“Kim Ha-sung, Pittsburgh’s No. 1 trade target.” Do you eat together with Bae Ji-hwan
It can be interpreted in various meanings that it is mentioned as a trade target. In our team, the utilization is ambiguous, but the opponent needs it, or the value is so good that we can take it by presenting cards that we need more.
Kim Ha-sung (28, Pittsburgh Pirates) proudly raised his value in one season. He was mentioned as a trade target due to his ironically increased value and is mentioned again as a trade card in a year.
U.S. media outlet Rumbunter picked Kim Ha-sung as its first finger on the 3rd (Korea Standard Time), mentioning “Who are the top five position players Pittsburgh should pursue as a trade card?” under the title “Pittsburgh’s Top 5 Position Player Trade Target.”
The media said, “San Diego is looking to cut some of its salaries this winter. One of the players whose name was mentioned in the trade negotiations was infielder Kim Ha-sung, he said. “Kim Ha-sung has been one of the best infielders over the past three seasons and has recorded at least 12 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) in each MLB season.”
“He got better and better every season. In 626 at-bats, he recorded a batting average of 0.260, an on-base percentage of 0.351, a slugging percentage of 0.399, a wOBA (weighted on-base percentage) of 0.330 and a wRC+ (adjusted scoring productivity) of 112, he said. “He set career high records in three triple slash figures as well as wOBA and wRC+.” He explained, “I walked out with a 12% chance and once exceeded 0.800 OPS (on-base plus slugging) and even looked like I could get some votes in the MVP vote.”
By far the best value is defense, too. “Kim Ha-sung’s defense is his business card. There is a reason why he is a final candidate for second baseman Gold Glove, he said. “He recorded +10 DRS and +7 OAA (Outs Above Average) in less than 900 innings of second base.”
“Even if I play either shortstop or third baseman regularly, I will be a final candidate for Gold Glove in that position,” he said. “In only 590 ⅓ innings, he recorded +9 DRS and +2 OAA in the hot corner, and +22 DRS and +7 OAA throughout his career as a shortstop. For the second consecutive year this year, it has recorded double-digit DRS numbers in one digit. “I played shortstop last year, but I played second base this year,” he said.
He also added that Pittsburgh’s bringing in Kim Ha-sung is that it can recruit the best infielder to the team. “Kim Ha-sung will push Jared Triolo to first base and send Key Brian Hayes to the corner,” the media said. “Of course, O’Neill Cruz is the weakest link, but at least some of his defensive problems can be resolved because Kim Ha-sung and Hayes are on his side.”
There was constant praise for Kim Ha-sung. “Kim Ha-sung is an above-average hitter and one of the best middle infield defenders in the league who has recorded a win contribution (fWAR) compared to a substitute player based on Fangraph Dotcom of about 4.0 over the past two seasons,” he said. “It is also economical that his salary next year is only $8 million (a mutual option amount with San Diego). The only downside is that you can only tie it for one season (after FA), but a year of WAR 4 or higher is more valuable than two years of many other players, he said.
In Pittsburgh, Bae Ji-hwan, who travels between infielders and outfielders, is already active. If Kim Ha-sung is traded to Pittsburgh, he may watch two Korean runaway locomotives play together.