Even though he was nominated for the 2022 Gold Glove, he was pushed out by Boharz last year and switched positions with his skills after a year as a second baseman. He is also in the same league as the ‘special players’ in batting.
Ha-seong Kim (right) of San Diego, Major League Baseball, is practicing hitting on the first day of spring camp training held at the Peoria Sports Complex in Arizona, USA, on the 17th.
“Sander Bohartz will move to second base, and Ha-seong Kim will move to shortstop.”
San Diego coach Mike Silt made this announcement prior to training held at the Peoria Sports Complex in Arizona, USA, on the 17th, the first day of spring training for the entire team. As this remark became known through social media and press news, fans of the American Major League Baseball (MLB) could not hide their surprise. It was the most talked-about news among all MLB teams’ spring camps that day. Related content was also introduced frequently through subtitles on local broadcasts.
Just a year ago, the two players' situations were completely opposite. Bohartz, who has a high ransom, took Kim Ha-seong's place. To win the World Series, San Diego brought in shortstop Bohartz, who was released as a free agent from Boston, for a total of $280 million (about 374 billion won) over 11 years. Ha-seong Kim, who played as the team's starting shortstop in 2022, had to move to second base. There was bound to be a lot of regret because Kim Ha-seong was among the three finalists for the shortstop Gold Glove award that year.
However, the team returned Kim Ha-seong to shortstop after just one year. This is because it was judged that the combination of ‘shortstop Kim Ha-seong and second baseman Bohartz’ could maximize the team’s power. The reason Boharz's move to second base was such a shock not only to him but also to his fans is because he has never played second base before. After his big league debut, he remained a shortstop for 11 years. It was a situation that could have resulted in discord, but Bohartz accepted it. He said, “I came to this team by signing a contract at the shortstop position. But my goal is to win the World Series. “It might be better for me to go to second base,” he said. “I especially can’t help but respect Kim Ha-seong’s flawless defense.” Kim Ha-seong, one of the highest-paid shortstops in MLB, was pushed out with his skills.
Kim Ha-seong, who mainly played second base last season, also played third base and shortstop depending on team circumstances, and received a Gold Glove Award in the utility category. On this day, Ha-Seong Kim trained at shortstop wearing a glove gifted by the Gold Glove sponsor. His fellow players congratulated him by touching or borrowing his gloves with gold patches. Ha-seong Kim said, “Bohartz made a concession rather than a concession. “I think he needs to prepare better for it,” he said. “It seems like the Gold Glove at shortstop has now become a goal rather than a dream. “So it becomes a bigger stimulus.”
Ha-seong Kim's four-year, $28 million (approximately 37.4 billion won) contract with San Diego ends after this season. If he performs at a Gold Glove level as a shortstop this year, his price is expected to rise significantly after he becomes a free agent. His worth is already estimated to be over $100 million based on last year's Gold Glove alone. If he plays as a shortstop and has similar batting performance to last year (0.260 batting average, 17 home runs, 60 RBI, 38 stolen bases), he may receive a very large contract worth over $200 million.
Ha-Seong Kim is already receiving special treatment within the team. Even during his batting training, he was in the same group as ‘precious bodies’ such as Fernando Tatis Jr. (14 years, $340 million) and Manny Machado (11 years, $350 million). Former NC coach Lee Dong-wook, who trained as a coach in the San Diego minor league last year and was invited to spring camp this year, said, “Kimchi, red pepper paste, and soybean paste soup were all prepared in the players’ cafeteria. It wasn't like that until last year. “I got the feeling that he was more considerate of Kim Ha-seong, who had become an indispensable player on the team,” he said. 고스톱사이트