 Kim Tae-kyun of the Hanwha Eagles has caught the attention of the Hanshin Tigers' scouts. The Japanese club is eager to acquire him but his current team will also bid to keep him in an Eagles uniform. Kim becomes a free agent after this season. / Korea Times File |
Staff Reporter
The battle to acquire Korean slugger Kim Tae-kyun has expanded to Japan.
Japanese sports newspapers reported that the country's Hanshin Tigers are ready to move forward to acquire the right-handed Kim.
According to the reports, the Tigers' first priority over the winter break is to acquire the slugger, who is currently a member of the Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). He will be a free agent at the conclusion of the KBO season.
The 27-year-old first baseman made a name for himself during the second World Baseball Classic (WBC) early this year, helping Korea to its runner-up finish.
In nine games, Kim led the team with 11 RBIs and hit three home runs. He batted .345 during the tournament.
Kim finished with a .330 batting average and 19 home runs in 95 games with the Eagles after struggling with a concussion early in the season.
In 2008, Kim led the league in home runs with 31 and batted .324 for the season.
The Tigers are aiming to take the top spot in the Central League away from their rivals, the Yomiuri Giants, who won the division the past three years.
Meanwhile, injuries to key players and a failure to bolster their roster have led to the Eagles' first last-place finish in 13 years.
Han Dae-wha, who is poised to become the Eagles' next manager, asked his new team to secure the franchise slugger. He also reached out to Kim, suggesting they rebuild the team together.
Currently, three Japanese teams ― the Orix Buffaloes, Rakuten Golden Eagles, and the Tigers ― are interested in Kim, with Hanshin the most aggressive in pursuit.
yc@koreatimes.co.kr
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