The influence of Kim Ha-sung...Tampa Bay 'Welcome' and San Diego 'Disappointed'
The influence of Kim Ha-sung...Tampa Bay 'Welcome' and San Diego 'Disappointed'
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The Tampa Bay Rays, which have Kim Ha-sung in their arms, are expressing "expectation," while the San Diego Padres, who have left, are expressing "disappointment."메이저사이트
Tampa Bay announced on the 4th (Korea time) that it signed a two-year maximum contract of 31 million dollars (about 42.5 billion won) with Kim Ha-sung. "The player will choose to fulfill the contract for the 2026 season," he said.
Kim Ha-sung joined the Major League Baseball (MLB) by moving to San Diego ahead of the 2021 season. Kim Ha-sung played for San Diego for four seasons until last year, recording 47 homers, 200 RBIs, 229 runs and 78 steals in 540 games with a batting average of 0.242.
Tampa Bay President Eric Nieder, who attended the video press conference on the day, couldn't hide his expectations for Kim Ha-sung. "Kim Ha-sung is not only talented but also fun to watch, and he was also very popular in San Diego," Nieder said.
Kim Ha-sung suffered a shoulder injury and underwent surgery against the Colorado Rockies on Aug. 19. Therefore, he is not expected to play early in the season, including the opening game.
However, Nieder did not care. "It is not enough to wait too long," Nieder said. "Kim Ha-sung will join us at a time when the team has a good start and shows that it can compete in the postseason."
President Nieder is not the only one who has high expectations for Kim Ha-sung in Tampa Bay. "Players who played for our team are scattered throughout the league right now. I was able to hear about Kim Ha-sung," Nieder said. "When the news of his recruitment was announced, former players such as Evan Longoria and Blake Snell received many favorable calls for Kim Ha-sung."
In particular, Longoria reportedly mentioned Kim Ha-sung's passionate style of play. She also hinted that he is a popular player among her teammates.
Currently retired, Longoria is a legendary player for the Tampa Bay club. In the 2006 MLB Rookie Draft, he wore the Tampa Bay uniform as the third overall in the first round.
From 2008 to 2017, he played 1435 games in 10 seasons for Tampa Bay. He had 261 homers, 1,471 hits, 892 RBIs and 780 runs scored. His batting average was 0.270 and his on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) was 0.823. Afterwards, Longoria played for the San Francisco Giants and the Arizona Diamondbacks before announcing his retirement in 2023.
On the other hand, some members of the San Diego squad, who left Kim Ha-sung, voiced regret. Fernando Tatis Jr., a star player, said, "I have a business problem" with Jurickson Profar and Kim Ha-sung leaving the team in the offseason. "I was happy to play with them. I will remember that time," he said.
Manny Machado also left a bitter comment for the San Diego Padres. "We are disappointed with the team that allowed the players, who were the core players of our team, to leave for another team. It's out of our control," Machado said.
In addition, AJ Casabel, a reporter in charge of San Diego at MLB.COM, said, "He was the favorite player of San Diego fans" after Kim Ha-sung's transfer. "If Kim Ha-sung comes to San Diego's away game, he will receive a warm welcome," he said.