The NC Dinos have officially posted slugger Sung-Bum Na, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman tweets. Thus begins a thirty-day period during which big league teams can attempt to work out an agreement with the Korean star.
Na’s posting was already well-publicized, but it took a week for everything to be finalized. He is represented by super-agent Scott Boras. Any club that inks Na will also owe a transfer fee to the Dinos.
It remains to be seen just how interested MLB clubs will be in obtaining Na’s services. There’s little doubt he’s a monster in Korea’s top league, but questions remain whether he can thrive at the plate against the best pitching in the world.
Na, 31, would surely have been a more appealing target had he not suffered a catastrophic knee injury in 2019. That not only prevented him from attempting the transition one season sooner, but left him with a somewhat less compelling defensive and baserunning skill profile.
lowtalker1
Bum eh
statman
I heard this guy is Sum-yung-stud
Jacob Sizemore
What was that? You’d like the cream of Sum Yun Gai?
afsooner02
Nice name….almost as good as Fukudome.
geg42
I would’ve gone with Bumgarner
letsholdemandgohome
I heard the bum sung pretty darn well.
BobSacamano
When an international FA player like Sung-Bum Na signs, does the team have “team control” for 6 years?
lowtalker1
Depends on length of contract but I have always seen them using arb the last two years shrugs
iverbure
I could be wrong but I think that’s only for younger players like Ohtani and Gurriel jr. I think I remember something about age 22. That’s why people figured Ohtani would just wait a year or two to be posted because of the international signing rules.
DarkSide830
international free agnets not covered under the amateur free agent umbrella usually contractually stipulate that they areny arb eligible at the end of their contracts.
Jeff Zanghi
They would be… but often times when signing – part of their contract stipulates that they’re excluded from arbitration. However if no such language/deal is in place — then yes they technically would be governed by the same rules of team control, etc. One example of how this played out was Guriel with the Astros. He had the option to either ‘opt-in’ to his contract option year(s) or reject them and go through arbitration. I believe a similar situation may have arose with Abreu in Chicago too though I’m not positive on that one.
niel.marshal
He played DH in 2020 because his knee is not good anymore. So his option might limited to AL teams only
baseballpun
If Rojas couldn’t find a deal to his liking, I wouldn’t expect much for Na.
angelsinthetroutfield
If Na is motivated to play in the show he will get an opportunity. I don’t think Rojas was without a market in the states he was simply more comfortable with the offer in Japan
baseballpun
Maybe but he didn’t sign a particularly large deal in Japan.
bucketbrew35
I thought the article said “NC Dinos Post Some Bum.” I lol’d.
Superstar Car Wash
What was his WAR, UZR, and a bunch of other sabermetric stats? I need to know what the algorithms think of him in Korea.
dave frost nhlpa
I’m thinking Greg Luzinski but slower.
cwsOverhaul
Roof……Roof…..Roof!
Old Comiskey reference
Captain Dunsel
An even older Veterans Stadium reference.
Captain Dunsel
An even older Veterans Stadium reference. And that’s no Bull.
CalcetinesBlancos
Aren’t the Pirates in need of a new Korean?
Dorothy_Mantooth
Too bad this guy got hurt. He would have had a real chance at a decent contract in MLB last year. I’m not sure how much a team will be willing to risk on a guy who wrecked his knee less than 2 years ago and is switching leagues as well. I’m sure Boras has him sold on a huge deal somewhere, but I don’t see it happening.
bestno5
Must be from Boston….he’s a Bum Na
Down with OBP
Jokes about non-English names are always funny. Or violations of terms of service. I can’t remember which one it is.
CalcetinesBlancos
This article made me want some lard na. Sue me.
Dorothy_Mantooth
Who’s going to pay for Sum Bum Knee?
geg42
Everything different from me is beneath me.
For Love of the Game
Nah, you’d have to call him something like Sum Dum Fuk to qualify as one of those.
Priggs89
Why can’t it be both?
DarkSide830
and non English speakers make fun of English names sometimes and most people are willing to put up with it.
Captain Dunsel
I’d love to see him on the Yankees, if only so John Sterling can use as his home run call “Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey goodbye”.
Scrap1ron
Some Bum? Nah.