Dodgers' Ryu Hyun-jin felt 'zero pressure' in 1st Opening Day start

Ryu Hyun-jin's first career Opening Day start for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday was a significant occasion on multiple levels, potentially fraught with stress. He was filling in for Clayton Kershaw, the longtime franchise ace and three-time Cy Young Award winner who had opened the past eight seasons. And Ryu was the first South Korean to start on Opening Day since Park Chan-ho for the Texas Rangers in 2002.But after throwing six solid innings of one-run ball against the Arizona Diamondback

March 29, 2019

Reigning regular season baseball champs win season opener

The Doosan Bears opened their quest for a second straight regular season crown in South Korean baseball with a 5-4 victory over the Hanwha Eagles on Saturday.New Cuban hitter Jose Miguel Fernandez knocked in three runs, including two that broke the 3-3 tie with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, as the Bears took their home opener in the Korea Baseball Organization at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul.Fernandez, a former Cuban national team member, went 2-for-4 batting out of the sixth spot.The

March 24, 2019

4 games sell out on S. Korean baseball's Opening Day

　The new season in South Korean professional baseball began Saturday, with four of the five games played before sellout crowds.　The Korea Baseball Organization opened its 38th season, with all 10 clubs in action.　Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, hosted its first regular season game as the brand new home for the NC Dinos. All 22,112 tickets for the tilt between the Dinos and the Samsung Lions sold out last Saturday, the league office said.(Yonhap)　The first home ru

March 23, 2019

Ryu Hyun-jin named Dodgers' Opening Day starter

Los Angeles Dodgers’ South Korean left-hander Ryu Hyun-jin has been named the team‘s Opening Day starter, becoming just the second pitcher from the country to have the honor.　Manager Dave Roberts made the announcement in the Dodgers’ spring training site in Glendale, Arizona, on Friday (local time).　Injuries to Clayton Kershaw, who had opened the previous eight seasons, plus Walker Buehler and Rich Hill left Ryu as the most viable option to start the season against the Arizona Diamondbacks next

March 23, 2019

[Graphic News] Giants’ Lee Dae-ho highest paid in Korean baseball

　The Korea Baseball Organization recently announced its salary data for the 2019 season.　Lee Dae-ho of the Lotte Giants topped all players with an annual salary of 2.5 billion won ($2.2 million), followed by the Kia Tigers’ Yang Hyeon-jong (2.3 billion won) and the NC Dinos’ Yang Eui-ji (2 billion won). 

Feb. 25, 2019

First female GM in baseball replaced, 10 days after appointment

Korea Baseball Organization team Kiwoom Heroes announced Friday that it was replacing Im Eun-ju, who made headlines not two weeks earlier when she became the first female general manager in KBO history.Replacing her will be Kim Chi-hyeon, whose previous roles include scouting foreign players, negotiating with MLB teams, and creating and operating the team’s farm system. Im Eun-ju“We recruited Im in order to improve our front office, but decided to replace her for quicker and more efficient opera

Feb. 1, 2019

All-Star catcher signs mega free agent deal with new club

All-Star catcher Yang Eui-ji, the most coveted asset in South Korean baseball's open market this winter, signed the second-largest free agent contract in league history on Tuesday.The 31-year-old agreed to a four-year deal worth 12.5 billion won ($11.1 million) with the NC Dinos. The Korea Baseball Organization club announced the deal, which includes a signing bonus of 6 billion won. Yang made 600 million won in 2018. Free agent catcher Yang Eui-ji speaks on stage after winning his fourth career

Dec. 11, 2018

Former KBO pitcher signs with Diamondbacks: report

Former South Korean league pitcher Merrill Kelly has joined the Arizona Diamondbacks, a report claimed Wednesday.Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports said Kelly, the former ace for the SK Wyverns in the Korea Baseball Organization, has signed a two-year, US$5.5 million deal. The deal also includes two club options -- first valued at $4.25 million with a $500,000 option and another worth $5.25 million.Kelly made $1.4 million in 2018 here. In this file photo from Nov. 12, 2018, Merrill Kelly, then of the S

Dec. 5, 2018

LG Twins acquire ex-MLB 1B Joseph

South Korean baseball club LG Twins announced Wednesday they've signed former major league first baseman Tommy Joseph.The Korea Baseball Organization team signed Joseph, 27, to a one-year deal worth US$1 million, which includes a $300,000 signing bonus. (LG Twins)Starting this offseason, the KBO put in a salary cap of $1 million on all new foreign players. The cap doesn't apply to returning foreign players.Joseph is just a year removed from his second-straight 20-homer season with the Philadelph

Nov. 28, 2018

Samsung Lions sign ex-MLB pitcher Haley

South Korean baseball club Samsung Lions on Tuesday announced their acquisition of former big league pitcher Justin Haley.The Korea Baseball Organization team said Haley has agreed to a one-year deal worth US$550,000. He got a $100,000 signing bonus and can make an additional $250,000 in incentives.Starting this offseason, the KBO put in a salary cap of $1 million on first-year foreign players. In this UPI file photo from June 29, 2018, Justin Haley, then with the Boston Red Sox, throws a pitch

