Chicago Cubs amongst bidders for Korean pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu – MLB News
The bid on a deft and gifted pitcher is on as the Chicago Cubs have reportedly submitted a qualifying bid for Korean left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu.
This has given credence to the reports – which had emerged earlier, that the Cubs were looking for two pitchers for the rotation.
Associated with Hanwha Eagles, Ryu – as the reports making rounds said, has got an offer. As to which team has extended the offer is unknown. However, it is already clear that Hanwha Eagles have accepted the offer as the bidder will have 30 days to negotiate the contract with the pitcher’s agent – Scott Boras.
Reports indicate that the teams like Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels and the Philadelphia Phillies are actually among one of the bidders for the talented pitcher.
Chicago Cubs coming in this bid is a significant move. The Cubs, like stated before, have been looking to fill the vacated space with a pitcher like Ryan Dempster.
There are a lot of things that place Ryu in a unique position. In the years wherein he represented his national team – South Korea, he helped them to win gold in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. When Ryu made his debut in 2006, significantly, he held 18-6 record with 2.23 ERA.
He had 205 strike-outs to his credit that year in just over 201 innings, adding to his fame and helping lay a foundation that would make him a serious contender for Major League Baseball in the years to come.
With 9-9 record this year, holding 2.66 ERA, Ryu has a long way to go. If the Cubs succeed in the bid, Ryu will be pitching along with Matt Garza and Jeff Samardzija. The second pitcher that the Cubs are looking for might well be extended an offer in the offseason.
The Cubs are in a building phase wherein they want a combination of veteran and young players to bolster them. In a year which witnessed the Cubs lose over 100 of their games, it would be a big success for the Cubs if they won the bid for left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu.
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