Kim Ha-sung (29, San Diego Padres)’ ransom is going through the roof. With no news of renewal of his contract with his current team, the San Diego Padres, it is highly likely that he will leave the team after all. Dennis Lin of The Athletic, a U.S. media outlet, published an article in the form of answering readers’ questions on the 11th (Korea Standard Time). Here, it is predicted that Kim Ha-sung, who becomes a FA after the 2024 season, is unlikely to remain with the San Diego Padres.
Above all, rumors of a trade deal surrounding Kim Ha-sung have continued to emerge since last season. When asked about this, the media outlet said, “Kim Ha-sung is somewhat inferior to Dansby Swanson (Chicago Cubs) and Trevor Story (Boston Red Sox). However, he showed good performance as a candidate for Golden Glove in the categories of shortstop and second baseman.” “Moreover, Willy Adames of the Milwaukee Brewers is considered the only contender for the shortstop position in the upcoming FA market.”
The media also predicted that Kim Ha-sung, who won the Gold Glove in the National League utility category last year, will be formed between $130 million and $150 million (about 171.5 billion won to 197.9 billion won) based on a seven-year total. 경마사이트
If such an analysis becomes a reality, it would be a huge success. If successful, it will make a new history in Korean baseball as the biggest contract ever signed by a Korean major leaguer. The previous biggest contract for a Korean major leaguer was Choo Shin-soo (currently SSG Landers) with the Texas Rangers in 2013, which was worth 130 million dollars for seven years. In December last year, Lee Jung-hoo joined the San Francisco Giants through a posting system (closed competitive bidding) for a six-year deal worth 113 million dollars. Choo and Lee Jung-hoo are different outfielders from infielder Kim Ha-sung. If such a contract leads to a reality, Kim Ha-sung will be the hero of signing the “largest contract ever for an Asian infielder” that has garnered more than 100 million dollars.
Even if you look at the size of the contract of Dancebee Swanson and Trevor Story mentioned by the media, Kim Ha-sung is also likely to break out of a large contract. The Gold Glove winner Dancebee Swanson signed a contract of 177 million dollars for seven years (about 233.4 billion won) ahead of the 2023 season, and Trevor Story, who has a career in winning silver sluggers, signed a contract of 140 million dollars for six years (about 184.6 billion won) at the same age as Kim Ha-sung, respectively, ahead of the 2022 season.
Swanson is said to be strong in defense, but he has failed to show solid strength in batting. He hit 27 home runs in the 2021 season and 25 home runs in the 2022 season, respectively, showing off his slugging capability, but during the six seasons with the Atlanta Braves, he had a batting average of 0.255 and an on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) of 0.738, which was normal. However, he stood out in defense in the 2022 season ahead of the FA and hugged Kim Ha-sung in the gold glove of the shortstop category. His defense capability laid the groundwork for his long-term contract with the Chicago Cubs. Kim Ha-sung also shows skills that never lags behind Swanson.
Kim Ha-sung signed a 4+1 year contract with the San Diego Padres when he moved to the Major League in 2021. If the San Diego Padres and Kim Ha-sung could sign an additional one-year contract by mutual consent, but that seems unlikely at this time. If he appears on the FA market right after the end of the 2024 season, many other teams are likely to offer better conditions. Moreover, San Diego failed to make a solid result, such as failing to enter the fall baseball league even after investing a large amount of money in the offseason. Recently, its finances have been hit hard by the bankruptcy of local broadcasting companies.
The Athletic said, “We have about nine months left before Kim Ha-sung becomes a free agent. However, San Diego is unlikely to raise funds for an extension contract with Kim Ha-sung. If Jackson Merrill, a promising player in the team, is ready to play, he can replace Kim Ha-sung at a lower cost.” For San Diego, it would be more advantageous to make a trade while earning as much price as possible rather than letting Kim Ha-sung go. Like Juan Soto (New York Yankees), who played for San Diego, there is a good chance that the team will make a trade before entering the free agent market. “Just like we traded for Soto earlier, Kim Ha-sung is likely to use a similar strategy,” the media outlet said. “However, it seems unlikely that the trade will proceed ahead of the opening game of the Major League Baseball at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul.”
“I will do my best not to get hurt because 2024 is the season right before the FA,” Kim said at an official news conference last year. “At first, I was very stressed out, but now I don’t care at all. Trade means that other teams need me. It doesn’t matter as long as the playing time is guaranteed for any team. Still, I like San Diego,” he said, showing little concern.
In addition, referring to Lee Jung-hoo, the media outlet said, “Lee Jung-hoo, Kim Ha-sung’s best friend, signed a contract with San Francisco for six years and $113 million. Lee Jung-hoo is three years younger than Kim Ha-sung, but it is true that his current value in the Major League is lower than that of Kim Ha-sung. If Kim Ha-sung is sluggish in the 2024 season, his value could drop. However, Kim Ha-sung is better when it comes to defense and contributing to the team.”
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