"Who would want to give us a player right now?"
These days, professional baseball is bustling with trade rumors, with Hanwha Eagles at the center. Hanwha is at the heart of all trade rumors. Hanwha has been proposing trades and receiving proposals, and stories about this have not ceased. While there have indeed been some movements behind the scenes, there haven't been any notable advancements. The rising trade speculation has drawn boundaries, at least for the time being, with no possibility of a 'big deal.'
Hanwha has made a splash from the start of this season, currently fighting for the lead in second place. With excellent performance that makes one expect more than just postseason, it is raising expectations for a challenge for the championship. Cody Ponce is performing exceptionally as a foreign pitcher, and it makes sense for Ryu Hyun-jin to aim for victory while still a year younger.
Naturally, trade rumors surrounding Hanwha do not cease. Hanwha is a team with very clear strengths and weaknesses. They have top-level pitching, but their batting lineup is highly inconsistent. In particular, the weakness in the outfield positions has been evident for several years, and related rumors continue to emerge. The front office, coaching staff, and even the players are unable to ignore the trade rumors.
On the 10th, ahead of the Daejeon Doosan game, Hanwha's manager Kim Kyung-moon was also questioned by reporters about the trade rumors. Specific rumors were circulating, making it impossible not to ask, and Manager Kim Kyung-moon candidly provided straightforward answers regarding the trade.
Manager Kim Kyung-moon said, "(The trade rumors) seem to have been around since the start of the season, and there was a side that wanted to make trades. However, that is not the case right now. Who would want to give us a player? If the opposing team gives us a player we need, they would ask for good pitchers from us. Right now, that is not the case," clearly drawing a line.
Furthermore, Manager Kim noted, "It may change later, but not now. The discussions about trade rumors do not help the team," expressing concern that players feel anxiety due to these rumors. Even if it is just a simple rumor, players cannot help but feel uneasy when their names are mentioned in the media or communities. This is particularly true for younger players. Considering this, Manager Kim firmly stated to the reporters that "there will be no trades for the time being."
Not only Manager Kim, but also the club's stance is similar. While there have been large and small discussions behind the scenes, they were merely typical exchanges that did not lead to serious discussions. The Hanwha pitchers are so strong that other teams often make proposals, but when it comes to talking about players that cannot be let go, they cannot move to the stage of negotiating.
Above all, Hanwha has a good atmosphere right now. The outfield, which had been pointed out as a weakness, has seen rapid growth from left fielder Moon Hyun-bin and right fielder Lee Jin-young, who have secured starting positions. Center fielder Estevan Florial sustained an injury on the 8th when a bone fragment broke off his right hand due to a hit by pitch, which poses a variable, but it is not an immediate issue that will lead to a trade.
Not only Hanwha but also NC recently suffered from the emergence of trade rumors surrounding national team outfielders. The player involved in the trade rumors with Hanwha is outfielder Kim Sung-wook, who was traded to SSG, raising the possibility of an additional trade from NC. However, NC's manager Lee Ho-jun stated before the 8th Daeegu Samsung game, "There will be no additional trades until the end of this season. Recently, trade rumors involving national team outfielders have emerged, but that will never happen," expressing his gratitude for the positive evaluation of their players. "But he is an indispensable player for our team. That player is struggling a lot due to the trade rumors. Why would we give him up when he is indispensable to our team?" he stated, directly dispelling the rumors.
The KBO League is very conservative regarding trades. While exchanges of players from the 1.5 league to the second league can occur freely, trades involving starters or major prospects are realistically challenging. It is not similar to Major League Baseball in the U.S., with different leagues and divisions. As all ten teams are in a single league, it can always become a boomerang, so there is caution with trades.
One official noted, "The competition for rankings is extremely fierce up to now. Since teams from 1st to 8th are closely contending for the postseason, trades will be difficult to realize for the time being." Although a significant difference in rankings may allow for quicker trades, the close rankings from 1st to 8th mean they cannot carelessly give up their immediate strength in exchange for prospects. There is an opinion that trades would be difficult unless it is Doosan or Kiwoom, which are in 9th and 10th place. Kiwoom, in 10th place, is no longer in a position to sell players, and Doosan in 9th place is not giving up because they have not abandoned the season.
"Who would want to give us a player right now," as Manager Kim Kyung-moon said, indicates that Hanwha is a potential competitive rival for teams aiming for the postseason. Trades that would benefit competing teams are difficult among teams ranked 1st to 8th. However, if a team falls significantly behind in rankings after the July All-Star break, their stance in the trade market could change. That means while there may not be a possibility of a big deal in the next month, the situation could reignite as the July 31 trade deadline approaches. The trade rumors emerging from Hanwha during that time are likely to end as "rumors" only.
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