“Lee Jeong-hoo (25, Kiwoom Heroes) is a player who can become the best in the world.”
The American media is praising Lee Jung-hoo every day.
On the 9th (Korean time), the American sports media ‘The Athletic’ selected Lee Jung-hoo as a player that the San Francisco Giants
who need reinforcement in center field, should recruit, emphasizing that he is ‘a player who can become the best in the world.’ 카지노사이트랭크
The Athletic said, ‘Center field is a position that San Francisco must strengthen this winter.
If San Francisco fails to land a center fielder in the offseason, it will be breathtaking.
Kevin Kiermaier is having his best season at the plate, but he’s 34 years old and his bat should be questioned.
Harrison Bader had his worst season at the plate this year.
Lee Jung-hoo may have limitations in his defensive range due to his ankle injury this season
but he is a player who can become the best in the world, he said, emphasizing the need to pursue a contract with Lee Jung-hoo.
Besides San Francisco, there are quite a few clubs showing interest in Lee Jung-hoo.
Scott Boras, Lee Jung-hoo’s agent, met with reporters in Scottsdale, Arizona
where the Major League Baseball general managers’ meeting was held on the 9th, and said
Probably half of the Major League teams (30 teams) have contacted us,” and expressed Lee Jung-hoo’s successful advancement into the United States.
showed confidence in
Boras appealed, “Lee Jung-hoo has a premium as a center fielder.
He is good at defense and, as you know, has power.
I think Lee Jung-hoo can bring K-pop to the major league.
Just as Korean idols such as BTS and Blackpink created an unprecedented ‘K-pop’ craze in the United States
Lee Jung-hoo also expressed that he has the potential to create a craze in the major leagues, where there are few cases of Asian players achieving great results.
At the same time, Lee Jeong-hoo’s batting talent was also pointed out.
The Athletic said, ‘Boras advertised Lee Jung-hoo’s very low strikeout rate.
Lee Jeong-hoo introduced that he recorded 383 walks and 304 strikeouts in 3,947 at-bats over 7 seasons (in Korea).
American media predicts Lee Jung-hoo’s ransom to be between $50 million (65.6 billion won) and $90 million (about 118 billion won).
MLB Trade Rumors’ wrote down 5 years and $50 million
The Athletic wrote down 4 years and $56 million, and ‘CBS Sports’ wrote down 6 years and $90 million.
CBS Sports, which proposed the most unprecedented amount, predicted quite specifically that ‘Lee Jung-hoo will sign a 6-year, $90 million contract with San Francisco and will also be given the right to opt out after 4 years.’
This means that treatment close to $100 million is possible, and $90 million is the same amount that left-handed hitter Masataka Yoshida signed with the Boston Red Sox in Japan this year.
Yoshida’s contract period is five years.
Yoshida’s guaranteed amount depending on the period is higher, but in any case, Lee Jeong-hoo also seems to have proven his ability to receive up to $90 million.
The reason Lee Jung-hoo is receiving attention from nearly half of major league teams is because of his young age and low price compared to free agent majors.
Lee Jung-hoo is only 25 years old, and boasts outstanding contact ability
recording a career batting average of 0.340 in the KBO League.
Some say he needs time to adjust to the pitches of major league pitchers
but others think it won’t be a big problem considering the contact ability of Lee Jung-hoo, who has a career batting average of .344.
In addition, Lee Jeong-hoo played 142 games in 2022, had a batting average of 0.349 (193 hits in 553 at-bats), 23 home runs, and 113 RBIs, earning him the honor of MVP in the regular season.
He is a well-proven player, but he can be acquired for less money than Cody Bellinger
who is considered the biggest free agent outfielder.
This is why he is inevitably a card that attracts attention in many ways.
Lee Jeong-hoo plans to hold a showcase so that clubs that have doubts about his injury can directly check his physical condition.
The Athletic said, ‘Lee Jung-hoo can negotiate with the major league club for 30 days after Kiwoom announces his application for posting.
Since Lee Jeong-hoo is still recovering from his ankle fracture, a 30-day negotiation period may be held in a few weeks.
Lee Jeong-hoo said, “It appears that he will train for about three more weeks at the Bora Corporation Exercise Center in Orange County, California, and hold a showcase after applying for a posting.”
The evaluation period, which was lacking this year due to only 86 games due to an ankle injury, is expected to be replaced by performance at the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) held in March.
MLB.com said, ‘Right after Lee Jung-hoo injured his ankle, there was a prediction that he would play in Korea for another year, but both the player and the club denied this at the time.
You may be thankful for Lee Jung-hoo’s performance at the WBC last March.
Korea was disappointed by being eliminated in third place in the group stage, but Lee Jeong-hoo did not struggle.
He faced the world’s best players and recorded a batting average of 0.429, an on-base percentage of 0.500, and a slugging percentage of 0.571.
He explained that he had 2 doubles, 5 RBIs, and 1 stolen base, and predicted that his injury would not be a major problem.
San Francisco President Farhan Zaidi does not appear to be rushing to recruit Lee Jeong-hoo despite interest from multiple clubs.
The Athletic said, ‘In the free agent market, a domino effect usually occurs where one player’s contract affects the contract of another player.
President Zaidi said that he did not expect Lee Jung-hoo’s delay in signing his contract to be a hindrance.
President Zaidi said on the day, “Maybe some of the domestic (US) free agent players may be ready to end their contracts quickly.
However, most markets will be delayed until the winter meeting period (December).
Then, the contracts of domestic and foreign free agents will be concluded at the same time.
It will proceed in multiple stages,” he said, predicting that Lee Jeong-hoo’s contract will also have to wait until the winter meeting period.
It appears that only next month will we be able to know in detail how much money Lee Jung-hoo can sign and for which team he will be able to play.
As Boras explained, if the explosive interest from major league clubs continues, it appears that a $90 million jackpot could become a reality.