최지만 선수는 1991년 5월 인천 출생으로 아마추어 자유계약을 통해 2009년 "시애틀 매리너스"에 입단했습니다.(계약금 42만 5천 달러)
이후 루키리그와 싱글 A를 거치며 가능성을 인정받았으나 2004년 금지약물 양성 반응으로 50경기 출장정지 처분을 받으며 경기에 나서지 못해 잊혀지는 듯했습니다.
하지만 "볼티모어 오리올스", "LA 에인절스", "뉴욕 양키즈", "밀워키 브루어스"에서 스플릿 계약을 맺으며 꾸준히 빅리그 문을 두드렸고 2018년 6월에는 트레이드로 "탬파베이 레이스"로 이적하게 되었습니다.
스플릿 계약"Split Contract"이란 메이저리그에 진입할 경우와 그렇지 못할 경우를 두고 각각 계약서를 작성하는 것으로 가능성은 보이나 확신이 없는 선수와 많이 체결합니다.
최지만 연봉은 메이저리그 로스터에 포함될 경우 85만 달러(9억 6800)가 보장되며 옵션을 충족할 경우 1년 최대 150만 달러(17억)로 알려져 있습니다.
한편 2019년 메이저리그 팀들 중에서 가장 많은 연봉을 지출하는 팀은 1위부터 보스턴(2억 2322만 달러), 시카고 컵스(2억 1036만 달러), 뉴욕 양키즈(2억 808만 달러), LA 다저스(1억 9672만 달러) 순이었습니다.
"템파베이 레이스" 선수들의 연봉은 MLB 30개 구단에서 가장 적은 6044만 달러로 나타났으며 마이애미 말린스(7244만 달러), 볼티모어 오리올스(7272만 달러), 피츠버그 파이어리츠(7658만 달러) 등도 적은 연봉을 지출하는 구단으로 조사되었습니다.
‘The 300 million dollar man’ who gets smaller when only Choi meets
Many local media picked Tampa Bay Choi (29) as the key player for the first leg of the Tampa Bay Race held at Petco Park in San Diego, California, and the American League Division Series (ALDS, 5 out of 3 wins) of the New York Yankees. There is a reason why Choi Man-man, who had a long absence due to injury with a batting average of 0.230 in the regular league, received attention. It was the Yankees’ ace and 1st leg starter Gerrit Cole (30), who scored 8 hits in 12 at-bats (0.667 batting average), 3 homers, and 8 RBIs in the regular season, and is a very strong’natural enemy’ by stealing 2 homers this season alone. Because. Above all, Choi Ji-Jin, who boasts the highest ransom price of a pitcher in history of 324 million dollars (approximately 34.8 billion won) in 9 years and a salary of 36 million dollars (approximately 41.8 billion won) this year. The appearance of being embarrassed was not so interesting. Tampa Bay coach Kevin Kathy is about to deploy Choi Mann as first baseman fourth in the first leg without worrying about it.
As expected, Choi Ji-man made a big success with three at-bats, one hit, two RBIs, and one walk, by throwing a two-run gun in a reversal against Cole on this day and getting a deliberate throw. However, it was regrettable that the team allowed a reversal and lost the first leg by 3-9, so that only Choi’s performance did not shine.
Choi Ji-man, who stepped down with a floating ball at third base in the 1st inning, hits Cole’s 154km (95.8 miles per hour) direct ball at the end of the 4th at the end of the 4th, which was behind by 1st base. Revealed. It is Choi’s second home run in his career in postseason and his fourth home run to Cole including the regular season. Previously, the only players hitting four home runs against Cole were Matt Carpenter (St. Louis Cardinals), Joey Gallo (Texas Rangers), and Lucas Duda (former Kansas City Royals).
At the end of the 5th inning when the Yankees turned the charter back to 4-3, Cole, who was driven to 2 company 1st and 3rd base again, threw two balls when he met Choi Mann again, and eventually chose the intentional throw. This is the first time Cole has given up a deliberate ball in the postseason. It’s been three years since the Milwaukee Brewers game on September 13, 2017, when he was in Pittsburgh, including the regular season. Choi was an uncomfortable opponent to Cole enough to give up his pride. Still, Cole kept the lead by one step up to the 6th inning, and the Yankees won a big point difference with Stanton’s Manrupo with a long knife that burst in the beginning of the 9th.
Although the team lost, only Choi, who bothered Cole, was the center of the topic. Until this day, the relative performance against Choi’s only call including the postseason was 19 at-bats, 10 hits (0.526 batting average), and 4 home runs and 10 RBIs. Sportsnet New York posted on their Twitter account, “Only Choi is against Cole,” and legendary Babe Ruth’s It was enough to post pictures. After the game, only Choi said, “Today has passed,” and “Tomorrow we will rebound” and pledged to win the second game.