Choo looks to bounce back in 2012

Cleveland Indians outfielder Choo Shin-soo said Thursday he will try to bounce back next year from a disappointing 2011 season.Choo, the only South Korean in Major League Baseball, returned to his home in Arizona Thursday to begin his off-season training in earnest, after spending about two months in his native land. As he reflected on his injury-plagued year, Choo said it was the worst season of his career.“This year, I hit rock bottom, and I‘d never experienced that before in baseball,” Choo t

Dec. 29, 2011

No. 61 officially returns home

Former MLB pitcher Park inks 1-year deal with Hanwha Eagles Former Major League pitcher Park Chan-ho said he wants to pitch in Korea not for the money, but for his passion. He proved it on Tuesday by signing a one-year deal with the Hanwha Eagles on the minimum salary of 24 million won ($20,540).The 37-year-old was paid $1.2 million a year while playing for the Japanese outfit Orix Buffaloes. He was released by the team in October after a disappointing season, going 1-5 with a 4.29 ERA.The Eagle

Dec. 20, 2011

Former MLB pitcher Park signs for minimum salary

Former Major League pitcher Park Chan-ho said he wants to pitch in Korea not for the money, but for his passion. He proved it on Tuesday by signing a one-year deal with the Hanwha Eagles on the minimum salary of 24 million won ($20,540).The 37-year-old was paid $1.2 million a year while playing for

Dec. 20, 2011

Phillies, Rollins agree at $33m

PHILADELPHIA (AP) ― Jimmy Rollins is bringing his swagger back to the Phillies.Three people familiar with the negotiations told the Associated Press that Rollins has agreed to a 3-year, $33 million contract with Philadelphia. The deal includes a vesting option for a fourth year.The people spoke on condition of anonymity Saturday because the agreement is pending a physical.“Gotta deal with me for 3 (4) more years!” Rollins wrote on Twitter. He also thanked former Philadelphia Eagles safety Brian

Dec. 18, 2011

KBO club chiefs give green light ...to Park Chan-ho

KBO club chiefs give green light  to Park Chan-hoFormer Major League Baseball All-Star Park Chan-ho will be able to play in his home country next year.Presidents of the eight current clubs in the Korea Baseball Organization and one expansion team set to join the league in 2013 on Tuesday instituted a rule change to allow Park to join the league next season, the league office said. The veteran right-hander was released by the Orix Buffaloes in Japan in October.Under the previous rule, Park would

Dec. 13, 2011

KBO club presidents give green light to Park Chan-ho

SEOUL, Dec. 13 (Yonhap) -- Former Major League Baseball All-Star Park Chan-ho will be able to play in his home country next year.Presidents of the eight current clubs in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) and one expansion team set to join the league in 2013 on Tuesday instituted a rule change to

Dec. 13, 2011

Chong Tae-hyon returns from U.S. without firm deal

Chong Tae-hyon, the South Korean free agent pitcher in contract talks with a Major League Baseball club, returned home early Wednesday with no deal in place.Chong, who has held talks with the Baltimore Orioles, arrived at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, about 5:40 a.m. with his family. Chong refused to answer questions about his contract status, only saying, “Nothing has been decided, and I’ve got nothing to tell you.”Before Chong arrived, a source close to the pitcher claimed Chon

Dec. 7, 2011

Lee Dae-ho joins Orix

Former Korean MVP Lee Dae-ho has joined the Orix Buffaloes in Japan, the club announced.In a press release, the Buffaloes said they have signed the 29-year-old infielder formerly with the Lotte Giants of the Korea Baseball Organization, but did not disclose other details of the deal. Lee has reportedly signed a two-year contract worth 700 million yen ($9 million). The hulking first baseman, listed at 194 centimeters and 130 kilograms, was voted the KBO’s MVP in 2010 after leading the league in a

Dec. 6, 2011

Slugger Lee Seung-yeop rejoins former S. Korean team

Slugger Lee Seung-yeop has rejoined his former team in South Korea's top baseball league. Lee Seung-yeop (Yonhap News)Lee has signed a one-year deal with the Samsung Lions in theKorea Baseball Organization (KBO), the club announced Monday.The left-handed first baseman agreed to 800 million won (US$7

Dec. 5, 2011

Samsung sinks SoftBank to win Series

TAICHUNG, Taiwan (Yonhap News) ― South Korea’s Samsung Lions beat SoftBank Hawks of Japan 5-3 to capture the Asia Series tournament in a battle of league champions.At Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium, the Lions, the 2011 champions of the Korea Baseball Organization, overcame an early deficit against the Hawks, the Nippon Professional Baseball champions. Samsung’s starter Jang Won-sam settled down after a shaky start and the bullpen took care of the rest, as the Lions became the first K

Nov. 30, 2011

Verlander named MVP

NEW YORK (AP) ― Justin Verlander figured time had run out on his chance to become the first starting pitcher in a quarter-century to be voted Most Valuable Player.Last Tuesday, he found out about 12:40 p.m. that he was a unanimous winner of the AL Cy Young Award. It was closing in on 1 p.m. Monday, and he still hadn’t gotten word on the MVP.“I had told myself that it wasn’t going to happen,” he said. “I figured somebody else got the call.” Not to worry, there was just a slight delay because Verl

Nov. 22, 2011

Slugger Lee Dae-ho seeks opportunity in Japan

Lee Dae-ho of the Lotte Giants has refused to sign a new deal with the Busan-based club in order to pursue new opportunities in Japan.The veteran slugger, who debuted with the Giants in 2001, became a free agent this winter. His team was trying hard to retain him, offering 10 billion won ($8.7 million) in a four-year deal, which would have been the league’s biggest signing. The current record in the Korea Baseball Organization is Sim Jeong-soo’s 6 billion won deal with the Samsung Lions in 2004.

Nov. 20, 2011

Will Yoon pitch Stateside?

Kia pitcher signs with MLB agent BorasThe country’s pro-baseball season is over, heralding speculation about players moving to other clubs. And the biggest transfer rumor involves Kia Tigers pitcher Yoon Suk-min. Reports say that the 25-year-old right-hander could leave the country to join Major League Baseball as early as next year. Yoon, the 2011 KBO’s MVP, revealed last week that he had signed with MLB agent Scott Boras as a part of his long-term plan to pitch in the American top league.Altho

Nov. 11, 2011

Star free agents hit market in Korean baseball

A record number of players have declared free agency in South Korea’s top professional baseball circuit, including last year’s MVP, the league office announced Wednesday.According to the Korea Baseball Organization, 17 players declared themselves free agents for the 2012 season. That is the most since free agency was introduced in the league in 1998.Eleven others who were eligible for free agency have decided to remain with their current clubs, the KBO said.The KBO has eight clubs, with an expan

Nov. 9, 2011

Tigers’ Yoon named MVP

Yoon Seok-min of Kia Tigers was named MVP award by the Korea Baseball Organization. Yoon received 62 of the 91 votes cast by baseball writers to beat out Samsung Lions closer Oh Seung-hwan, who had 19 votes.Lions slugger Choi Hyung-woo, expected to be one of the favorites to win the title, received only eight votes while 2010 MVP Lee Dae-ho of Lotte Giants garnered two.Oh, who had a remarkable 0.63 ERA with 47 saves this season, had announced earlier that he would give up the MVP award in order

Nov. 7, 2011