Injuries and less-than-stellar grades. And late communication. Obviously, it’s not the best time for Go Woo-seok (LG) to try out for the major leagues, so why did he suddenly mention the post?
On the 15th, the KBO announced that major league clubs had made background checks on Go Woo-seok and Lee Jung-hoo. This is a sign of interest from a major league team, but the process is separate from the player’s decision.
Ko’s agency, Rico Sports, contacted Cha to see if he could apply for the post. Cha reported to the club on the 17th and is waiting for a decision. “There was no specific mention of the regular season,” he said, suggesting a sense of abruptness.
In many ways, it’s not the best time to be in the major leagues. Go is 3-8 with a 3.68 ERA in 44 games and 15 saves this season. Just a year ago, he was one of the best closers in the league with a 4-2 record, 42 saves, and a 1.48 ERA in 61 games. He wasn’t at full strength. Before the start of the season, he suffered a shoulder injury at the World Baseball Classic (WBC), and in October, he suffered muscle soreness at the Asian Games in Hangzhou.
It’s no secret that it wasn’t the best time. It’s a sign of a player’s determination to get on the big league mound even a year early, if the club doesn’t approve and he actually applies for the post. There is also a reason for winning.토토사이트
On the 16th, MLB Trade Rumors (MTR) broke the news of the major league clubs’ background checks on Go Woo-seok and Lee Jeong-hoo, writing, “Unlike Lee Jeong-hoo, whose post was already known, Go Woo-seok was not a potential major league candidate.” They continued, “The background check is to determine if the player is a major leaguer.
“A background check is not a definitive declaration that a player will make it to the major leagues. LG hasn’t publicly announced whether it will post him, and even if it does, there’s no guarantee he’ll make it to the majors. KBO outfielder Na Sung-beom applied for a post with NC, but he was unable to sign a contract and returned to his original team.”
Moreover, suddenly applying for a posting can be poisonous for a player. If you look at past KBO players’ postings, you’ll see that sudden postings often don’t get much attention from major league clubs. It’s better to announce it in advance and keep an eye on it to help sell it. In 2019, Kim Jae-hwan applied for a post, but did not receive a meaningful offer and stayed with Doosan. At the time, many in the industry found his post surprising. The Son Asub-Hwang Jae-gyun relay post in 2015 is a similar case.
Go Woo-seok’s case is literally ambiguous. Major League scouts had mixed opinions. A team A scout (not related to the actual team) said that they “saw it coming,” but that “there were signs since the summer. “I didn’t expect it,” said a scout from Team B. “I knew he was eligible, but I didn’t expect him to push for a post. The player’s intention to go abroad was not clear. I also didn’t know the club’s stance on posting players.”
Despite these questions, MTR believes that Go Woo-seok’s age and restraint could make him appealing to major league fans. The outlet said, “At 25 years old, he is younger than other Asian baseball players. He throws a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and has consistently maintained a 94-96 mph fastball in the Korean Series. His fastball tops out at 98 miles per hour, according to SportsInfoSolutions.” His average slider velocity is also one of the highest in the majors.
Scouts from major league clubs already see him as a big league pitcher. However, it’s unlikely that he’ll be asked to fill a glamorous role like closer. “I think he can be judged as a middle relief pitcher,” said a B team scout.
The A’s scout said, “I think he’s average. I think it’s better to go through Japan to get to the major leagues than to go straight to the big leagues. His fastball and slider are his only two pitches. If he doesn’t have a solid third pitch, it might be difficult for him to survive for a long time.”
Meanwhile, his agency, Ricoh Sports, had already been preparing for Go Woo-seok to go overseas. However, the timing and method was not necessarily a “post right now. On the 17th, Lee Yerang revealed that it was the first time he specifically mentioned posting to LG. He is cautious about expressing his opinion at the moment, as he can only take the next step with the club’s permission.