It's a bummer that you don't have Kim Ha Sung… San Diego, is Kim Ha-sung's rehiring? Will there be a 'reunion of rehiring'
It's a bummer that you don't have Kim Ha Sung… San Diego, is Kim Ha-sung's rehiring? Will there be a 'reunion of rehiring'
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One of the keywords governing the recent Major League offseason is the rich, the poor, the poor, the poor. Big market clubs continue to pour astronomical amounts of money to break record highs, but teams that do not are stingy and cautious about spending 10 million dollars.
In fact, six teams have not spent even $5 million on major league contracts, including the Miami Marlins, who have not spent a single penny on major league contracts, as of Jan. 5 (Korea time). Miami, St. Louis (250,000 dollars) and San Diego (900,000 dollars) have not spent a million dollars. St. Louis, which tries to press the rebuilding button, is the most visible team in San Diego.
Until just two or three years ago, San Diego had been spending a lot of money on the market. He made aggressive spending under the guise of overthrowing the Los Angeles Dodgers, the strongest team in the National League West. He spent enormous amounts on recruiting FA and extending contracts. As a result, he once became one of the highest-paid teams in the Major League, with team salaries soaring to the mid-200 million dollar range. It was a surprising move to consider that San Diego is not such a big market.
However, the size of the market was limited as expected. There were also negative factors such as the bankruptcy of the host broadcaster. Cash flow was clogged. To make matters worse, owner Peter Seidler, who did not spare any investment in the club, also passed away. At the end of the 2023 season, rumors spread widely that he borrowed money to pay his annual salary, and this was confirmed to be true to a large extent. San Diego was on a painful salary diet ahead of the 2024 season. It made tearful efforts to set the team's total annual salary below $180 million. In the process, Juan Soto, the team's best hitter, was traded to the New York Yankees, and numerous players left the team.
His performance in the season was not bad, but his team's financial structure did not improve. Maintaining the current team is also overwhelming. Kim Ha-sung's case is symbolic. He played in the San Diego Padres' infield system for the past four years. He played shortstop, second base and third base, all of which showed above-average defense capability. It was an all-around puzzle for the infield. However, the San Diego Padres did not offer such an extension contract to Kim Ha-sung. It was right to say that he did not do it. At one point, there were reports that his value reached 100 million U.S. dollars. San Diego didn't have that much money. 먹튀검증
Kim wanted to implement his 2025 mutual option (eight million U.S. dollars) after the 2024 season, but Kim rejected it without looking back. After much consideration, he did not even make a qualifying offer (reward FA player qualification) worth 21.05 million dollars. Since then, the San Diego transfer market has virtually stopped. Rumors sometimes come out, but they are not as hot as they used to be. Rather, there are only rumors that the players will be traded and left. This represents the current situation in San Diego.
But can such San Diego bring back Kim Ha-sung? Amid no special recruitment, San Diego needs Kim Ha-sung the most. Xander Bogaerts, who invested 280 million dollars as the main shortstop, was generally disappointing. If Kim Ha-sung is out, he will go to shortstop again, but he is worried. It is hard to find infield all-weather utility players. In the meantime, the fact that Kim Ha-sung has yet to sign a contract with another club may be the last chance for San Diego.
The San Diego Union-Tribune, a leading local media outlet, also pointed out the possibility on the 4th (Korea time). The San Diego Union-Tribune claimed that Kim Ha-sung is a player who helps not only his strength but also team marketing. The San Diego Union-Tribune wrote, "Will business connections in Korea increase Kim Ha-sung's chances of returning to the Padres?" and added, "Kim Ha-sung is better at shortstop defense than Bogaerts. He is also good at second base, costs less (compared to Bogaerts), and he is three years younger."
The San Diego Union-Tribune went on to say, "In terms of revenue, Kim Ha-sung may be worth more to San Diego than many other MLB teams. He was a star player in Korea and was popular even before (A.J.) Preller signed a four-year contract ahead of the 2021 season. San Diego in the West Coast region serves Korean fans and companies well. Eric Gruffner, the Padres' CEO, pointed to another value for Kim Ha-sung, saying that the Padres were able to create business opportunities in Korea, where Kim Ha-sung's games are broadcast throughout."
The San Diego Union-Tribune said, "Kim Ha-sung is now a free agent who will attract attention with his defensive excellence." As Kevin Ace of the Union-Tribune reported, it is not clear whether he will be ready to play before mid-April (2025) due to a right shoulder injury he suffered in mid-August. Kim Ha-sung did not have surgery to repair cartilage damage until Oct. 10, noting Kim Ha-sung's recent situation, "The San Francisco Giants' signing of shortstop Willie Adames may have increased the likelihood that Kim Ha-sung will return to the Padres. San Francisco expected that Lee Jung-hoo, the team's center fielder, had a relationship with Kim Ha-sung."
The problem is money. San Diego, which feels uncomfortable even with a qualifying offer for Kim Ha-sung, has not enough money to recruit new players by spending tens of millions of dollars. However, we can look forward to the market's reaction to Kim Ha-sung's shoulder. As reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune, Kim Ha-sung is currently undergoing rehabilitation from shoulder surgery, and the majority opinion is that he will not be able to play in the opening game in 2025. He will return within April at the earliest. Clubs interested in Kim Ha-sung will want to check whether his shoulder has fully recovered. If not, it could be a big loss.
Kim Ha-sung's side is also well aware of this, so it is not an urgent attitude to sign a contract right away. There are many teams in the Major League that need a central infielder anyway, and with Adames signing with San Francisco, Kim Ha-sung is the best shortstop in the remaining FA market recognized by his own company.