Teen baseball prospect shrugs off murky future

South Korean teenage baseball prospect Bae Ji-hwan is trying his best to shrug off a murky future after his US deal got wiped out over a rules violation.The 18-year-old shortstop out of Kyeongbuk High School in Daegu, some 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, was the recipient of the 2017 Lee Young-min Batting Award at an annual amateur baseball ceremony Monday evening. The award, named after a former baseball great, is presented to the top-hitting high school player each year.In 27 games in 2017,

Dec. 19, 2017

Lotte Giants agree to terms with ex-MLB pitcher Felix Doubront

The South Korean baseball club Lotte Giants said Thursday they've agreed to terms with former major league pitcher Felix Doubront.The Korea Baseball Organization team said the 30-year-old left-hander has agreed to a one-year deal worth $1 million, including a signing bonus of $100,000. Doubront is scheduled to undergo a physical in the United States on Friday (local time).Doubront, a native of Venezuela, joins American left-hander Brooks Raley in the Giants' rotation. Earlier this week, right-ha

Dec. 14, 2017

Baseball's MVP picks up another major award

The reigning South Korean baseball MVP Yang Hyeon-jong picked up another major trophy on Wednesday, completing an unprecedented sweep of the sport's top individual awards.The Kia Tigers left-hander was one of 10 recipients of the Golden Glove in the Korea Baseball Organization, as he capped off the most memorable season of his 11-year career. Yang won a whopping 323 out of 357 votes cast by baseball writers, photojournalists and broadcasters.Yang won the regular season MVP award last month, afte

Dec. 13, 2017

Baseball's top rookie gets hefty raise

South Korean baseball's reigning Rookie of the Year Lee Jung-hoo got a hefty raise Wednesday.The Nexen Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization announced they've inked Lee to a new one-year deal worth 110 million won ($101,200). The 19-year-old outfielder made the minimum KBO salary of 27 million won in 2017.And the deal was a bargain for the Heroes, as Lee established new rookie records with 179 hits and 111 runs scored, while leading all freshmen with a .324 batting average. Lee was the runaw

Dec. 13, 2017

Doosan Bears sign US right-hander Josh Lindblom, part ways with veteran

The South Korean baseball club Doosan Bears announced their signing of American right-hander Josh Lindblom on Monday, parting ways with long-time ace Dustin Nippert in the process.The Korea Baseball Organization team said Lindblom agreed to a one-year deal worth $1.45 million. The 30-year-old will be entering his fourth KBO season; he'd spent the first three with the Lotte Giants.The contract talks between Lindblom and the Giants fell through last week. And only hours before the Bears made their

Dec. 11, 2017

After contract talks fall through, American pitcher slams Korean club for 'dishonesty'

After his contract talks with the South Korean baseball club Lotte Giants fell through, American pitcher Josh Lindblom slammed the team for "a long history of dishonesty and unprofessionalism" on Monday.In a message tweeted both in English and Korean, the 30-year-old right-hander thanked fans of the Busan-based Korea Baseball Organization club for their support and said those fans deserve honesty.The Giants announced last Saturday that they weren't able to come to terms with Lindblom for his fou

Dec. 11, 2017

MLB clubs increasingly relying on analytics to generate revenue: club executive

Major League Baseball teams are increasingly relying on analytics to help generate revenue while faced with a myriad of challenges, a club executive said Monday.Joe Januszewski, executive vice president and chief revenue and marketing officer for the Texas Rangers, gave a presentation titled "Working in Major League Baseball: Building a Winner on and Off the Field" at the start of the annual Korea Baseball Organization  Winter Meeting in Seoul.Januszewski laid out primary revenue streams for big

Dec. 11, 2017

Ex-Prime Minister Chung Un-chan named new head of professional baseball

Former Prime Minister Chung Un-chan was named the new head of South Korean professional baseball Monday.Chung will serve as the commissioner of the Korea Baseball Organization for three years starting in early 2018, after earning more than 75 percent of support from the owners of 10 clubs.Chung, 70, was nominated by the KBO's board of directors -- made up of 10 club presidents, current KBO Commissioner Koo Bon-neung and its Secretary-General Yang Hae-young -- on Nov. 29.  The board unanimously a

Dec. 11, 2017

Baseball league MVP receives top accolade from retired players

Reigning South Korean baseball league MVP Yang Hyeon-jong was chosen by retired players as the top performer of the season Thursday.Yang, voted the regular season MVP in the Korea Baseball Organization last month, received the Player of the Year accolade by the Korea Professional Baseball Alumni Association. The KPBAA, an organization founded to help retired baseball players, created the awards in 2014. His latest honor follows the award given by active players in the KBO. On Tuesday, he was vot

Dec. 7, 2017

KBO club rejects rumors MLB team sought refund on slugger's posting fees

The South Korean baseball club Nexen Heroes on Wednesday rejected rumors that the Minnesota Twins were denied a refund on their posting fees for slugger Park Byung-ho when the player returned home last month.The Korea Baseball Organization team responded to a report on CBS Sports.com, later carried by SB Nation's Twins community page, Twinkie Town, that the Twins sought a partial refund of their $12.85 million posting fee for Park in 2015.Park was put up for posting after that season, and in a m

