'300 billion won scam' Kim Ha-seong faces harsh U.S. criticism! Covering reporter: "Patience is still needed, and here's why..."

*This content was translated by AI.

Local fans' patience toward Kim Ha-seong (31, Atlanta Braves) is running out. Although he joined the team in style with a major contract ahead of this season, his batting performance has been truly dismal. In fact, he is now being subjected to intense criticism labeled as a "scam." However, the team's dedicated reporter has unexpectedly presented a dramatic turnaround scenario, stating, "It is still time to show patience," drawing significant attention.

On the 28th (Korea time), Kim Ha-seong started at shortstop and batted eighth in the away game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, in the "2026 Major League Baseball (MLB)" season, but went hitless in four at-bats with two strikeouts. Kim Ha-seong, who has now fallen into a slump of hitless games for three consecutive matches, saw his season batting average plummet to 0.095 (42 at-bats, 4 hits).

Ahead of this season, Kim Ha-seong signed a one-year, $20 million (approximately 29.9 billion won) short-term contract with Atlanta. He turned down multi-year contract offers, calculating that he would prove his value and secure a long-term deal after the season. However, his performance so far is close to failing grades. Among his four hits, even one was a surprise squeeze bunt, highlighting his struggle to produce hard-hit balls. The gap from missing the entire spring training due to injuries sustained from falling on icy roads last winter is now fully evident.

As the number of empty swings continued without matching his high price tag, local public opinion rapidly turned cold. On social media and fan communities, unfiltered harsh criticism is pouring in, with comments such as, "They bought a defensive specialist for $20 million," and "There is no expectation from his offense at all." The level of criticism is even more severe than in Korea.

However, the perspective of the Atlanta-based reporter was different. Matt Bowman, an Atlanta beat reporter for MLB.com, the official Major League Baseball website, emphasized on his social media and newsletter today, "While I understand fans are venting unfiltered criticism, it is still time to show patience." The basis he presented is none other than the "parallel theory" with Marcel Ozuna (36, Pittsburgh Pirates), who served as a key hitter for Atlanta from the 2020 season through the 2025 season.

Reporter Bowman, looking at Kim Ha-seong's dismal performance, recalled Ozuna's slump during the 2023 season. Last year, Ozuna also faced the threat of being released after starting the season with 44 at-bats and 4 hits (batting average 0.091), but he escaped the slump under the team's patience and hit nearly 80 home runs through the 2024 season, reviving himself as a top-level hitter in the league. He also mentioned that Eddie Rosario (35, Atlanta Braves), who started the 2022 season with 42 at-bats and 3 hits after eye surgery, went through a similar process.

In other words, the analysis suggests that the "Ozuna revival formula" could apply to Kim Ha-seong, who is currently facing Major League pitchers with his game feel completely at rock bottom. Given Kim Ha-seong's genius-level baseball sense, which earned him a Major League Gold Glove award, it is interpreted that a fierce comeback is possible if he can perfectly find his visual synchronization and batting timing, which were disrupted by the spring training gap. The tone even suggested that it would be strange if he were performing well. Reporter Bowman wrote, "The Atlanta organization will show patience and wait a few more weeks for Kim Ha-seong."

The organization, well aware of Ozuna's precedent, is expected to guarantee Kim Ha-seong at least a few more weeks of opportunity. With Kim Ha-seong on the brink, the eyes of baseball fans worldwide are now focused on his at-bat to see if he can turn the local fierce criticism into praise and prove his worth of 30 billion won.

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*This content was translated by AI.