Dodgers' Ryu Hyun-jin falls to Cubs for 2nd loss of season

Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers has suffered his second loss of the season in as many starts, unable to get past the Chicago Cubs.Ryu was touched for a pair of home runs while allowing four earned runs in 4 2/3 innings at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Thursday (local time), as the Cubs went on to win 4-0.In this Associated Press photo, Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin winds up during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago on April 13, 2017. (

April 14, 2017

Usually reliable, Cards' Oh Seung-hwan shaky early in '17 with iffy slider

Small sample size alert: but Oh Seung-hwan, the usually reliable South Korean reliever for the St. Louis Cardinals, has been hit hard so far in the 2017 season because, as analytics shows, his slider hasn't been nearly as effective as last year.Oh recorded 19 saves and posted a 1.92 ERA last season, after replacing Trevor Rosenthal as the Cards' closer in July. The all-time saves leader in the Korea Baseball Organization struck out 103 batters in 79 2/3 innings, and the opponents batted .190 aga

April 13, 2017

Cardinals' Oh Seung-hwan tosses 1st scoreless outing of season

St. Louis Cardinals' closer Oh Seung-hwan has finally tossed his first scoreless outing of the season.Oh threw one shutout inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in Washington on Wednesday (local time), as the Cardinals won the game 6-1.Oh took the mound in the bottom of the ninth with his team up 6-1, a day after giving up a run on two doubles in one inning of work.St. Louis Cardinals' closer Oh Seung-hwan (AP-Yonhap)Daniel Murphy, who drove in that run with a double the prev

April 13, 2017

Cardinals closer Oh Seung-hwan gives up run for 3rd straight outing

St. Louis Cardinals closer Oh Seung-hwan has given up an earned run for his third straight appearance, as the usually reliable right-hander remained in a funk in the early going of the 2017 season.Oh allowed a run on two doubles in one inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in Washington on Tuesday (local time), as the Cards fell 8-3.The South Korean has now been touched for at least an earned run in each of his three outings this season. St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Oh Seung-h

April 12, 2017

Cardinals closer Oh Seung-hwan serves up home run for 2nd straight outing

St. Louis Cardinals closer Oh Seung-hwan has served up a home run for his second straight outing, as his shaky start to the 2017 season continues.Oh gave up a solo shot against the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Sunday (local time) in the Cardinals' 8-0 loss.Oh Seung-hwan (Yonhap)This was Oh's first appearance since the season opener the previous Sunday. He hadn't been in a save situation with the Cardinals losing three in a row and then beating the Reds 10-4 on Saturday.Oh too

April 10, 2017

Young baseball franchise off to fast start -- again

In the topsy-turvy start to the 2017 Korea Baseball Organization season, the third-year franchise KT Wiz have emerged as the unlikely leader of the pack.The Wiz, which had the league's worst record in each of the past two seasons, are sitting at 7-1 through Sunday, after extending their winning streak to four with a 3-0 victory over the Samsung Lions at home in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province.Starter Ryan Feierabend threw a four-hit shutout, striking out 11 to improve to 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA this season

April 10, 2017

Dodgers' Ryu Hyun-jin takes loss in season debut

DENVER (Yonhap) -- Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers took a loss in his first regular season start in nine months here Friday.The South Korean left-hander allowed two earned runs on six hits, including a home run, in 4 2/3 innings against the Colorado Rockies, which went on to beat the Dodgers 2-1.Ryu struck out five and walked one, looking sharp at times at Coors Field, a notorious hitters' park.In this Associated Press photo, Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin delivers a p

April 8, 2017

Baseball has most loyal fanbase in Korea: report

Baseball has the most loyal fanbase among the four professional sports in South Korea, according to a report released by a local sports organization on Thursday. The Korea Professional Sports Association said that baseball fans in South Korea on average have supported their respective pro clubs for an average 7.9 years, the longest among fans in all pro sports such as football, basketball and volleyball. (Yonhap)The data were based on a survey on 20,621 people between September and November last

April 6, 2017

Hall of Famer George Brett to throw out ceremonial first pitch in Korea

Hall of Famer George Brett will throw out the ceremonial first pitch for a South Korean baseball club this weekend.The NC Dinos of the Korea Baseball Organization said Brett, who spent his entire 21-year career with the Kansas City Royals, will do the honors on Sunday in the third game of their season-opening series against the Lotte Giants at Masan Stadium in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, some 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul. In this Associated Press photo taken on March 15, 2017, Geor

March 30, 2017

Dodgers' Ryu Hyun-jin joins starting rotation thanks to solid spring

Bouncing back from two surgeries, Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Ryu Hyun-jin has joined the starting rotation thanks to a solid preseason.Manager Dave Roberts told reporters in Glendale, Arizona, on Monday (local time) that Ryu will be one of five starters when the regular season opens April 3.In this Associated Press photo taken on March 11, 2017, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a spring training baseball game in Phoenix

