In Boston, where the starting shortstop and second baseman virtually ‘evaporated’ in a month, adding an infielder is now a necessity, not an option. The local media in Boston are paying attention to the name of Kim Ha-seong (28, San Diego).
On the 12th (Korean time), the New England Sports Network (NESN), a leading sports network in the Boston area, included Kim Ha-seong’s name in a column summarizing eight shortstops that Boston could target in the future. NESN selected four players that could be targeted in the free agent (FA) market and four players that could be recruited through trade, and Kim Ha-seong was the first among the latter.
It has been a steady occurrence in recent years that the Boston press has paid attention to Kim Ha-seong. It’s because of team circumstances. Boston’s starting shortstop Zander Bogarts left the team after signing an 11-year, $280 million contract with San Diego. In addition, the news that Trevor Story, a reserve shortstop and the main second baseman, will also undergo elbow surgery on the 11th, and the Keystone combination collapsed.
There are some good prospects on the farm, but they’re not at a level that the major leagues can use right now. So, the resources that can last for 1-2 years until these players grow up are on the rise as recruiting targets. In fact, NESN also selected 8 players, focusing on veteran shortstops who can sign short-term contracts, and players who do not have a large salary or trade card burden, rather than heavyweight players.
NESN questioned, “What if Bogatz and Kim Ha-seong simply swapped places?” Then, “If that happens, it will definitely be a downgrade for Boston. However, Kim Ha-seong is the 11th best shortstop among shortstops, and his contribution to victory compared to substitutes is 3.7.” (Based on fan graphs) and a versatile infielder who finished 2022 brilliantly.”
“He’s still only 27 years old and he’s got a team-friendly contract,” he added. NESN recommended that “this means Boston will need to give him the right amount of talent to get him off San Diego, but given Boston’s obvious need, he’s certainly a worthwhile consideration.”
There were many veterans who could be recruited as free agents. Elvis Andrews, Jose Iglesias, Didi Gregorius, and Andrelton Simmons were nominated. These players are capable of short-term one-year contracts, and they are the types who can take responsibility for a shorter period than Kim Ha-seong and hand over their seats to promising players. However, among the four players, no player performed better overall than Ha-seong Kim last year. 안전놀이터
Rumors of Kim Ha-sung trade are expected to continue. This is because even if San Diego does not release Kim Ha-sung right away, there is time until the end of July, the trade deadline. The courtship of other teams that have identified a hole in the shortstop position may become tenacious, and San Diego’s needs may change during the season. In any case, it seems clear that Ha-sung Kim’s value and popularity continues to rise during the offseason.