"Even though I watched it last year," KIA, why did you have to catch Seo Geon-chang…be worth less than half a billion won

"Even though I watched it last year," KIA, why did you have to catch Seo Geon-chang…be worth less than half a billion won

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"Even if you've watched last year, there's definitely a good influence within the team that you can't see when you train by example and see things like this."

The Kia Tigers had to catch Seo Geon-chang, a 36-year-old infielder from the FA. Although the team failed to provide favorable conditions due to the difficulty of using Seo as its main player this season, the team continued dialogue at the negotiating table. Lee Bum-ho, Kia's manager, asked the front office, "Seo is absolutely necessary to achieve a good performance this year." With Seo last year, the team fully experienced that there is no better backup and substitute than Seo. Seo displayed his revival as he recorded a batting average of 0.310 (63 hits in 203 times at bat), an OPS of 0.820, 26 RBIs and 40 runs scored in 94 games last season.

Seo's determination was important. When Kia and Seo first set the negotiation table right after the opening of the FA, the difference in amount was huge. Of course, the player wanted to have a guaranteed contract period and amount, and the club couldn't offer favorable conditions to the backup player in his late 30s. Seo was able to stay only when he accepted the conditions offered by Kia, but after much consideration, the player lowered the expected amount first and finally settled the contract.
Kia announced on the 9th that it signed an FA contract with Seo for a total of 500 million won, including a contract period of 1+1 year, a down payment of 100 million won, an annual salary of 240 million won and an option of 160 million won. The 2026 contract will be automatically extended when the 2025 option is met.

KIA general manager Shim Jae-hak mentioned the value of the player who signed Seo Geon-chang and was not included in the "500 million won." He stressed that although Seo Geon-chang should face the season as a backup or pinch hitter because the first baseman has Patrick Wisdom (34) and the second baseman has Korean Series MVP Kim Sun-bin (36), there is a big difference without Seo Geon-chang on the bench.

"Seo Geon-chang has an invisible influence. He does a lot of things that explode the chemistry of the players. When it comes to veteran's duties, there are players who lead the players with words within the team, while Seo Geon-chang is the type to lead by example. Even if we watched him last year, he clearly has a good influence that is invisible to the team as he trains by taking the initiative," he said.

Seo played baseball desperately for Kia last year. After slumping with a batting average of 0.200 (22 hits in 110 times at bat) in 44 games in the 2023 season when he was with the LG Twins, he asked his team to release him. He sought out a team that had more chances to play than LG, and Kia paid him an annual salary of 50 million won to help prolong the life of its players. Seo had no choice but to work hard, and such unspokenness seems to have had a positive effect on the team.

Seo Geon-chang and Kia have only been accompanied by each other for one year, but they quickly established strong relationships. Kia has not changed its mind from the beginning that it should be treated as an FA contract even though it suffered during the negotiations since it shared the unified Korean championship title last year.

Shim said, "The club had no choice but to think reasonably. However, the club had to be clear about the consideration for the player who won the championship. With Wisdom joining now, I think Seo Geon-chang will be highly utilized as a backup or substitute. The field's judgment is important for the utilization, but first, Seo Geon-chang's opinion is actively reflected. As the coach again joined hands, he expected Seo to give strength to the team as he did last year.

Seo Geon-chang was well aware of why Kia signed a contract despite the cold weather of the FA. "I am happy to play for my hometown team once again. As an old player, I feel responsible," he said. "I think this is what the club needs, and I will work with young players to lift the trophy in Gwangju this season as well."

Seo Geon-chang's promised guarantee period to KIA is one year. The contract can be executed in 2026 only when all the options agreed upon by the club and the player are achieved in 2025. The details of the options are not known, but the general manager Shim gave a hint, saying, "We have to make a good performance last year."

In order to achieve as good a result as the previous season, Seo should at least secure playing time as the No. 1 backup. As the contract extension for this season is at stake in 2026, Seo will likely prepare for and play this season with great potential no different from last year when he was a preliminary free agent. Seo's determination is expected to give good impetus to young players who have to compete with him at Kia. This is the kind of veteran effect that Kia wants.

Seo Geon-chang graduated from Gwangju Jeil High School and started his professional career as a nurturing player for LG in 2008, but was released after playing in only one game in the first team 안전놀이터. He gained another opportunity with the Nexen Heroes (currently the Kiwoom Heroes) in 2012 and blossomed. He became the first player in the KBO history to post 200 hits in 2014 with 201 hits, and became the MVP of the year. He played as Kiwoom's flagship second baseman until 2020 before moving to his former team LG in 2021 through a trade and playing for four years again. He has continued his career with KIA since last year. His overall performance in the KBO is 1,350 games with a batting average of 0.298 (1,428 hits in 4,800 times at bat), an on-base percentage of 0.380, a slugging percentage of 0.403, 232 steals, 40 homers, 517 RBIs, and 853 runs.