March 28, 2017

Players want to send off veteran with postseason berth

As the Samsung Lions prepare to bid farewell to veteran slugger Lee Seung-yuop after the 2017 Korea Baseball Organization season, his teammates would like nothing more than to send him off in style.Team captain Kim Sang-su and third-year star Koo Ja-wook, in particular, are hoping Lee's last game will come in the postseason.Kim Sang-su of the Samsung Lions smiles after a two-run single against the LG Twins during their Korea Baseball Organization preseason game at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in Dae

March 28, 2017

Seoul franchise goes for 3rd straight title as new baseball season looms

When the Korea Baseball Organization starts its 36th season with all 10 clubs in action Friday, one team will have the proverbial bull's-eye on its back as it chases its third straight championship.The Doosan Bears have won the past two KBO titles and will enter the 2017 season firmly entrenched as the favorite once again.Members of the Doosan Bears celebrate their preseason victory over the Samsung Lions in the KBO at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on March 24, 2017. (Yonhap)Only two other franchises

March 28, 2017

Korean baseball not short on stars as home run king readies for farewell tour

From hulking sluggers to former major league starters, the 2017 Korea Baseball Organization season will not be short on star power, even as its greatest home run hitter embarks on a farewell tour.Former KBO MVP Lee Dae-ho has rejoined his former club Lotte Giants after spending the previous five seasons in Japan and the United States. He signed a four-year deal worth 15 billion won ($13.5 million), the largest contract ever handed to a free agent in the league's 35-year history. The Giants, who

March 28, 2017

Ex-big league manager Hillman demands professionalism from Korean club

Former big league manager Trey Hillman, now at the helm of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club SK Wyverns, said Monday he will demand professionalism from his new team.Hillman, who signed with the Wyverns last October, attended his first KBO media day in Seoul. He's only the second foreign skipper in the KBO's 35-year history after fellow American Jerry Royster, who managed the Lotte Giants from 2008 to 2010. Hillman is also the first man to manage in Major League Baseball, Nippon Profess

March 27, 2017

Baseball managers set sights on taking down two-time reigning champions

The Doosan Bears, having captured the past two Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) titles, were the proverbial Public Enemy No. 1 in the annual preseason gathering of the league's managers on Monday.The KBO held the media day with the 10 managers and their captains on hand in Seoul. Asked about their goals for the 2017 season, which will get underway Friday, opposing managers said they want to keep the Bears from completing a three-peat. Kim Tae-hyung (center), manager of the Doosan Bears, is flan

March 27, 2017

Foreign pitchers to start first games of new baseball season

Foreign pitchers filled the list of the Opening Day starters in the 2017 Korea Baseball Organization season announced Monday.The new season will begin Friday with all 10 clubs taking the field. And all 10 teams will have their foreign pitchers start their first games of the season, as announced by their managers during the annual KBO media day in Seoul. In this file photo taken on Oct. 29, 2016, Dustin Nippert of the Doosan Bears throws a pitch against the NC Dinos during the Korean Series at Ja

March 27, 2017

Former top rookie award winners hail new teammate as 'real deal'

Two former top rookie award winners in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) believe their new hotshot teammate is "the real deal."Lee Jeong-hoo, an 18-year-old rookie out of high school for the Nexen Heroes, was sensational in the preseason that wrapped up Sunday. He tied for the KBO lead with 15 hits in just 33 at-bats. Lee Jeong-hoo of the Nexen Heroes watches his hit against the NC Dinos in their Korea Baseball Organization preseason game at Masan Stadium in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Provin

March 27, 2017

Stars of reigning baseball champions wary of hometown rival

The Doosan Bears, winners of the past two Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) titles, are heavily favored to repeat as the champions in 2017.That doesn't mean their players aren't wary of their opponents. Kim Jae-ho of the Doosan Bears hits a two-run home run against the SK Wyverns in their Korea Baseball Organization preseason game at Incheon SK Happy Dream Park on March 21, 2017. (Yonhap)Shortstop Kim Jae-ho, team captain, and catcher Yang Eui-ji, voted the 2016 Korean Series MVP, in particular

March 27, 2017

All-Star left-hander seeks consistency on new team

All-Star left-hander Cha Woo-chan made a splash in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) offseason in December, becoming the highest-paid pitcher in the country. And he wants to live up to his contract by doing what he's been doing all along -- giving his team a consistent presence on the mound.The LG Twins signed him to a four-year deal worth 9.5 billion won ($8.5 million), luring him from the Samsung Lions after 11 seasons there. South Korean pitcher Cha Woo-chan throws a pitch against Chinese

March 27, 2017

Baseball club releases American pitcher

In this undated photo provided by the Lotte Giants baseball club, Parker Markel prepares to make a pitch during the team's spring training. (Yonhap)South Korean baseball club Lotte Giants on Monday released an American pitcher Parker Markel before he even threw a regular season pitch.The Korea Baseball Organization team said Markel asked for the termination of his $525,000 contract, and the Giants agreed to place him on the voluntarily retired list.Players on that list are ineligible to perform

March 27, 2017