The cold FA market… 7 people who couldn’t find their destination
- allforyouclick
- 0
- on Dec 12, 2022
In the free agent (FA) market where the hot heat has escaped, only a cold chill remains.
This FA market, in which 21 players participated, opened on the 17th of last month.
As each club enthusiastically opened their wallets, the players went to their homes at a rapid pace in the beginning.
On the 19th, the third day of opening, a full-fledged rush began with the signing of a contract between veteran pitcher Won Jong-hyun and Kiwoom Heroes.
The big fish that drew attention also concluded contracts early.
On the 22nd of last month, Yang Eui-ji, the biggest fish that predicted the ‘catcher match’, signed with Doosan Bears for up to 15.2 billion won in 6 years. Kangnam Yoo moved to the Lotte Giants, Dongwon Park moved to the LG Twins, and Saehyuk Park moved to the NC Dinos, ending the catcher war.
Chae Eun-seong, who was considered the biggest beast, also signed a large contract with the Hanwha Eagles for 6 years and 9 billion won, and NC Park Min-woo received exceptional treatment of up to 8 years and 14 billion won and remained with the original team.
The real players didn’t have to wait long either.
Infielder Noh Jin-hyeok teamed up with Lotte, and pitcher Lee Tae-yang returned to Hanwha, his ‘parent team’. Infielder Kim Sang-soo succeeded in signing free agent contracts one after another, including joining KT Wiz.
However, there are 7 players who remain in the market even now, about a month after opening. They include pitchers Han Hyun-hee, Jung Chan-heon, Lee Jae-hak and Kang Yun-goo, outfielders Lee Myung-ki and Kwon Hee-dong, and infielder Shin Bon-gi. Although they have performed well in the first team, teams looking for them this winter do not appear easily. 안전놀이터
The most eye-catching is Han Hyun-hee, the only A-class among them.
Han Hyun-hee, who was originally able to qualify for FA after the 2021 season, was punished for violating quarantine rules, and the FA application was also delayed for a year. In the meantime, he has recorded a career record of 65 wins, 43 losses, 105 holds, 8 saves, and an average ERA of 4.26, going back and forth between starting and saving, but he is not getting attention from the market.
A grade also seems to be a big wall for Han Hyun-hee. The team that recruits Han Hyun-hee because it belongs to Class A must compensate 200% of the previous year’s annual salary or 300% of the previous year’s annual salary in addition to 20 protected players to Kiwoom, the original team. Han Hyun-hee’s annual salary in the 2022 season was 250 million won.
The future of Lee Jae-hak, Lee Myung-gi, and Kwon Hee-dong, who came out of NC as mayors side by side, is also uncertain.
Some clubs have already withdrawn from the FA market. A colder winter is passing by for those who wear it narrowly without instilling a clear presence.