TODAY: Na won’t be officially posted for a few more days, as to Jeeho Yoo reports that MLB has asked the Dinos for more medical documentation. Specifically, Dinos general manager Jong-Moon Kim said the league wants more information about Na’s 2019 knee surgery, including a report from the surgeon who performed the procedure. There isn’t expected to be any major obstacle to Na’s posting, as Kim said “I’ve been told by the KBO this is just the routine and par for the course.”
NOVEMBER 30: The NC Dinos of the Korea Baseball Organization have asked the league to post outfielder/designated hitter Sung-Bum Na for Major League teams, Jee-ho Yoo of South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reports. Once the posting is made official by the two leagues, MLB clubs will have 30 days to negotiate with Na. Yoo reported earlier this year that Na had hired the Boras Corporation to represent him during the posting process.
Na, 31, just wrapped up an outstanding effort with the KBO champion Dinos, hitting .324/.390/.596 with 34 homers, 37 doubles and a pair of triples in 584 plate appearances. (Those interested can check out some 2020 highlights from Na on YouTube). He did strike out at a career-high 25.3 percent clip in that time against an 8.3 percent walk rate, although the career 21.3 percent strikeout rate he carried into the 2020 season is a bit more palatable.
Na has been an above-average hitter in KBO since his second year in the league and a star-level performer for much of that time. In 4140 career plate appearances since debuting as a 23-year-old, he’s batted .317/.384/.542 with 179 home runs, 244 doubles and 25 triples.
Early in his career, Na was a center fielder, playing the position on a full-time basis for the Dinos in 2013-14. He moved to right field for the 2015 campaign, and that’s been his primary defensive home since, although he’s still logged some occasional time in center — most recently in 2019 when he started 18 games there. However, Na’s 2019 season was cut short by a severe knee injury that resulted in him being placed on a stretcher and taken off the field in an ambulance, as he told ESPN’s Marly Rivera earlier this year. He underwent surgery and spent seven months rehabbing from that procedure.
Fresh off that knee surgery, Na spent more time as a designated hitter in 2020 than ever before, logging only 50 of the 130 games he played in right field. He also attempted a career-low four stolen bases; in his last full season in 2018, Na was 15-for-17 in that department. All of that is certainly understandable for a player coming off a major knee surgery, but those are also red flags that hamper his earning power with MLB clubs — even if Na enjoyed the most productive season of his career at the plate.
Sports Info Solutions’ Ted Baarda recently profiled Na (and a few other KBO hitters), praising his plus left-handed power and ability to consistently hit for average. Baarda notes that Na was a pitcher in college and still has a plus arm in right field, but he also writes that Na’s range and athleticism both took a step a back in 2020 following the surgery. The Boras camp will surely push that as a one-year aberration. That may well be the case, but it could still be a tough sell for MLB clubs. Back in May, Baseball America’s Kyle Glaser ranked Na fifth among KBO “prospects” who could plausibly jump to the Majors in the near future. Glaser touted Na’s pull power and throwing arm but noted some struggles against offspeed pitches.
During Na’s 30-day posting window, he’ll be able to negotiate with all 30 MLB clubs. In addition to the actual contract paid to Na, the team that eventually signs him will also owe a posting fee to the Dinos. That fee would be equal to 20 percent of the contract’s first $25MM, plus 17.5 percent of the next $25MM and 15 percent of any dollars thereafter. That fee is in addition to the contract — not deducted from the contract itself.
Sum bum? Na…
Brilliant!
I get you were joking but still comes off as racist when I asked my Korean friend.
The funny thing isn’t the person’s ethnicity or anything about the way they were born or look. It’s about how their name sounds, and name’s are 100% human constructs. It would be equally funny if a person of another ethnicity had that name. People throw “racist” around too much.
People are racist too often and too casually.
Racism will always exist so long as humans possess free will.
After all, If no one thinks for themself, how can their be racism?
LOL I’m half Korean
So racism can be defined as “some guy I know says it is” now? This is why real racism gets ignored.
racism doesn’t always present as slurs or hate crimes. there is subtle racism that causes societal harm. Someone from a community saying they feel something is racist should be listened to
In fact I’d argue that “real racism” gets ignored because people give minor racism a free pass. Fight back against racism in all forms
There are more rumblings from the Asian leagues than MLB. Bring on the Mexican league rumors….
