“Kim Ha-seong (28, San Diego Padres) performed well beyond virtually all expectations.”
This is the evaluation of the San Diego Union-Tribune, a local media outlet in San Diego, USA. On the 12th (Korean time), the media cited the poor performance of the Big Four, including Xander Bogaerts, Manny Machado, Juan Soto, and Fernando Tatis Jr., as the reason why San Diego was imminent to be eliminated from the fall baseball season despite investing so much that it emerged as a contender for the championship. San Diego spent $78 million (approximately 103.5 billion won) on these four players this season, but as all four players performed poorly in line with their expectations and expectations, the team’s performance naturally declined.바카라
The San Diego Union-Tribune pointed out that ‘the club will have to spend an additional 900 million dollars (approximately 1.1943 trillion won) over the next 10 years on three of the Big Four players.’ If the performance of the Big 4 is as poor as this year, there is a possibility that it will lead to an unprecedented number of malicious contracts.
Ha-Seong Kim did more than expected while receiving a very low price compared to the Big 4. Ha-seong Kim’s annual salary this year is $7 million (about 9.2 billion won). It is much less than the total salary of the Big 4 this season divided into four parts, but he surpassed them all in terms of performance. Ha-Seong Kim ranks first on the team this season with bWAR of 5.9, and ranks seventh among major league fielders. At one point, his pace was so good that he ranked second in bWAR among all major league players, behind the LA Angels’ Shohei Ohtani (10.0). The bWAR of the Big 4 is Tatis Jr. (4.9), Soto (4.3), Bogaerts (3.4), and Machado (2.5).
San Diego coach Bob Melvin said in an interview with local U.S. reporters, “Everything Ha-Seong Kim is doing now, from defense to offense to base running, is the start of something really good. I think he’s on the verge of becoming an All-Star. I hope Ha-Seong Kim will become an All-Star in the future.” “I am amazed at the rapid growth of Kim Ha-seong, who is in his third year in the big league.”
Hopes for fall baseball have disappeared due to San Diego’s investment failure, which is explained by the Big 4’s sluggish performance, but Ha-Seong Kim’s season is not over yet. Ha-seong Kim recorded a batting average of 0.270 (132 hits in 488 at-bats), 17 home runs, and 35 stolen bases in 140 games this season. There are three home runs left until he reaches his first 20 home run in his career, and he is five away from becoming the first Korean major leaguer to reach 40 stolen bases. If he achieves 20 home runs and 40 stolen bases for the remainder of the season, he will become the first Korean major leaguer in history.
The stolen base pace is not bad. Ha-seong Kim started as the number one hitter and second baseman in the away game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on the 12th and succeeded in stealing his 35th base of the season. He appeared as the leadoff hitter in the top of the first inning, reached base with a single to left, and stole second base during Tatis Jr.’s next at-bat. Thanks to Kim Ha-seong’s quick kicks that put him in the scoring position, he was able to score thanks to Soto’s timely hit to the left, taking the lead 1-0.
The home run pace is somewhat disappointing. Since the game against the Miami Marlins on the 22nd of last month, there have been no additional home runs in 19 games, and since the game against Miami on the 24th of last month, long hits have also been depleted. He is consistently producing hits, but is only producing singles, perhaps because he is more focused on the leadoff’s on-base duties.
Currently, Shin-Soo Choo (SSG Landers) is the only Korean major leaguer who has joined the 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases club, a symbol of the hot hit team. Choo Shin-soo achieved 20-20 three times in 2009 (20 home runs – 21 stolen bases), 2010 (22 home runs – 22 stolen bases), and 2013 (21 home runs – 20 stolen bases).
If Kim Ha-seong produces three more home runs in San Diego’s remaining 17 games of the season, he will become the second Korean infielder and the first Asian infielder to join the 20-20 team. Then, he naturally becomes the first Korean to join the 20-30 club.
Attention is being paid to whether he can become the second Asian major leaguer to hit 40 home runs, following in the footsteps of Ichiro Suzuki (retired), a leading player in Asia. Ichiro set the record for the most stolen bases by an Asian major leaguer with 56 steals in 2001, and has had five seasons, including 2006 (45 steals), 2008 (43 steals), 2010 (42 steals), and 2011 (40 steals), to reach his 40th steal. did. It is also drawing attention whether Kim Ha-seong could become the first Asian player to achieve 40 stolen bases in 12 years since Ichiro in 2011.
Ha-seong Kim is emerging as a strong candidate for the National League Gold Glove, boasting stable defense as a full-time second baseman this year. Here, he appears to be able to finish his personal best season even more spectacularly by achieving 20-40.