The use of a minor stadium that made Kim Ha-sung agonize...But "there was no problem with the contract" NL Gold Glover's confidence
The use of a minor stadium that made Kim Ha-sung agonize...But "there was no problem with the contract" NL Gold Glover's confidence
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"I thought about it"
Kim Ha-sung had a press conference to join the Tampa Bay Rays through a video interview program on the 4th (Korea time). Wearing a Tampa Bay uniform and a hat with a TB logo on it, Kim Ha-sung received many questions from U.S. and Korean reporters.
It was on the 30th of last month that news of Kim Ha-sung's contract, which had been linked to numerous clubs due to local media after the start of the stove league, was heard. The team that Kim Ha-sung will wear the uniform was the Tampa Bay Rays, which no one mentioned as an expected destination except for "MLB.com ".
Tampa Bay is one of the leading "Small Market" teams in the Major League. The team fosters promising players and utilizes them as trade cards, or recruits valuable players to induce rebound and manages the team at a high price. However, it was different for Kim. Tampa Bay gave Kim a whopping 29 million-dollar two-year contract.
Compared to the prospect of signing a large contract worth more than $100 million before the start of the 2024 season, it was far short of the expectation, but this was the fifth place in Tampa Bay's history. Kim Ha-sung, who will receive a salary of $13 million this year, was instantly crowned "annual salary king" in Tampa Bay, and he could receive $16 million (about 23.4 billion won) next year if he does not leave to find a new destination through opt-out after the 2025 season.
At the press conference on the day, Kim Ha-sung said, "I'm looking forward to joining a good team called Tampa Bay. I have an injury issue, but I'm in a great condition right now. I'm grateful to the team officials for believing in that and giving me a good contract. I'll do my best to prepare hard and win the World Series," adding, "I got a good offer from a good team. That's why I decided to join Tampa Bay without difficulty."
Currently, Kim Ha-sung's rehabilitation is progressing very smoothly. Local media in the U.S. recently reported that it is impossible for Kim Ha-sung to return to the ground in April, but Kim Ha-sung thought differently. He said, "The surgery went so well. I met a trainer who has good rehabilitation and am working hard. He is in good condition. Now he has thrown balls and started hitting. I think I will be able to return within late April or early May," he said. "I will make sure to return as soon as possible."
There was a question that was asked to Kim twice. It was related to Tampa Bay's home stadium. Tampa Bay uses Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida as its home stadium, and the roof of its dome was damaged in the aftermath of last year's hurricane. As a result, Tampa Bay is not allowed to use its home stadium for the time being. Therefore, the New York Yankees reached out. Tampa Bay uses George M. Steinbrenner Field, which is used by the Yankees' minor league team, as its home stadium.
This is because Kim Ha-sung is a shortstop who is more sensitive to the condition of infield grass than anyone else. Depending on the condition of the grass and ground, Kim Ha-sung's defensive indicators can vary greatly. And this is an important issue that leads to Kim Ha-sung's valuation. For Kim Ha-sung, the condition of the home stadium could be concerned when signing a contract with Tampa Bay.
However, Kim did not seem to pay much attention to using the Minor League Baseball stadium as his home ground. He also experienced KBO League, which is far inferior to the Major League, and his defensive skills seemed to stem from his confidence that he has gained reputation in the Major League as well to the extent that he won the Gold Glove Award.
When asked about the stadium, Kim answered honestly, "I was worried," but added, "But I heard that the stadium was in good condition. As it is a stadium used by Major League teams, I think they must have managed it well. That's why the stadium did not matter when signing a contract." As there are such concerns, Tampa Bay is also thoroughly managing temporary stadiums.
"I had a problem with my home stadium, so I used another stadium, but I think I would have managed it well. And I'm preparing well for the front desk," Kim Ha-sung said. "I didn't care much because he said strongly that there would be no problem in the game. I didn't think the stadium would have much impact on the contract." 안전놀이터
As he visited his destination, all he had to do was recover from shoulder surgery and raise his value again. Attention is focusing on what kind of performance Kim Ha-sung, who is set to return in late April or early May, will have this year.