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Multiple major league teams entered bids to negotiate with Korean first baseman Byung-Ho Park, but Daniel Kim of Daum and Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports have reported the Minnesota Twins won with a bid of $12.85 million.
Twins입니다!!! Twins won the bidding for Park Byung Ho!
— Daniel Kim 대니얼 김 (@DanielKimW) November 9, 2015
Source: Minnesota Twins won rights to Byung-Ho Park with $12.85 million posting bid.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 9, 2015
The Twins’ bid was the second-largest ever paid to negotiate with an Asian position player, behind only the $13 million paid by the Seattle Mariners for Ichiro Suzuki.
Per MLB rules, the Twins now have a 30-day exclusive negotiation period to get Park signed to a contract. Until that point Park’s team in Korea the Nexen Heroes, will maintain control of his rights.
Park is a two-time MVP of the KBO (Korean Baseball Organization), and he posted a slash-line of .343/.436/.714 with 53 home runs, 146 RBI and 35 doubles last season. He has topped 50 home runs in back-to-back seasons, with 100 or more RBI in four straight seasons, so the Twins seem to be getting a power hitter.
Park is 29 years old, and he is in line to become the Twins’ starting first baseman while hitting somewhere in the middle of the batting order. Joe Mauer has occupied first base over the last couple seasons, since a concussion forced a full-time position move from catcher, so it appears he will now become primarily a designated hitter and an occasional fill-in at first base.
Miguel Sano served as Minnesota’s primary designated hitter after being called up last season, but manager Paul Molitor said he will play some outfield in the Dominican Winter League. Sano went through the minors as a third baseman, but he can theoretically play first base as well as both corner outfield spots in time.
With a looming shifting around of the Twins’ corner infield and DH spots, trade speculation surrounding third baseman Trevor Plouffe will surely ramp up. With holes elsewhere (catcher, bullpen) it makes sense to considering trading Plouffe, but only if a clear upgrade at an area of need can be acquired.
Assuming they get Park signed to a contract, the Twins will be expected to have an improved lineup in 2016 and beyond. But the transition to American baseball may not be an easy one, and with 2016 as his age-30 season the Twins could wind up paying Park for his decline.
It will be interesting to see the terms of Park’s contract with the Twins. Anything beyond three or four years will be taking on ever-increasing risk as he enters his mid-30s, but fans that want to critique the Twins’ payroll won’t have much ammunition for awhile.
Brad Berreman is a Senior Writer at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter.
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