Why Kiwoom let a 26-save pitcher go without a fight.
Veteran free agent bullpener Im Chang-min has donned a Samsung Lions uniform. Samsung officially announced on May 5 that it had signed Lim Chang-min to a two-year free agent contract for a total of 800 million won. The contract includes a 300 million won signing bonus, two annual salaries of 200 million won each, and a 100 million won option.
Im’s move to Samsung had been rumored in the baseball world for some time. After he announced his free agency, rumors circulated that his original team, the Kiwoom Heroes, was passive, and it was widely expected that he would join Samsung, which was in urgent need of bullpen reinforcements. However, negotiations for a free agent contract with ‘living legend’ Oh Seung-hwan took time, delaying the announcement of the signing.
At one point, 바카라사이트 it was said that Kim Chang-min would command more money than expected and that Kiwoom was unwilling to take him.
However, when we opened the lid, the total amount was 800 million won for two years.
It was not a huge (?) amount than expected. It’s actually a bargain considering that Lim made a whopping 26 saves for last-place Kiwoom last year. His 26 saves were the 6th best in the league last season. It was an incredible performance that was well worth the 100 million won salary.
So why didn’t Kiwoom try to sign the veteran pitcher who saved 26 games in a difficult time?
It’s not that they didn’t try to sign him. Even with the return of closer Cho Sang-woo, Kiwoom’s bullpen wasn’t the strongest in the league, so it would have been a no-brainer to sign Lim Chang-min as a closer. Instead, Kiwoom offered him a non-free agent multi-year contract before he filed for free agency. Multi-year contracts do not require a down payment and can only be signed with a salary and an option, so it does not cost the club any money.
The contract was for two years, but Lim was not satisfied with Kiwoom’s terms. With no down payment, it’s very likely that he would not have gotten the full 2 years and 800 million won.
The choice was his. If he was confident, he could go to the market, or he could accept Kiwoom’s offer and play stable baseball.
Lim eventually declared himself a free agent.
At this point, his relationship with Kiwoom was effectively over. Kiwoom’s multi-year contract offer was the final word. There was no point in re-negotiating with him as a free agent.
In the end, he signed with Samsung, who offered him a better deal than Kiwoom.
Kiwoom must have had his own reasons for making this choice. While he certainly acknowledges that Im Chang-min did a good job last season, it seems that he had to be cool about his future value at the age of 39.
Still, fans may be disappointed. After all, Lim has bounced back from two consecutive releases, first with the NC Dinos after the 2021 season and then with the Doosan Bears after the 2022 season. He’s also a family man, 안전놀이터 having been drafted by the Heroes’ predecessor organization, the Hyundai Unicorns, in 2008. A player who not only helps the team, but also has a story of his own.
A breakup after a year might seem like a hollow ending.
