Kang and Harrison

[Bobster21]

6275635442424E210 wrote: I don't know if the rules allow it, but assuming they do, you would think the FO would have been negotiating this all with Kang ahead of the deadline.  I would have expected them to almost immediately announce the new contract - unless he and his agent decided that they might as well test the FA waters.  His floor is probably $2M to play back in Korea.  So his risk is whatever the Bucs offered him over that.  And he can always take the Bucs offer later as long as they don't pull it.



They have until the end of today to re-sign him before he hits the open market.



I am in favor of keeping Kang, but I seriously doubt it will happen now.  I don't think they will be able to find a guy with his ceiling (top 8 3Bman?) for $5M.  Freddy Galvis made $6.8M last year with a .690 OPS.  Galvis gives you better D as a MIF, so he may be the one option available at a similar cost.  I also believe that Kang's floor, despite not having played for 2 years, is better than S-Rod's '18 by quite a bit and probably about Galvis' '18.  I think he's a better version of Freese with more upside for less money.
I can see why Kang and his agent would not want to agree to a new deal prior to free agency. Even if he wants to stay with the Pirates (which I suspect), it's to his advantage to let the Pirates think he might leave as a free agent in hopes he gets the max the Bucs are willing to offer. And while it's doubtful another team will make an offer that knocks hos socks off, he at least want to allow for that remote possibility.

[mouse]

That "shopping around" would especially be the case if NH offered some sort of minor league/major league combo contract. He may prefer to try for the certainty of a major league deal.

[fjk090852-7]

Just looked at the 40 man roster on the Bucs MLB Site and Kang is still listed. Harrison and Lavarnway two recent free agents are not on the roster, so possibly the Pirates are trying to work out a contract with a Kang before the end of the day.

[BucsFaninGA]

FJK, This will be an interesting day for the Brain Thrust! Thanks for checking the current roster as I was wondering as well.



Beat'em Bucs