If Socrates is caught at least $1.2 million, one foreign position will be weakened, KIA's dilemma is 'the remaining amount is $2.5 million.'

If Socrates is caught at least $1.2 million, one foreign position will be weakened, KIA's dilemma is 'the remaining amount is $2.5 million.'

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The renewal of Socrates Brito (32) this year is expected to be a hot potato for the KIA Tigers offseason.

Socrates, who took his first step in the KBO league in the 2022 season, is classified as one of the most longevity foreigners in the KBO. Except for Mel Rojas Jr. (34) of the KT Wiz, who returned after four years of challenging himself in the Japanese professional baseball league, no incumbent foreign hitter has lived longer than Socrates.
However, it remains to be seen whether we will be able to see Socrates again in the KBO league next year. "We have yet to decide whether to renew the contract with the other two players (other than James Nail)," Kia Tigers general manager Shim Jae-hak told Star News over the phone. "If there is a better player than Socrates, I would like to bring him back. Position doesn't matter. Both outfield and infielders are watching it, and they are focusing on hitting rather than defense."

Socrates was a player who made Kia think about renewing the contract every year. He constantly expected to have a batting average of .300, double-digit homers, stolen bases, and an OPS of .8 or higher, but he did not display that performance all the time. His physical condition that comes up late every year was another problem. He always slowed down at the beginning of the season, but started to improve his form from May to June, and finished the season around .300 with an OPS of .8 or higher. It was better than the type that glistens in the early part of the season and plunges into the second half of the important period for the pennant race, but there were certainly some frustrating parts.

In the meantime, Kia has always made the final decision to renew its contract. With recruitment of new foreign players increasingly difficult, it has not been easy to give up a batter with a batting average of .300 and 20 home runs guaranteed. Moreover, Socrates was a very helpful player outside the game as he not only worked hard (work ethics and attitude) but also served as a bridge to help new foreign players adapt quickly to the Korean culture and the KBO league.

Notably, Socrates displayed subtle presence this year as he used five foreign pitchers alone (Nail, Will Crow, Cam Aldred, Eric Lauer, and Eric Stoute). According to an official from the Kia Tigers, Socrates does not usually talk a lot. Even though he is not an extrovert, he taught new foreign pitchers good restaurants in Gwangju outside the stadium, and helped the players adapt to the situation by letting them know the weaknesses and tendencies of the opponent team's batters inside. It is not easy for the team to give up renewing the contract with such a foreign player.

However, he has to make a decision this year. If he agonized over renewing his contract over the past two years due to doubts over his performance, he was in a dilemma because he performed so well this year. This year Socrates had the best season ever. From the beginning to the end of this season, he maintained Kia's clean-up performance in 140 games with a batting average of 0.310 (171 hits in 552 times at bat), 26 homers, 97 RBIs, 92 runs and 13 steals, and a on-base percentage of 0.359 with a slugging percentage of 0.516 contributing to Kia's 12th win in the Korean Series. He also posted career highs in most batting indicators including home runs, RBIs, on-base hits and slugging percentage.

Socrates' salary increase is inevitable as he won the Korean Series and posted a better batting performance than previous years. Socrates stayed at Kia this year by renewing his contract for 1.2 million dollars (down payment of 300,000 dollars, annual salary of 500,000 dollars, and option of 400,000 dollars). Starting in 2022, Socrates' salary has been fixed at 500,000 dollars, and only down payment and option have gradually increased, increasing the total over the past three years by 300,000 dollars.

The problem is that if Socrates' salary is paid heavily, there is a high possibility that one foreign pitcher will be weakened. KIA succeeded in renewing its contract with Nail, which was its top goal on the 27th. The guaranteed amount tripled to a total of $1.8 million ($400,000 in down payment, $1.2 million in annual salary, and $200,000 in option). At the same time, KIA's remaining limit of foreign salary cap was $2.2 million. All of them are cases of bringing in new foreign players.

If he chooses to renew his contract with Socrates, $300,000 will be added (the limit will increase by $100,000 depending on the number of years re-contracted), with the limit of $4.3 million and the remaining amount of $2.5 million. 온라인바카라

The best-case scenario is to catch Eric Lauer (29) or a new foreign pitcher for $1 million, and Socrates will remain at the total of $1.5 million. If Socrates asks for more than that, KIA will have less investment in foreign pitchers.

Kia is, however, putting more effort into forming a powerful one-two punch for foreigners as well as for foreign batters. While its Korean starting lineup, which includes Yang Hyeon-jong, Lee Ui-ri, Yoon Young-cheol, Hwang Dong-ha and Kim Do-hyun, is solid, Yang will get older and Lee Eui-ri will not return until next summer due to elbow surgery. Promising players, including Yoon, still have much more to prove. As he had little experience as a starting pitcher in the U.S., he will have to prove his physical stamina next year when throwing more than 70 to 80 pitches.

Against this backdrop, Kia is looking for a foreign pitcher who can play as many innings as possible and provide consistent performance throughout the season. "If we find a new pitcher, we are looking at a pitcher who can play as many innings as possible," said Shim Jae-hak, the team's general manager. "Next is health. This year, the Crow was also good and had difficulties in managing the season due to injury, so I think a new pitcher should prove his health first."