"It's a reward for playing baseball well."

Lee signed a $113 million contract with the San Francisco Giants. Local media were expecting up to $90 million, but Lee received far more than that. It broke the record for the most money ever paid to an Asian baseball player. After receiving an offer he didn't expect, Lee sat down as his legs gave out.

Lee's performance in the KBO was nothing short of spectacular. In 2022, Lee's performance was at its peak. He led the league in batting average (0.349), on-base percentage (0.421), slugging percentage (0.575), hits (193), and RBIs (113), won five batting titles, and was named MVP, which is awarded to the best player. This year, despite missing a lot of games due to injury, he batted .318. It was his seventh consecutive year with a triple-digit batting average.

Success in South Korea is no guarantee of success in the United States. Nevertheless, Lee has been an attractive player. Several major league teams, including San Francisco, the San Diego Padres, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets, were drooling over him.

The local media was also interested. Reports about Lee poured in every day. With Lee's move to the major leagues a foregone conclusion, more attention was focused on his ransom. The market price for Lee was expected to be between $50 million and $90 million. There was even speculation that he could get more than that. This is because Lee is represented by Scott Boras, aka the Devil's Agent.

Boras is known for his ability to get players favorable contracts. Previously, Korean major leaguers such as Park Chan-ho, Choo Shin-soo, and Ryu Hyun-jin have signed big contracts with Boras. Lee Jung-hoo also worked with Boras, which is why he was able to get a big deal that defied expectations.

131 million dollars. That's a lot of money, even for Lee. The size of the contract is often a reflection of the expectations a club has for a player. Lee could have felt the pressure, but Boras' words put him at ease. 카지노사이트가이드 

"When I first heard the terms of the contract, my legs went out from under me," Lee said in an interview with local reporters after arriving at Incheon International Airport on the 19th. I signed the first offer from San Francisco. It was true that I felt burdened by the big contract with the club," he said, admitting that he felt a lot of pressure right after signing with San Francisco.

"But my agent, Boras, told me, 'This is your reward for all the good baseball you've done. Don't feel pressured,'" he said, adding that his agent's words put him at ease. It's easy to see why Boras is an "angel" for players.Lee said he could feel San Francisco's sincerity. Pete Putilla personally visited him at Kodak SkyDome, and the Giants' desperation during the negotiations moved him. Even before the induction ceremony, the Giants allowed him to work out privately.

Local fans already recognized him. "Maybe it's because I'm Asian, but they recognized me a lot. I was flustered. I'm so grateful that they cheered and welcomed me,"