1st base-2nd base-3rd base-striker, all '100 innings' 35-year-old FA utilities, why is there no news of negotiations
Having won the Korean Series title for the first time in 29 years, LG's Ham Deok-ju, Lim Chan-kyu, Kim Min-sung and Oh Ji-hwan have applied for the FA. Oh has already agreed to an extension contract of up to 12.4 billion won for six years before this season.
Ham Deok-ju and Lim Chan-kyu have continued to meet with agents several times, making progress in negotiations. However, Kim Min-sung has little information regarding FA negotiations. This is due to LG and Kim Min-sung's strategic understanding.
Cha Myung-seok asked Kim Min-sung's side for understanding. He said he would first proceed with FA negotiations between Lim Chan-kyu and Ham Deok-ju and negotiate slowly with Kim Min-sung. Kim Min-sung understood this and accepted that "Let's do that."
Kim Min-sung is the second FA since he reacquired the FA. He is in grade B. If a player is taken from another team, he or she is required to compensate not only 25 protected players but also 100 percent of the previous salary or 200 percent of the previous salary to the original team. 1st base-2nd base-3rd base-striker, all '100 innings'
Other clubs are not very interested in infield backup Kim Min-sung. LG needs Kim Min-sung and plans to sign a contract with all FA in the team. The contract is made, but the timing of the negotiations has been postponed.
It is a similar case to last year's FA Kim Jin-sung. Last winter, Cha Myung-seok was the last to sign with FA Kim Jin-sung in the team in early December. It was not because of disagreements during the negotiation process.
Last year, there were many issues in the FA market, including catcher Dae-dong and salary cap system. LG let Chae Eun-sung and Yoo Kang-nam go because of the salary cap, and hired Park Dong-won. Cha Myung-seok, general manager of the FA market, told Kim Jin-sung that he was signing a contract, but he was the last one to do so. After organizing major tasks, he signed a two-year, 700 million-won FA contract with Kim Jin-sung.
He literally played an active role as a "super utility" in defense. Kim pitched 105 ⅔ innings as the first baseman, 280 innings as the second baseman, 135 innings as the third baseman, and 145 innings as the shortstop. He was the first to record more than 100 innings in all four infield positions. He was as good as salt in his team.
Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop assigned Kim Min-sung, who is good at defense, to back up the starting lineup. Kim, who played mostly as a backup third baseman until last year, trained to cover the first and second bases at the spring camp.
However, in April, Oh Ji-hwan, the main shortstop, left due to a side injury. Veteran Kim Min-sung played shortstop in a situation where shortstop backup was not sufficient. It was his first start at shortstop in six years since the game against KT on September 6, 2017. Kim Min-sung has been training shortstop defense in his spare time, and he filled Oh Ji-hwan's gap well.
As the chances of playing increased, Kim Min-sung even recorded a good batting performance with three homers and 21 RBIs in 44 games between May and June (36 hits in 117 at-bats).
Kim, who played at first base, second base, third base, and shortstop all out, suffered thigh injury in early July. "He did a great job in many games. He was killed in action," coach Yeom Kyung-yeop said.
After rehabilitation for about a month, Kim filled the void left by third baseman Moon Bo-kyung who played for the Korean national team at the Hangzhou Asian Games in September. Kim, who joined Lotte in 2007 and won his first Korean Series title in his 17th year, will have the best year possible until his second FA contract.