Nov. 27, 2018

Nexen Heroes sign new pitcher, retain two foreign players

South Korean baseball club Nexen Heroes said Friday they've acquired a new American pitcher, Eric Jokisch, while retaining two of their foreign players for one more season.The Korea Baseball Organization team said Jokisch, a 29-year-old left-hander, agreed to a one-year deal worth $500,000, which includes an undisclosed signing bonus and performance-based incentives.The KBO has implemented a salary cap of $1 million on all first-year foreign players, starting this offseason. SEOUL, Nov. 23 (Yonh

Nov. 23, 2018

For bounce back, baseball club to look inward

Once a big spender in South Korean baseball's free agency, the Kia Tigers will stay away from the open market this winter, their general manager said Friday.Cho Kye-hyun said his Korea Baseball Organization club will not go after any free agents during this offseason and added, "We felt we'd be better off trying to develop our own assets." In this file photo from July 25, 2018, Ryu Seung-hyun of the Kia Tiger hits a two-run double against the Hanwha Eagles in the top of the seventh inning of a K

Nov. 23, 2018

Hanwha Eagles re-sign slugging outfielder Hoying

South Korean baseball club Hanwha Eagles said Wednesday they'll bring back outfielder Jared Hoying for one more season.The Korea Baseball Organization team said Hoying, 29, will return on a new one-year deal worth $1.4 million, with $800,000 in salary, $300,000 in signing bonus and another $300,000 in option. Hoying made $400,000 in 2018 with a signing bonus of $300,000.The KBO has put a salary cap of $1 million on new foreign players coming to the league, and it doesn't apply to returnees. In t

Nov. 21, 2018

LG Twins sign ex-MLB pitcher Kelly

South Korean baseball club LG Twins announced on Wednesday their signing of former major league pitcher Casey Kelly.The Korea Baseball Organization team said Kelly has agreed to a one-year deal worth $1 million, which includes a $300,000 signing bonus.Starting this offseason, the KBO put a $1 million salary cap on foreign players who sign their first contracts here. In this Associated Press file photo from Sept. 26, 2018, Casey Kelly, then of the San Francisco Giants, pitches against the San Die

Nov. 21, 2018

Dodgers' Ryu Hyun-jin 'confident' with gamble on self

By accepting the Los Angeles Dodgers' one-year qualifying offer last week instead of testing the open market, South Korean pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin rolled the dice and gambled that he will have a strong 2019 season and his value will rise even higher next winter.And Ryu said Tuesday he was confident things will work out just fine."Considering how I feel physically, I thought I could be in an even better position next year," Ryu told reporters at Incheon International Airport after returning home to

Nov. 20, 2018

KT Wiz acquire ex-MLB pitcher Alcantara

In this Getty Images file photo from Sept. 23, 2017, Raul Alcantara, then with the Oakland Athletics, pitches against the Texas Rangers during the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Oakland Alameda Coliseum in Oakland, California. Alcantara signed with the South Korean club KT Wiz on Nov. 19, 2018. (Yonhap)South Korean baseball club KT Wiz said Monday they've signed former big league pitcher Raul Alcantara.The Korea Baseball Organization team signed the Dominican righ

Nov. 20, 2018

Kia Tigers close to acquiring ex-MLB outfielder Hazelbaker

In this Penta Press file photo from April 6, 2016, Jeremy Hazelbaker (R), then with the St. Louis Cardinals, celebrates a home run with teammate Grag Garcia during the top of the sixth inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. South Korean ball club Kia Tigers said on Nov. 19, 2018, that they`re nearing a deal with Hazelbaker. (Yonhap)South Korean baseball club Kia Tigers said Monday they're nearing a deal with f

Nov. 19, 2018

Nat'l baseball manger calls it quits

South Korean national baseball manager Sun Dong-yol offered to resign Wednesday following a controversy surrounding his Asian Games roster selection. "I think my time is up," Sun told Yonhap News Agency on the phone. Sun later held a press conference explaining his decision after meeting with Chung Un-chan, commissioner of the Korea Baseball Organization. But he only spoke about one and a half minutes, saying that what he wants to say is all contained in a written statement. This file photo take

Nov. 14, 2018

Ryu Hyun-jin to stay with Dodgers for 1 more year after

South Korean free agent pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin has accepted the qualifying offer from the Los Angeles Dodgers, opting to stay with the club for one more year after six seasons together instead of testing the open market.The Major League Baseball Players Association said Monday (local time) that Ryu decided to accept the one-year offer worth US$17.9 million -- the mean salary of the 125 highest-paid players. The deadline to accept or reject the offer fell at 5 p.m. (Yonhap)(Eastern Standard Time) M

Nov. 13, 2018

Korean Series MVP flaunts flair for dramatic

SK Wyverns' slugger Han Dong-min surely has a flair for the dramatic, and he put it on full display on Monday to lift his Korea Baseball Organization club to the 2018 Korean Series championship.Han belted a go-ahead solo homer in the top of the 13th inning for the Wyverns' 5-4 victory over the Doosan Bears in Game 6 of the series at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)Han was voted the MVP of the series for his effort. Though he only batted 4-for-21, two of the four hits were home runs and he knock

Nov. 13, 2018