‘436.8 billion → 393.1 billion → 249.6 billion’ Face-losing super agent, limited shortstop lost 187.2 billion won
Carlos Correa’s long winter is finally starting to come to an end.
Correa is a special shortstop with a batting average of .279 (933 hits in 3346 bats), 155 homers, 553 RBIs, and an OPS of .836 in 888 major league games. In this free agent market, he was evaluated as the best shortstop along with Trey Turner (Philadelphia), Xander Bogatz (San Diego), and Dance Bee Swanson (Cubs).
Correa, who boasts outstanding skills in both offense and defense, almost made his all-time contract. On December 14 last year (Korean time), he agreed to a 12-year, $350 million contract with San Francisco. However, his contract was canceled when he failed the medical test.
Correa’s agent Scott Boras immediately signed an 11-year, $315 million (393.1 billion won) contract with the Mets as the contract with San Francisco became difficult. However, the Mets also hesitated to sign the contract after the results of the medical test and entered into the last negotiations.
As the negotiations dragged on, Minnesota came out of nowhere. Minnesota, which had been with Correa last year, had some confidence in Correa and agreed on a six-year, $200 million (approximately 249.6 billion won) contract on the 11th. After 6 years, there is a vesting option, so the contract size can increase up to 270 million dollars (approximately 337 billion won) over 10 years.
NBC Sports Bay Area, an American media, said, “Corea finally shocked the baseball world. Correa has agreed to three contracts worth close to $1 billion this offseason. The first two contracts were canceled due to injury concerns. Let’s take a look at the winners and losers of the most dynamic free agent contract in major league history,” he said, analyzing the free agent contract.
The first conceivable winner is Minnesota, which succeeded in recruiting Correa. Originally, Minnesota reportedly offered Correa $285 million over 10 years. However, due to San Francisco’s offer, Correa could not be recruited. Correa was approached once more after San Francisco’s contract with Correa fell apart, but this time the Mets won.
NBC Sports Bay Area said, “Minnesota waited patiently while Correa’s contract was canceled twice. When everything was quiet after the agreement with the Mets, Minnesota moved quickly to bring in Correa,” he praised Minnesota’s move.
Byron Buxton, a Minnesota franchise star and teammate who played with Correa last year, was also named the winner. That’s because he got a chance to break his 18-game losing streak in the postseason with good teammates.
The biggest losers are by far Correa and Agent Boras. He initially won a 12-year, $350 million contract, but eventually had to be satisfied with a six-year, $200 million contract. The size of the contract can grow up to 270 million dollars over 10 years, but it is true that it is very disappointing compared to the contract proposed by San Francisco. The media said, “Look at the money Correa missed. Boras couldn’t be happier considering the amount of money he was able to earn from ‘Coreamas 메이저놀이터‘.”
Mets owner Steve Cohen, who led the recruitment of Correa, was also selected as a loser. After agreeing to a deal with Correa, Cohen has been adored by fans, but he was held back by talking about the deal publicly before it was fully finalized. NBC Sports Bay Area analyzed that “Cohen’s remarks may have complicated negotiations when the Mets tried to adjust the size or duration of the contract out of concern about Correa’s injury.”
The evaluation of San Francisco was complicated. The media said, “San Francisco was a winner at first, then a loser, then a winner again, and now a loser.” Afterwards, San Francisco’s judgment turned out to be correct as the Mets hesitated to sign Correa for the same reason as San Francisco. But as Correa returned to Minnesota, questions arose. Was San Francisco completely uninterested in negotiating again? San Francisco had a decent Stove League, but without a superstar or Correa or jersey, it still feels incomplete.”
