Huh Kyung-min (34), who stayed with the Doosan Bears for a total of 8.5 billion won four years ago, declared himself a free agent after completing his first contract period.
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced the list of FA-approved players for 2025 on the 5th. Of a total of 20 players, Heo Kyung-min will be on the market as a B-grade player.
Other clubs that want to recruit Heo Kyung-min must pay Doosan KRW 1.2 billion, or 200% of Huh Kyung-min’s annual salary this year, in addition to 25 protected players.
Even though he declared himself an FA, however, it is not easy to predict Heo’s transfer. Players who have rapidly grown in this season had many resources to play as third baseman. From Kim Do-young, who is highly likely to be the MVP, Song Seong-moon, who had a career-high season since his debut in 2015, Kim Young-woong, who hit 28 home runs as the starting member of the first full-time team in his third year as a pro, and Son Ho-young, who hit the first batting average of 300 in a full-time season, to all third baseman clean-up players in this season.
In addition, LG is guarded by Moon Bo-kyung, NC by Seo Ho-cheol and Hanwha by Noh Si-hwan, while SSG kept its home rabbit by signing a four-year, 11 billion won contract as soon as Choi Jung and the FA market opened. Hwang Jae-kyun (KT), who left a regret this season, is noticeable, and it is difficult to see him greedy for Heo Kyung-min due to a brief slump this season.
Rather, it would be a different story to see Heo as an infield utility rather than a third baseman. However, this is also unlikely. Since taking the lead in Doosan, Heo has maintained his position at third base and has not been able to think of a team that would actively rush to Heo even by risking uncertain changes.
Huh Kyung-min also has deep affection for Doosan. Hur, who joined Doosan as the seventh player in the second round of the first round in 2009, has been a one-club man along with his close colleague Jung Soo-bin and played a central role in Doosan’s heyday.
Huh Kyung-min, who had a high batting average of 0.389 until mid-May, just before falling out due to injury, had the best season since his FA contract with a batting average of 0.309 with seven home runs, 61 RBIs and 69 runs in 115 games, an on-base percentage of 0.384, a slugging percentage of 0.427 and an on-base percentage of 0.811.
However, some fans expressed dissatisfaction with his performance just before the FA. On July 24, a truck protest was held near Jamsil Stadium by some Doosan fans, and Heo Kyung-min was also targeted. The message of criticism against high-paid players as well as the front desk was being expressed in the truck, but he criticized Heo Kyung-min with the expression “8.5 billion won in stat management.” It was that Heo Kyung-min was blinded to money ahead of the FA season and focused only on stat management.
It was coincidental that he showed the best performance during the free agent contract period, but this is also one of the phenomena that occurs in many players. The term “FA Lloyd” was not mentioned for no reason. Moreover, Heo Kyung-min engaged in training with extraordinary determination ahead of this season, and even newly equipped glasses showed great effect, leading to good result.
Huh Kyung-min, who was stimulated by the truck protest, led his team’s victory against Kiwoom Heroes by playing five bases with three hits, two walks, one RBI and two runs from three times at bat. The problem is that he left a bombshell in an interview after the game, saying, “I won yesterday and today, but I’ll forget everything and win tomorrow,” and “Don’t worry too much because I’ll stay here.”
After the end of this season, there was a player option of 3 years and 2 billion won, which was read as an intention to accept the condition and stay at Doosan.
Heo Kyung-min, however, applied for an FA. He does not have a big intention to join another club. He must be well aware that such a situation is not feasible. However, given his performance over the past four years, he had confidence that he would be able to demand better conditions than that.
“As an FA player, I gave my full responsibility to the team,” Doosan manager Lee Seung-yeop said at the end of training camp at Bears Park in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province on Sunday. “No matter what the outcome is, there is nothing I can say right now. I hope they negotiate well.” 스포츠토토
Doosan also says Heo Kyung-min’s FA declaration will not be surprising. However, it is not yet known what kind of thoughts he will want. A club official said, “We will have to meet first. We will meet and listen to the requirements.”
Doosan also seems to be able to meet Heo Kyung-min’s price to some extent, unless it is an unreasonable demand. However, it can be difficult to spend a lot of money. Huh Kyung-min is also well aware that Doosan is the team that needs him the most. How the subtle war of nerves between Huh Kyung-min and Doosan, who need each other the most, will end has emerged as Doosan’s biggest variable in the stove league.
