Following nine seasons with the NC Dinos, All-Star outfielder Na Sung-bum decided to come home this winter and signed a mega free agent deal with the Kia Tigers.
Na’s six-year, 15 billion won (US$12.6 billion) contract, signed on Dec. 23, tied the record for the most lucrative free agent deal in Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) history. With money come heightened expectations for Na, who will be asked to revive the Tigers’ moribund offense and take the franchise with the most Korean Series titles back to relevance.
At his introductory press conference Wednesday, though, the 32-year-old insisted he feels zero pressure.
“I am just thankful for the team’s management for recognizing my value, and my job is to prepare for the season the best I can,” Na said at his new home park, Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, some 330 kilometers south of Seoul. “I should try to do what I’ve been doing all along. The team put so much trust in me, and I want to reward everyone here with a championship.”
The Tigers won their 11th Korean Series title in 2017 and were back in the postseason the following year. But they have been on the outside looking in over the past three seasons. Signing Na to the massive deal was the biggest splash they made in an offseason of significant changes. Before that acquisition, the Tigers had replaced both their manager and general manager. They also have three new foreign players in place, with Ronnie Williams and Sean Nolin on the mound and Socrates Brito in the lineup.
And if Na, a Gwangju native, can do this year what he has been doing throughout his career, the Tigers will be ecstatic.
The former collegiate pitcher quickly became a slugging outfielder for the expansion Dinos franchise, putting up 30 home runs and 101 RBIs in his second season in 2014.
Na has had seven 20-homer campaigns and has driven in 100 or more runs in five seasons.
In 2021, he played in all 144 games and handled full-time outfield duties, two years removed from a devastating knee injury that kept him out for over 100 games. He finished second in the league in home runs with 33 and fourth in RBIs with 101.
For his career, Na has batted .312/.378/.538 with 212 home runs and 830 RBIs. Since Na’s rookie year in 2013, no KBO player has had more RBIs and only two players have blasted more home runs than Na.
Na provides an instant boost to a feeble Tigers lineup that ranked dead last in the league with 66 home runs and 568 runs scored in 2021.
Na said he would love to have more home runs and RBIs this year than in 2021, but more so than his batting stats, he’d like to stay healthy for a full year.
“I will go for a .300 batting average, 30 home runs and 100 RBis, but those are hard numbers to reach,” Na said. “Each year, I feel grateful to be able to take the field. I will try to take this season one game at a time.”
Na grew up a fan of the Tigers in Gwangju and even had a chance to work as a batboy while in middle school. Then as a KBO pro, Na launched the very first home run at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field, as a visiting player in 2014.
“I still have vivid memories of that moment. I was so excited to hit that home run,” Na said. “It still feels a bit awkward to be in this uniform, but it’s something I’ve always wanted to put on. I’d better get used to this quickly.”
Na pursued an opportunity in the majors last offseason but didn’t get a deal after getting posted. If he wanted to pursue a big league deal again this winter, Na would have had to be posted, as he was only eligible for free agency in the KBO and not overseas. Instead, he chose to sign a long-term deal with the Tigers that likely ensures he will finish off his career in South Korea.
Na admitted he was disappointed not to have reached the big leagues but he is happy with where he is now.
“I’ve dreamed of playing in the majors since I was a kid, and I think it’s the same for everyone,” he said. “But things just didn’t work out. But I am here with a great franchise now.”
As eager as he is to put up big numbers for himself, Na said he is also looking forward to helping younger players develop.
“I’d like to share as much as I can with my teammates,” he said. “I think some of the younger guys may find it difficult to reach out to veterans. I will approach them first, regardless of their positions. Outside baseball, I hope I can also help foster a positive culture in the clubhouse.”
Source: Yonhap News Agency