The biggest fish is Choi Jung, and there are many A-class pitchers..."Stove League" Opens in the Midwinter
The biggest fish is Choi Jung, and there are many A-class pitchers..."Stove League" Opens in the Midwinter
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The season has ended with 144 regular-season games of the Korean pro baseball in 2024 and the post-season games. After tirelessly running throughout the entire season, players have time to recharge their batteries.토토사이트
Now is the time for the front desk. With the opening of the "Stove League," competition to recruit talented FA players will be fierce among teams.
A total of 20 FA-approved players have been announced by the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO).
Lim Ki-young, Jang Hyun-sik, Seo Geon-chang ( KIA Tigers), Ryu Ji-hyuk, Kim Heon-gon (Samsung Lions), Choi Won-tae (LG Twins), Kim Kang-ryul, Heo Kyung-min (Dusan Bears), Um Sang-baek, Woo Kyu-min, Shim Woo-joon (KT Wiz), Noh Kyung-eun, Choi Jeong (SSG Landers), Koo Seung-min, Kim Won-joong (Lotte Giants), Ha Joo-seok (Hanwha Eagles), Lee Yong-chan, Lim Jung-ho, Kim Sung-wook (NC Dinos), and Moon Sung-hyun (Kium Heroes) are the targets.
They can sign contracts with all clubs, including overseas clubs, from the 6th.
Among them, Choi Jeong has the highest name value. Choi, who signed a four-year free agent contract with the SK Wyverns (current SSG) in 2014 and a six-year maximum of 10.6 billion won (approx.
Choi Jeong, who is still considered the top third baseman at the age of 40, is a resource that many clubs will covet.
However, chances are slim that he will move to another team. After consistent negotiations with SSG, the two sides reached almost the agreement, and decided to announce the contract after the final meeting on the day.
Choi is said to have already been guaranteed a four-year contract worth 10 billion won (approx. If the contract is completed, Choi will likely set a record of the highest total amount of free agent contracts ever, exceeding 27.7 billion won (25.7 million U.S. dollars) for Yang Eui-ji (Doosan).
If the total contract of Choi Jeong exceeds 10.8 billion won, the era of a multi-year contract of 30 billion won will open for the first time in the KBO league.
Heo stands out among other fielders. Former national team player, Heo is an excellent third baseman with a batting average of 0.293.
Huh Kyung-min signed an FA contract with Doosan in 2020 for up to 8.5 billion won for 4+3 years. The contract, which guarantees 6.5 billion won for four years, ended this year, but after much consideration, he decided to destroy the option and go back to the market.
If he remained at Doosan, he could have received 2 billion won in three years, but he seems to have expected more by performing well with a batting average of 0.309 seven home runs this year.
Attention is also being paid to the future of Seo Geon-chang, who contributed to the KIA Tigers' victory this season, and Kim Hun-gon, who led the Samsung Lions to the runner-up.
Seo Geon-chang became a free agent after the 2021 season, but he delayed exercising his rights because he did not have a good performance. Kim Heon-gon, who became a free agent at the end of the 2022 season, is a similar case.
Ryu Ji-hyuk and Shim Woo-joon, who played in the last postseason, may also be interested in several clubs.
He has many strong resources among pitchers. Eom Sang-baek and Choi Won-tae do not deserve special A grade, but they can constantly maintain rotation and produce around 10 wins, which could spark competition for recruitment.
There are also many players who can double the power of the bullpen, including Noh Kyung-eun, who won the hold king with 38 holds this season, Jang Hyun-sik, one of the main players in KIA's victory, Doosan's must-win group Kim Kang-ryul, Lotte closer Kim Won-joong, and NC veteran Lee Yong-chan.
"There are not many players who can be called the biggest players in the FA market this year, but there are many resources that are classified as quasi-class. The competition to recruit good players will be fierce among teams," a club official said.