“My second free agency is coming up, and I’m hoping for good results.”
Catcher Kim Tae-gun, a KIA transfer, had a lot to talk about with pitcher Yang Hyun-jong when he joined the team on June 5 to pitch against Incheon SSG. Ahead of the game on the 6th, Kim Tae-gun said, “I talked to Hyun-jong about his autograph, and it was unique. If the result is good, he will say that he brought me well.”
But baseball wasn’t the only thing Kim Tae-gun talked about with Yang Hyun-jong. He also asked Yang about his life in Gwangju. “I have a family, so I was curious about life and basic things,” he said.
Kim is ready to dedicate himself to KIA this season. He immediately scored the game-winning run against Kwang Hyun-jong in Game 6. He helped Kwang Hyun-jong win his fifth game of the season, and in the batting order, he had an RBI double against Kim Kwang-hyun. “I came because KIA needed me. When I was traded from NC to Samsung, it was after the end of the season, but this move is more pressure. If I can overcome it, it will be a springboard for me to do well.”
Kia’s iconic red color is a personal favorite. “I like it a lot,” Kim said. “I love it so much, so I don’t feel awkward in the uniform. I’m also a red monkey,” he said. Reuniting with his NC teammates Na Sung-bum, Jang Hyun-shik, and Lee Woo-sung is also a big boost.
However, no one knows if this move will be the end for Kim. He will be eligible for free agency in 2023-2024. Kia, of course, knew this and signed him. Same situation with Park Dong-won (LG) a year ago. KIA can’t afford to repeat last year’s pain this time around. They need to either lock up Kim Tae-gun with a non-free agent multi-year contract or acquire him in the free agent market. If they miss out like they did with Park Dong-won last year, KIA’s catcher rebuild will be back to square one.
Regardless, it’s an opportunity for Kim. He gets a lot more starts than he did at Samsung. He’s a solid starter. He can increase his value in the second half of the season and then hear from a lot of teams in free agency, including KIA. Catchers have traditionally been worth their weight in gold in the free agent market, and it’s possible that he could sign a non-free agent multi-year deal if Kia offers him a favorable deal up front.온라인바카
Kim Tae-gun has a child attending school in Daegu. “My first child is in school,” he said, “so it’s natural for me to be realistic and cautious about the long-term relocation issue. I’ll have to decide after the season,” he said.
Kim added, “This is my second free agency, and I hope it goes well. I was criticized a lot after signing my first free agent contract (four years, 1.3 billion won in the 2019-2020 market). I haven’t had an easy life. My goal in life is to eat well and live well.”
‘Gwangju native’ Yang Hyun-jong plans to help Tae-gun a lot. He said, “It’s not easy for Taegun to find a place in Gwangju right now. I’m going to ask the club for a transfer and ask for favors. I want to help him rest in good condition, and I will help him where I can.” This consideration is one of the reasons why Kim Tae-gun signed with KIA.