Chicago Cubs out of qualifying bidders list for pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu
There was euphoria. Or lack of it thereof.
Whatever it was, reports emerged on Sunday, November 11, that the Chicago Cubs' bid to add South Korean pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu did not produce desired results and the club is already out of the list of bidders now.
It was the past week that the news came to fore that the Cubs were among the qualifying bidders for the talented pitcher who has been representing his national team since 2006. As nothing substantive materialised, the Cubs have to look for other pitchers now to add to rotation.
The other teams who became the part of this qualifying bid were the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Angels. It is the Dodgers, as one of the sources revealed, who have extended an offer of $25.75 million which was accepted by Hanwha Eagles.
The Dodgers are reported to have 30 days to negotiate a contract with Scott Boras, who happens to be the pitcher’s agent.
Having made his debut in 2006, Ryu has commanded attention and recognition for his performance. In the inception of his career, with the 2006 debut, he had a quick breakthrough to fame by winning the Rookie of the Year Award.
That did not stop there, though. Ryu became the Player of the Year as well with 2.23 ERA and 205 strike-outs, having held 18-6 record that year. The most illustrious moment of his career, however, came in 2008 when he helped his national team win the 2008 Beijing Olympics, helping trounce Cuba in the Championship game.
Things would click for the Cubs a great deal if the bid for this ace pitcher was successful. Given the power and experience he would bring to the Cubs' pitching line-up, there was a likelihood of the club having a relatively powerful and dependable rotation.
Since that did not materialised, the Cubs will be looking for other free agents in the market. However, the search does not seem to have stopped. Lack of choices makes the option abundantly clear for the Cubs now to extend contract to the pitchers who can at least provide a sustainable start.
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