by STEVE HAN
The San Diego Padres have posted the highest bid for South Korean pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun, according to FOX Sports. The Padres reportedly made an offer of $2 million to Kim’s current team, the SK Wyverns, for the exclusive rights to negotiate with the left-hander.
If the Wyverns accept the Padres’ offer, Kim will have 30 days to negotiate and agree on a contract. If no deal is reached, Kim will remain with the Wyverns and the posting fee will not be paid.
The Padres’ offer is a paltry sum, especially considering the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 2012 bid of $25 million for Hyun-Jin Ryu, who later became the first South Korean ballplayer in history to make the jump to the major leagues straight from the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO).
In addition, the 26-year-old’s chances of pitching in the major leagues no longer seems as hopeful as the Wyverns reportedly expected a bid close to $10 million for the ace who led them to three Korea Series titles in the last eight seasons.
If the Wyverns turn down the Padres’ offer, Kim will not be eligible to play in the major leagues until the 2017 season.
Kim has already expressed his desire to play in the major leagues, saying he would even accept a reliever role. It is rare for star pitchers out of Korea to show that kind of willingness as both Ryu and Suk-min Yoon, who signed with American ballclubs in the previous two years, respectively, were adamant that they will not accept a role other than starting.
This past season, Kim made 28 starts and posted a 13-9 record with a 3.42 ERA. Throughout his eight-year career in the KBO, he is 83-49 with a 3.30 ERA. Should he move to the majors, he’d project as a back-end starter or a long reliever.
The Padres are likely eyeing a role as a reliever or a spot starter for Kim, considering their relatively underwhelming offer. Despite finishing this past season with a disastrous 77-85 record, the pitching staff has been a silver lining for the Padres. Even with injuries to key starting pitchers, including Andrew Cashner and Josh Johnson, the Padres ranked fourth in the major leagues in team ERA at 3.27, thanks to the rise of 27-year-old Tyson Ross and former National League win leader Ian Kennedy.
The bullpen, led by mid-season acquisition Joaquin Benoit, has also been the Padres’ biggest strength last season with its National League-leading 2.73 ERA.
One of the possible reasons for the Padres’ pursuit of Kim could be due to their plans to trade Kennedy for some much needed power at bat as they ranked dead last in the major leagues in both runs scored (535) and team batting average (.226).
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