's safe to say it's a kind of 'insurance contract'. Even in spring camps, there are not many opportunities for such players.

How will Kim Hye-sung be able to overcome the current crisis. Once the big league stage falls, it is not easy to come up. You desperately need to take your first chance now.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.