“Matsui level contract will be difficult”
Derek Gould of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on June 6 (KST) that the St. Louis Cardinals have discussed Ko Woo-seok.
Go, who was the first pick of the LG Twins in the 2017 First-Year Player Draft, received a “surprise” background check request from Major League Baseball’s office at the stadium. In fact, no one was expecting it. Even LG Twins officials, including general manager Cha Myung-seok, were surprised, especially since Go Woo-seok hadn’t expressed his desire to play in the major leagues. However, Go had fulfilled all the requirements to make it to the major leagues.
He started his professional career in the KBO in 2017, but was often out of the first team due to injuries. However, after playing in various international tournaments, including the 2017 Premier 12, the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC), and the Hangzhou Asian Games (AG), he was able to fulfill all of his registration days and was finally eligible for posting. He met with Cha Myung-seok to express his desire to play in the big leagues.
After the unexpected occurrence of Ko Woo-seok’s background check, LG was left scratching its head. Whether or not he should be allowed to post. Cha Myung-seok informed the group of Go Woo-seok’s intention to post, and on March 22, the decision was made to approve the move to the big leagues ‘conditionally’. This meant that if the player and the club were offered a contract that was acceptable to both parties, they would allow the player to go to the major leagues, but not under unreasonable conditions.
With LG’s decision to allow Goh to try out for the major leagues through its posting system, Goh’s intention to post to 30 major league teams was announced on the 5th of this month, so he is free to negotiate with 30 major league teams from 8am EST on the 5th until 5pm EST on January 3, 2024.
Given the suddenness of his move to the big leagues without any “warm-up,” the local media has been less likely to mention Ko’s name. However, it’s clear that teams looking to bolster their bullpen would be wise to consider the mid-to-high 150 mph fastball 캡틴토토 주소.
This is especially true because, while he has struggled this season with a 3-8 record and a 3.68 ERA in 44 appearances, he had a “career-high” season last year with a 4-2 record and a 1.48 ERA in 61 games, and his KBO career stats are not bad at all, with a 19-26 record, six saves, and a 3.18 ERA in 139 games. He’s also very young, the same age as Lee Jung-hoo.
For starters, he’s not without demand. It appears that the Reds are currently looking to acquire Woo-seok Ko. According to Major League Trade Rumors (MLBTR), “The Cardinals are not hiding their bullpen needs. Having achieved their goal of adding three starters, the Cardinals are prioritizing relievers, and are exploring two avenues: free agency and trade.”
The media outlet then cited Derek Gould’s report that the Cardinals are considering a move for Goh, saying, “Goh has a 3.68 ERA in 44 innings this season. He struck out 31.1 percent of batters, but walked 11.8 percent of them.”
Along with Koumei, the Reds are considering several bullpen options, including Yuki Matsui, Japan’s youngest 200-save pitcher, and Jordan Hicks. However, Ko’s price tag doesn’t seem too high. According to MLBTR, Yuki Matsui is expected to sign a two-year, $16 million contract.
“He has until Jan. 3 to decide if he wants to sign with a major league team or stay in Korea,” said MLBTR. “He’s not expected to get the same deal as Matsui. “He’s not expected to get the same kind of contract as Matsui, and he’s not going to get anywhere near the cost of reuniting with Jordan Hicks.
With his “surprise” move to the majors, the question is whether or not he’ll ever wear a big league uniform, and if so, which team.