As a result, was it a hasty mention of trade?
It looks like the Samsung Lions are withdrawing from the ‘catcher trade’ market. A high-ranking official from the club reiterated in a phone call with Ilgan Sports, “There is no reason for us to step forward. There is no need to (move first) to fill the weaknesses of others.”
Samsung’s catcher trade was one of the biggest concerns of the offseason. It was the inauguration ceremony of director Park Jin-man held on October 26 that ignited the fuse. Coach Jin-Man Park, conveying the idea of the offseason team, said, “The catcher side has more depth than other teams. Lee Eun) said the second point.” He mentioned the possibility of a catcher trade at the place where he took his first steps as a manager, drawing attention from several clubs.
Director Park Jin-man was not wrong. In the professional baseball FA (free agent) market this winter, Yang Eui-ji (NC Dinos → Doosan Bears), the league’s best home resource, Yoo Kang-nam (LG Twins → Lotte Giants) Park Se-hyeok (Doosan → NC) Park Dong-won (KIA Tigers → LG Twins) ), the so-called ‘big four catchers’ were released for sale. If a club that lost its main catcher seeks a second best solution, one of the alternatives is Samsung. As the team had three main catchers (Kang Min-ho, Kim Tae-gun, and Kim Jae-seong), the trade was able to be used as a niche market to strengthen power as coach Park Jin-man thought.
The problem is the risk of ‘open trade’. If the deal doesn’t come through, it will be difficult to sort out the internal turmoil. This is why the club moves carefully behind the scenes even if it wants to trade. When the trade discussion comes to the surface, 토토 rumors of all sorts bite their tails. Some players’ real names are also mentioned. An official from Team A said, “It is a bit unusual to mention trade at the inauguration ceremony.” Team B’s general manager emphasized, “Trade is a type of personnel, and it is more the responsibility of the club than the manager. If this part is not followed, it is not easy to operate the club.”
The meaning of “there is no reason for us to step out” can be interpreted in several ways. It can be a kind of fighting spirit to gain an upper hand in negotiations. However, considering the situation inside and outside of professional baseball, Samsung’s catcher trade is not very likely. NC, who missed Yang Eui-ji, quickly recruited Park Se-hyuk and named catcher Ahn Joong-yeol as a free agent compensation player for infielder Noh Jin-hyuk. When Park Dong-won left the team, KIA effectively withdrew from the catcher trade market. Each club is confirming the catcher entry for next season one after another.
Trade embers can revive at any time. Samsung also did not completely close the trade door. However, it is necessary to meet the strict condition of “receiving a satisfactory price.” An official from the club said, “I ran a three-man catcher system this year, but Kim Jae-seong is a left-handed batter and the pinch hitter was good. I don’t think it would be bad if we split the playing time (with Kang Min-ho and Kim Tae-gun).” ‘We can hold the trade board and shake it’
Fixing the atmosphere could turn into Samsung’s biggest offseason task. The atmosphere of the team is so chaotic.