Can Choo Shin-soo be surpassed too? U.S. media predicts "Noh Si-hwan annual salary of 30.9 billion won"... Leading to 'absurd forecasts' that he is difficult to sign

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11 years, 30.7 billion won. Both the contract duration and total value are of an overwhelming scale in the KBO League. Noh Si-hwan (26, Hanwha Eagles), who gave this up to knock on the door of Major League Baseball (MLB), is receiving intense attention.

CubsHQ, a U.S. media outlet that primarily covers the Chicago Cubs, stated on the 9th (Korean time) that "Korean slugger Noh Si-hwan could become a surprise offseason acquisition target for the Cubs."

He possesses above-average third base defense and power capable of hitting 30 home runs, and can also be assigned to first base. Interest in Noh Si-hwan is growing steadily.

MLB.com, the official MLB website, previously introduced Noh Si-hwan as a good fit for the New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, Seattle Mariners, and LA Angels, but various other teams such as the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres are being mentioned as new destinations.

This time it is the Cubs. CubsHQ noted, "Korean third baseman Noh Si-hwan may have lower recognition compared to other players, but that does not mean he is a worthless acquisition target," adding, "He has demonstrated batting production 25 to 30 percent better than the league average for quite a long period."

Of course, the Cubs' infield situation must be considered. The outlet stated, "Considering the third base position, it may seem unlikely that the Cubs, who already have Alex Bregman, would show interest in Noh Si-hwan," but explained, "However, given the case of Seiya Suzuki, who is currently on the free agent (FA) market, and the fact that there is an open designated hitter spot on the Cubs' roster, Noh Si-hwan could serve as a resource to perform the designated hitter role and provide Bregman with rest time when needed."

It also predicted that Noh Si-hwan could be a good deal in the long term. "Noh Si-hwan, at the young age of 25, is a player worth investing in from a long-term perspective if the Cubs organization deems it an appropriate cost," and evaluated, "Roh has never yet surpassed a .300 batting average, but he has recorded a batting average above .260 for five consecutive seasons, proving himself to be a hitter who can be trusted when needed."

It continued, "Roh appeared in 127 games last season and recorded a .283 batting average, which is the second-highest figure of his career. During this period, he hit 29 home runs and drove in 96 RBIs, acting as one of the most productive hitters throughout the season." It added, "With this, he has recorded at least 26 home runs and 87 RBIs for four consecutive seasons. He has achieved a career-high 31 home runs twice, and in those seasons, he also recorded over 100 RBIs each time."

A critical assessment of his many strikeouts followed. "While he shows excellent ability at the plate, his strikeout-to-walk ratio is a concerning part," it explained. "Last season, he drew 51 walks while striking out 147 times. This was not only the season with the most strikeouts in his career, but his walk rate has also been gradually decreasing over the past three years. This suggests that rather than being a hitter with well-rounded batting skills overall, he has shifted to a hitting style that prioritizes home runs."

Subsequently, while forecasting Noh Si-hwan's price tag, it presented somewhat puzzling figures. The outlet stated, "His statistics and the contribution he can make as a designated hitter for the Chicago Cubs are attractive, but the acquisition process is expected to be difficult," adding, "This is because his projected contract size is around $20 million to $23 million per year. While that could be a reasonable price given the production he has shown, there are views questioning whether it is worth investing that amount, considering the trend of decreasing walk rates and increasing strikeout rates over the past three years."

Both an annual salary of $20 million (approximately 26.9 billion won) and $23 million (approximately 30.9 billion won) appear somewhat inflated. For example, Song Sung-moon, who joined San Diego ahead of this season, signed a four-year, $15 million (approximately 20.1 billion won) contract. While Noh Si-hwan leads in power, it is an open secret that Song Sung-moon holds the advantage in precision, speed, and utility skills. A contract at Song Sung-moon's level may be possible in the broad sense, but the forecast of up to $23 million per year appears far too inflated.

It is possible that CubsHQ made an error regarding Noh Si-hwan's total contract value or misunderstood the scale of his domestic contract.

If Noh Si-hwan does not advance to MLB, he will receive 30.7 billion won from Hanwha from next year through 2037. If they understood this as an annual salary and judged that the contract size should be matched at a similar level, that might explain the figure. However, even by common sense, it is difficult to accept. Choo Shin-soo's large-scale seven-year, $130 million (approximately 174.7 billion won) contract signed when he transferred to the Texas Rangers in late 2013 did not exceed $20 million on an annual average basis. It is more reasonable to view it as a misstatement of the total contract value rather than an annual contract.

Of course, even if it is the total contract value, it is not a bad level. This is because it exceeds the contract size of Song Sung-moon last year, even though this season was not particularly impressive throughout Noh Si-hwan's career.

The outlet conveyed, "The Cubs need to strengthen their lineup, and are in urgent need of hitters with power. Retaining Seiya Suzuki would be a great help for the team's power aspect, but if they also acquire Noh Si-hwan, the depth of the lineup will become even thicker."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original