We’ve had some Colon news and he was under contract with a Mexican team last year.
I don’t wanna hear about your bowel movements
I’m not opposed to it.
There has got to be a joke about drinking the water in Mexico there somewhere, but I just can’t piece it together.
ah, the Boras guy.
Korean league is more offensive oriented than PCL. Coming off a major injury and played few games in the OF, story said wasn’t that good in games where he did in the field and on top of that? hired hard nosed Boras to negotiate. Sounds to me like he’s pretty much set on returning to the KBO and only headed to MLB if some GM is loopy enough to way overpay for a 30+YO guy, with numerous red flags following a pandemic AND when many teams are stating money is a major issue.
Hope he’s not bought any airline tickets to the states yet.
The KBO isn’t nearly as hitter-friendly as it was a few years ago. They altered the composition of their ball prior to the 2019 season in an effort to curtail some of the extreme hitter-friendly traits of the league.
It’s still a hitter’s league, but I certainly wouldn’t compare it to the PCL at this point, especially not with Triple-A adopting the same juiced ball MLB had in 2019.
Wasn’t aware ball had changed in KBO last season. Are not some of the stadiums smaller also? not proclaiming myself to be super familiar with that league.
those days of foreign teams selling off players for big bucks is over. He is a player that would need to prove he belongs in MLB.
After the Byung-Ho Park “experiment” I hope the Twins stay far, far away from this
Left-handed power bat from the KBO with a strong arm and came up as a CF. This guy has “Slingin’ Stearns” written all over him.
Competing with other teams for Scott Boras’ attention and a 20% extra fee? No it doesn’t.
can tell MLB is an american sports league. first comment is a racist joke about the guys name then more coments about his playing all from people that couldnt be a bat boy
Agreed Wylie.
In their defense, they make terrible puns from the players name on every. Single. Post. Without regard to race, creed, nationality or country of origin.
So tired of people like you and elmedius just looking for things to be offended by. If you have to look for something to be racist, it’s most likely not racist. Ever heard of intent vs impact. Obviously not. Might I suggest you both stop acting like little children who aren’t mature enough to see when something is intended to offend or not. We are not saying you can’t be offended, that’s up to you, but once someone responds saying they aren’t racist nor did they intend to be, then we are all saying to either go away and be offended still, or accept the truth that he wasn’t racist. You both need to relocate to Portland(if you aren’t already there) with other people like you who are clueless, or take a desensitization course and move on with it. Regardless of what race, color, or religion you both are – we are calling you both jerkoffs. That’s intended to be insulting, but the good thing is that being a jerkoff is not tied ethnicity – it’s tied to ones actions and you both have done a great job of acting as such. Either get smart, or get out of these chat rooms jerkoffs. And it takes a jerkoff to know one so I’m not immune. I’m just not pussified.
Wow, your parents did a number on you.
It’s ok. His “president” lost. Give him some time.
Then you proceed to equate Americans as all racist. Way to join the club.
I made fun of the names of Rusty Kuntz, Coco Crisp and Chief Bender…. guess I’m racist or does it only apply to certain race.
Every human judges others based off how they differ from themselves. OP is judging a comment as “racist” because of a name pun just as an racist judges a person’s action because they are a different color. In both cases, a person/action is being judged by another person based off how it differs from themself/their own perspective.
If that comment legitimately offended you, whatever. Just understand that there is no horse taller then the next.
Exactly.. what a couple of tools these guys are.
No thanks…This guy has Bum knees, Bum elbows, Bum everything!
oh my gosh! what a racist you are! Lol
Nice interview with him in the ESPN article. I’ll be curious to see where he ends up and how he does.
I’d really like to know more about that knee injury. As a Yankee fan, I’m pining for a LHH centerfield capable 4th outfielder.
I can certainly live with Gardy. But I’m still on the “let DJ walk use that money on Wong or LaStella & add good hitting left handed 4th outfielder” trip. Na seems like a possible part of that?
Yanks certainly don’t need help at DH. Or RF. But if Na can actually still play some center he’d check the applicable boxes. Whether it’s Asia, Cuba, Australia, Mexico… wherever, man. It’s tough to really evaluate these guys.
Even more so when you’re just a fella posting on a baseball site.
Who would sign sum bum?..the mets did a cpl of times also traded for 2 bums
Na, we’re not going to sign this bum that has sung.