Giant’s Yang Dai-Kang: “Surprising team to move to” after losing contract

“Leaving in disgrace.”

“Will the Giants be able to plan for next season?

In the sports media, skeptical headlines lined up about Yang Dai-Kang (34), whom the Giants announced on November 25 as a free agent. At one point, it was reported that he was going to sign a contract for the next season, but he decided to leave the club because he wanted to take on a new challenge.

The Giants had signed Yang to an unbelievable five-year contract worth 1.5 billion yen. The Giants signed him to an unbelievable five-year contract worth 1.5 billion yen, but since his FA transfer from Nippon Ham in 2005, he has only appeared in more than 100 games in 19 years. This season, he played in only 7 games, and it was hard to say that he was working for 300 million yen a year. The reason for this is his many injuries. Since joining the Giants, injuries have become a regular occurrence, including a thigh injury. He was proud of his legs when he was with Nippon-Ham, but now he is not in a condition to run satisfactorily.

Considering Yang’s current condition, it is natural that people around him would have doubts about the fact that the Giants were trying to sign him for next season. What’s more, Yang’s request was rejected by ……. It’s no wonder the Giants are being perceived as a lost cause.

Big pay cut that exceeds the limit

However, it seems that the situation is not so simple.

The contract extension for next season is a sign of the Giants’ respect for Yang. Yang is a Taiwanese superstar who has been playing for the national team in Japan since he was in elementary school. Giants games are also broadcast in Taiwan. Yang, the “hero,” was the reason for the Giants’ popularity in Taiwan.

However, it is also true that he was not a force to be reckoned with. It is said that the Giants dared to offer him a huge salary cut of about 30 million yen for next season. This is far more than the 40% reduction limit, and is about one-tenth of his salary for this season. I think it was a reasonable amount considering his performance, but Yang’s pride wouldn’t allow it. Yang’s request to leave the team was a calculated move on the Giants’ part,” said the evening newspaper desk.

Yang is now looking for a new club with an eye on playing in the majors.

I don’t think the majors would be interested in him if he hasn’t worked well in Japan in the past few years. Even the minors are tough. The only possibility in the U.S. is the independent leagues. But I don’t think that Yang, who has a lot of pride as a star in Taiwan, will be able to work in the independent league where the environment is bad, mixing with young players around 20 years old and working for a low salary. ……

The more realistic option is to move to Japan. The most realistic option is to move to Japan.

It’s Softbank. Yoh is from his hometown, Fukuoka Daiichi High School, and he wanted to join Softbank when he was drafted. His older brother, Yohkoh, was also a member of the Hawks in the past, so he has connections there.

SoftBank has been looking for an outfielder to reinforce their lineup after the retirement of Yuya Hasegawa, their top ranked hitter in 2001. They may try to acquire him as a catalyst for their team, which has slumped to B class for the first time in eight years.

If you don’t care about the majors or Japan, there are probably teams in Taiwan that would welcome a “hero. In his home country, he can be assured of a future as a leader. I wonder what kind of decision the solitary Yang will make.