Seattle Mariners Miss Out on Hye-seong Kim; Here's Why It's Troublesome
Look, I've been in this business for a decade. Amost 11 years, actually. And that doesn't make me an expert by any means, but it does mean that I've seen plenty of contract negotiations and player decisions.
People are motivated by different things. It's as simple as that. Some people are motivated solely by money. Some are motivated by opportunity. And some are motivated solely by winning, even if it comes at the expense of money or opportunity.
I don't begrudge any athlete for what motivates them, honestly.
I was a big proponent of the Seattle Mariners signing Korean infielder Hye-seong Kim this offseason. I thought he would provide the age (25), speed, defense and contact ability that the Mariners need, and he could provide some stability at second base. Others had different opinions, and that's fine too, but it ultimately doesn't matter since Kim signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.
Now, again, I think the Mariners could have used Kim, the player, but I'm not incredibly heartbroken or anything that he didn't sign in Seattle. What makes me more frustrated is the following: Kim willingly turned down a guaranteed starting role in order to go to a place where he's a backup and a utility guy.
Again, players are motivated are different things and I don't pretend to know what motivates Kim, but to see a player turn down a guaranteed role for a utility role? That's the most concerning part of all this. The M's have a real opportunity available at second base, and Kim turned it down anyways. Hopefully one of those other things (money or winning) played a role in his decision, because if he just doesn't think the organization is worth playing for? That would be the biggest red flag of all.
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