Dec. 6, 2017

Baseball league MVP voted by peers as top player of 2017

INCHEON -- Reigning baseball league MVP Yang Hyeon-jong was voted by his peers as the top player of the season Tuesday.Yang, voted the regular season MVP in the Korea Baseball Organization last month, earned the Player of the Year honors at the 2017 Players' Choice Awards, hosted by the Korea Professional Baseball Players Association.The KPBPA created the awards in 2013, with all active KBO players casting votes for the best player in the league each year.Yang, a left-handed ace for the Kia Tige

Dec. 5, 2017

Samsung Lions sign ex-MLB pitcher Tim Adleman

The South Korean baseball club Samsung Lions on Thursday announced their signing of former major league pitcher Tim Adleman.The Korea Baseball Organization team inked the 30-year-old right-hander to a $1.05 million deal, including a signing bonus of $100,000.Adleman was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 24th round in 2010, but didn't make his big league debut until 2016 with the Cincinnati Reds.In 2017, he made 30 appearances with the Reds, including 20 starts, and posted a record of 5-11

Nov. 30, 2017

Reigning baseball champs re-sign 3 foreign players

The reigning South Korean baseball champions Kia Tigers announced Thursday they've re-signed all three of their foreign players from the 2017 season.The Korea Baseball Organization club will bring back 20-game winner Hector Noesi for his third season. The Tigers also retained left-hander Pat Dean and outfielder Roger Bernadina for their second season in South Korea.Noesi signed for $2 million, up $300,000 in 2017. Dean will earn $925,000, a raise of $225,000, and Bernadina agreed to a $1.1 milli

Nov. 30, 2017

All-Star catcher looking to help young pitchers develop at new club

DAEGU  -- South Korean All-Star catcher Kang Min-ho said Thursday he'll look to help with the development of young pitchers at his new club.Kang was formally introduced as the new catcher for the Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Organization. The Lions announced their signing of the big free agent prize to a four-year deal worth 8 billion won ($7.4 million) on Nov. 21, and held Kang's introductory press conference at their home stadium, Daegu Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, 300 kilometers southe

Nov. 30, 2017

Lotte Giants re-sign US pitcher, infielder

The South Korean baseball club Lotte Giants announced Thursday they've re-signed a pair of American players for another go.The Korea Baseball Organization team inked left-hander Brooks Raley to a $1.17 million contract and signed infielder Andy Burns to a $730,000 contract.Raley, 29, will enter his fourth KBO season. He made $850,000 in 2017. Burns, who first joined the Giants for the 2017 season, made $600,000 this year. In this file photo taken Oct. 9, 2017, Brooks Raley of the Lotte Giants th

Nov. 30, 2017

Lotte Giants acquire All-Star outfielder via free agency

The South Korean baseball club Lotte Giants signed All-Star outfielder Min Byung-hun via free agency Tuesday.The Korea Baseball Organization team added one of the biggest prizes in the open market with a four-year deal worth 8 billion won ($7.3 million).The 30-year-old played his first 11 seasons with the Doosan Bears. He is a career .299 hitter in 1,096 games and has batted at least .300 in each of the past five seasons.In 2017, Min batted .304/.389/.445 with 14 home runs, 71 RBIs and 21 double

Nov. 28, 2017

Korean baseball player arrested for sexual assault charges in Japan

Hanwha Eagles infielder Lee Chang-yeol was caught by Japanese police Wednesday for his sexual abuse allegation in Miyazaki, where his team had been staying for an off-season training.According to Sankei Shimbun and other local media outlets, the Korean professional baseball player has been suspected of forcibly touching a waitress at a restaurant on Nov. 2. The female worker had reportedly notified the police of the incident on the next day. News reports say that the police, on the basis of CCTV

Nov. 23, 2017

Sublime submarine pitcher announces retirement after 17 seasons

Chong Tae-hyon, who induced the gold medal-winning double play ball against Cuba at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, announced his retirement on Wednesday after 17 professional seasons.The 39-year-old submarine pitcher told Yonhap News Agency his ailing would no longer allow him to pitch in the Korea Baseball Organization. His last KBO game came with the Lotte Giants in 2016, and he only made 10 appearances for the Giants' affiliate in the Futures League, the KBO's minor league."Since I couldn't be of

Nov. 22, 2017

All-Star catcher signs free agent contract with new club

All-Star catcher Kang Min-ho signed a multi-year free agent contract with a new club Tuesday, making a big splash in what has been a relatively quiet market this offseason.The Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Organization announced a four-year, 8 billion-won ($7.3 million) deal with the 32-year-old backstop. The Lions said the deal includes a signing bonus of 4 billion won.Kang, 32, has spent his entire 14-year career with the Lotte Giants. When he first became a free agent in November 2013,

Nov. 21, 2017

Nat'l baseball team returns home after finishing 2nd in regional tournament

South Korean national baseball team returned home from Tokyo on Monday, after the young squad finished runner-up to Japan at a new regional tournament.South Korea lost to Japan 7-0 to end in second place at the inaugural Asia Professional Baseball Championship at Tokyo Dome on Sunday. The competition was open to professional players from South Korea, Japan and Chinese Taipei under 24 years of age -- born on or after Jan. 1, 1993 -- or those with less than three years of professional experience.S

Nov. 20, 2017