MLB Stove League Heats Up: The Day Free Agents Take Center Stage
The 5th of this month, Korean time, is a meaningful day in the Major League Baseball Stove League. On the fifth day after the World Series, players who have obtained FA qualifications from that day can freely negotiate with 30 teams including their original team.
Although there are players like Michael Vaca who are eager to sign multi-year contracts with their original teams, Kim Ha-sung still retains his FA status. You can now find your team without any restrictions on qualifying offers.
The situation of Jinhexing is somewhat special and complicated. After the adaptation period in the 2021 season, he will officially grow into the main infielder of the Major League Baseball starting in 2022.
He showed high-level defense in every infield position except 1st base and won the Utility Gold Glove Award in 2023.
He has shown a high level of pioneering vision and passing ability in the batting position, and has shown the ability to steal bases on the base. Although he didn’t hit 20 home runs, he proved that he can hit long hits when necessary.
But at the last moment, he was injured. During the game, he injured his right shoulder while practicing double bass and was unable to participate in the final six weeks of the season. Then underwent shoulder surgery to enter the FA market.
First of all, the evaluation is positive. There are rave reviews such as “the hottest player in the center infielder market” (USA TODAY) and “the second best shortstop in the FA market” (MLB.com).
“The Asletic” columnist Tim Brown likened Kim Ha-sung’s value as a shortstop to Johnny Peralta, who signed a four-year, $53 million contract in 2014, and predicted that Kim Ha-sung will be signed on a two-year contract. Later in the year, similar contracts were signed with Rhys Hoskins, including Optout. The forecast dropped from last spring’s forecast of $72 million over four years to $36 million over two years.
사진확대 In August this year, Kim Ha-sung injured his shoulder and was unable to participate in the competition again. Shoulder injuries will also become a big variable in the FA market. 사진=ⓒAFPBBNews = News1 Injuries do play a big factor. Although the goal is to return next season, the market has emerged players who cannot predict what they will look like after recovery. His market actions are, by definition, “unpredictable.”
Thankfully, he hired the best captain to overcome the darkness. He hired Scott Boras as his new agent in October.
With the best helper by his side, he won’t be afraid of winter. Perhaps no special advice is needed. Despite this, the author still left some suggestions for “Mother-in-law Heart”.
Avoid signing 1-year contracts.
Due to the variable of injuries, it is actually difficult to sign a long-term contract of 4 to 5 years. Even if you sign a long-term contract, you may not get the full value you want.
After proving to be healthy through a short-term contract, there is a high possibility that the company will increase its value and be re-evaluated in the market, which is the so-called “FA review”. It is reported that some teams have shown concern for him on the condition of a one-year contract.
Although some media use irritating terms such as “shock” and describe it as if the sky is falling, this is not surprising in the Major League Baseball market. Kim Ha-sung’s “best friend” Julison is majoring in “FA3” this winter.
However, even if you sign a short-term contract, you should try to avoid contracts with a guarantee period of one year. Even if a shoulder injury is treated surgically, it will take a long time to regain the previous feeling. Especially the 2025 season, which is the first time to participate after recovery, is a season to regain the lost feeling. There will inevitably be ups and downs. Although it is a bit difficult to directly compare the examples of pitchers, it is necessary to consider that Ryu Hyun-jin, who underwent shoulder surgery in 2015, successfully completed the rotation two years later, and was on track three years later in 2018.
For a player recovering from shoulder surgery, a year can be a tight window to show something and be re-evaluated. The worst-case scenario is that it fails to show much and risks being pushed to the market again. We need a contract where we can relax a little bit and show something.
The one-year contract that Kim Ha-sung needs to accept in this Major League Baseball competition is only a qualifying offer of US$21.05 million. But even this was not accepted.
Better prepare to export
As “The Athletic” envisioned, a two-year 1+1 contract seems promising. Or, on the grounds that the agent can show some more ability, a 3-year 1+1+1, or a 4-year 2+2 contract is also possible.
If you fail to get the value you deserve due to injury, you can only maximize the flexibility of signing. While 1-year contracts should be avoided, I think there should be room for re-entering the market after 1 year.
Kim Ha-sung’s injured shoulder was his right shoulder. From a defensive standpoint, this is the throwing shoulder and therefore a lethal spot. But it doesn’t have much impact on batting. Kim Ha-sung said, “At the time of recovery, there was no problem with batting in actual combat. It is very possible to regain the previous feeling in batting faster than defense. It is not easy, but if the possibility is confirmed by the 2025 season , there is no need to stick to the existing contract.
Judging from the contracts Boras brought to his customers last winter, we can see that he has increased maximum flexibility in the event that the contract does not go as expected. Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, and Cody Bellinzer have all left room to enter the FA market again after the season. Kim Ha-sung is also likely to find such a contract.
사진확대Frele has always shown his will to renew Kim Ha-sung’s contract. Photo = MK Sports DB Renewal is the last option.
His original team, the San Diego Padres, AJ Fraler, showed concern about contract extension, even to the extent of being explicit. However, perhaps because it felt that $20 million was too much, no qualifying offer was made. But that doesn’t mean the focus on renewals has gone away.
But I think that in the case of injuries, renewing the contract with the original team should be the last option. There is absolutely no way Kim Ha-sung is in a good position during the negotiation process with the San Diego Padres. Because the team is the team that knows the most about Kim Ha-sung’s injuries.
It is reported that after Kim Ha-sung underwent surgery, his agent Boras was extremely vigilant about leaking information about his surgery to the outside world (especially other teams). This is also the reason why the San Diego club has not officially announced the details of the surgery and expected return time. Once an agreement has been negotiated, the information will come to light during the physical examination, but before that happens, it may be about maximizing your advantage.
Under the circumstances, it’s doubtful how aggressive negotiations for a contract extension with the San Diego Padres would have been from the outset. San Diego doesn’t even have any openings at the infield position right now. Renewing the contract with them is likely to be the last option.
사진확대 If his customers can get correct evaluations, Scott Boras is not willing to fight for a long time. 사진=ⓒAFPBBNews = News1 Don’t worry about contract delays.
Major League Baseball FA, unlike the NBA, does not specify a contract period. Of course it culminates during the winter meetings in early December and takes place before spring training in February, with a certain framework. Recently, the past two days seem to be less adhered to.
This was especially true last winter. With the development of the team’s player evaluation method, there are increasing doubts about the effectiveness of the introduction of external FA. Under this situation, the broadcast rights controversy that began with the bankruptcy of Diamond Sports Group became a spark. The dispute over its broadcast rights has not yet been fully resolved. There are still some teams that cannot properly estimate their expenses for next season.
Therefore, the FA market, which was originally roughly consolidated in February, will be extended to March. If it is a player with injuries like Kim Ha-sung, the selection may take longer.
On the contrary, there may be teams that want to judge based on “the appearance of complete recovery.” And Porras is an agent who is not afraid of this situation. He rested outfielder Michael Combuto, who had previously undergone shoulder surgery, for a year and then let him sign with a new team.
Of course, Kim Ha-sung, who aims to come back in 2025, will not take a complete rest for a year like him. But I think the possibility of a signing is still there after getting back to a level where he can throw the ball to a certain extent. The important thing is to get the value assessment right.
[圣安东尼奥(美国)=MK体育特派员金在浩]