Kim Ha-seong (28), who has been rumored to be traded all winter, has revealed that he wants to stay with the San Diego Padres.
Kim took a personal workout at the Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Arizona, on Wednesday (Feb. 13). Spring training for the Padres begins on the 17th, but Kim has been at camp since the 12th, when the pitchers and catchers were called up.
Now in his fourth year in the majors, Kim is no stranger to spring training. Speaking to local reporters in the clubhouse, he said, “I feel a little more comfortable on the field. It’s an important year for me, so I’m looking forward to it,” he said. Kim, who will be a free agent after this season, is already looking forward to the possibility of signing a big contract worth more than $100 million.
San Diego, a team with an abundance of infield resources, is facing a tightening of its finances after the bankruptcy of its local broadcast rights holder cut off a crucial source of revenue, and trade speculation has been rampant. However, Kim’s market value is so high that it is unlikely to be traded at any price.
In an interview with American reporters, he was also asked about a trade.
“There is nothing I can do about a trade,” Kim said. It’s up to the club to decide,” and “I’ll just do my best to prepare for the game and go out.”
He then spoke to Korean reporters and revealed the details. “I honestly don’t know what’s going on (with the trade). First of all, I love San Diego. I want to stay with this team, but if the team situation requires me to go somewhere else, of course I have to go,” he said, adding, “It’s business, so I have to do it, but I don’t want to go again.”
The best-case scenario is that Kim stays and does well, 온라인카지노 and San Diego does well. If the Padres stay competitive enough to fight for a spot in the standings this season, a trade becomes less likely. “If the team is doing well, I will go with them. Whatever happens, I think I have to do well,” Kim agreed.
Throughout the winter, various media outlets predicted various trade possibilities, but Kim said, “I don’t care that much. The season is long, so it’s important to finish it. I’m not going to overpace just because I have to show it at the beginning. Anyway, the team is important, and I’m important, so we have to do well together.”
There are speculations that San Diego will offer Kim a long-term extension if they don’t trade him.
When asked if he has had any talks with the club, Kim left it open-ended, saying, “I’m not going to tell you anything. The Dodgers, who have a number of high-priced long-term contracts, can’t afford to do so, but the spark remains.
The Padres lost last year’s Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell to free agency, as well as starting pitchers Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha (Kansas City Royals), Nick Martinez (Cincinnati Reds) and closer Josh Hader (Houston Astros). Center fielder Juan Soto and center fielder Trent Grisham (New York Yankees) also left via trade. The Yankees received starter Michael King and catcher Kyle Higashioka, and added bullpen arms such as Woo-Seok Ko, Yuki Matsui, and Wandy Peralta in free agency, but their pitching staff was weakened across the board.
“Our name value has definitely dropped, but I think the more we do that, the more the players will bond together,” Kim said. I think it will be interesting,” said Kim, who is looking forward to the reversal. Baseball isn’t all about name recognition, as evidenced by last year’s fall baseball failure, when the team was heavily favored to win the title. This year, the opposite could happen to San Diego.