Baseball's free agency market opens next week...keep an eye on Choi Jung, Uhm Sang-baek, and Choi Won-tae
Baseball's free agency market opens next week...keep an eye on Choi Jung, Uhm Sang-baek, and Choi Won-tae
Blog Article
The free agency market, a highlight of the baseball stovepipe, is about to open.
The Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) will release the list of free agent eligible players tomorrow (Feb. 2).
Eligible players will have until the 4th to apply to the KBO for approval to exercise their free agency rights, and the KBO will release the approved players on the 5th.
Starting on the 6th, domestic and foreign clubs will be free to negotiate with free agents.
The KBO categorizes free agents into A through C based on their salary ranking within the club, overall salary ranking, and age.
A club that acquires an A-rated player from another club must pay the original team one compensation player (excluding 20 protected players) and 200% of the previous year's salary or 300% of the previous year's salary.
Class B compensation is 1 compensated player (25 protected players) plus 100% of the previous year's salary or 200% of the previous year's salary, and Class C is 150% of the previous year's salary with no compensated players.
Among the players eligible for free agency next year, 토토사이트 SSG's Choi is the KBO's all-time leader with 495 home runs.
Choi signed a four-year, 8.6 billion won ($8.6 million) contract with SSG's predecessor, SK, in November 2014, a free agent record at the time.
In December 2018, he signed another free agent contract with SK for up to 6 years and 10.6 billion won.
This time around, Choi is expected to sign a big contract worth more than 10 billion won.
SSG has set a goal of signing Choi to a 'non-free agent multi-year contract' before he hits the free agency market and has been meeting with Choi's side on a regular basis.
If they are unable to close the 'fine gap' and Choi enters the free agency market, it could be the 'eye of the storm' in this market.
Choi is classified as a 'C-grade' player as he is exercising his third free agency right, meaning that any team that signs him will have to pay SSG 1.5 billion won in compensation without giving him a compensatory player.
Among the free agent pitchers, KT's sidearm Uhm Sang-baek and LG's right-handed orthodox Choi Won-tae are the biggest names.
Uhm Sang-baek went 13-10 with a 4.88 ERA in the regular season this year, while Choi Won-tae went 9-7 with a 4.26 ERA.
Both players are considered attractive to clubs in need of starting pitching reinforcements.
Among relievers, Lotte closer Kim Won-joong, set-up man Koo Seung-min, and key bullpen arm Jang Hyun-sik of 'championship team' Kia are other free agents to watch.