From DUI to lewd conduct in public to match fixing, baseball, by far the nation's most popular sport, has taken a beating this year.The attendance figures in the Korea Baseball Organization may be gaudy -- just under 5 million through Wednesday and on pace to surpass the single-season record of 7.36 million from last season -- but if the players keep getting into trouble, even the most generous of fans may turn their backs on the sport.On Thursday, NC Dinos' pitcher Lee Tae-yang was indicted on

July 21, 2016

A Korean baseball pitcher has been indicted on charges of engaging in match-fixing schemes.Prosecutors in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, some 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, said Thursday that Lee Tae-yang, pitcher for the NC Dinos in the Korea Baseball Organization, has been indicted without physical detention for allegedly fixing games. Another baseball player, outfielder Moon Woo-ram, has also come under investigation for similar charges, but his case has been handed over to the mili

July 21, 2016

The Texas Rangers' Korean outfielder Choo Shin-soo is headed to the disabled list for the third time this season.The Rangers placed Choo on the 15-day DL on Wednesday (local time) with inflammation in his lower back. The club said he had an anti-inflammatory injection and is expected to miss up to 14 days.Choo was out from April 9 to May 19 with a right calf injury.He played one game and then went back on the DL with a left hamstring injury, missing action from May 21 to June 12.He had missed th

July 21, 2016

Oh Seung-hwan of the St. Louis Cardinals picked up two saves in one day with two perfect innings of work.The Korean reliever shut down the San Diego Padres in both games of the doubleheader at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Wednesday (local time). The right-hander became the first Cardinals pitcher since Jason Isringhausen in August 2004 to save two games in one day. (Yonhap)Oh, a former star closer in South Korea and Japan, is now 4-for-4 in save opportunities since taking over from struggling f

July 21, 2016

Los Angeles Dodgers' Korean pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin is headed back to the disabled list after one start.The Dodgers on Tuesday (local time) placed the left-hander on the 15-day DL with left elbow tendinitis, retroactive to July 9.Ryu had been scheduled to start against the Washington Nationals on the road on Wednesday.Ryu made just one start after returning from surgery to repair a torn labrum in his pitching shoulder. On July 7 against the San Diego Padres, Ryu was touched for six runs on eight hi

July 20, 2016

Choi Ji-man of the Los Angeles Angels has finally gone deep in the majors.Choi hit his first career big league home run off the Texas Rangers starter A.J. Griffin at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on Monday (local time).The Korean first baseman led off the bottom of the fifth with the Angels down 4-2, and crushed Griffin's first-pitch fastball over the right field wall to make it a one-run game.The home run came in Choi's 34th at-bat.It was also Choi's only hit of the game. He was 1-for-4 and is now b

July 19, 2016

The manager of the defending Korean baseball champions received a contract extension on Monday.The Doosan Bears in the Korea Baseball Organization said they and Kim Tae-hyung have agreed in principle to a three-year contract extension, which will take the 48-year-old through the 2019 season.The financial details will be negotiated after the end of this season. Kim took over the Bears before the 2015 season on a two-year deal.The extension comes as no surprise, as Kim guided the Bears to their fi

July 18, 2016

Choi Ji-man of the Los Angeles Angels picked up his first major league RBI and steal in a victory.Batting fifth, the Korean first baseman went 1-for-3 with an RBI, a steal and a run scored, as the Angels defeated the Chicago White Sox 8-1 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Sunday (local time).Choi, who was called up from the minors just before the All-Star break, also extended his hitting streak to four games. The long-time minor leaguer, who made the Angels' Opening Day roster but was demoted after

July 18, 2016

Korean baseball club KT Wiz signed a new foreign pitcher on Thursday.The Korea Baseball Organization club inked American right-hander Josh Lowey to a $220,000 deal, which includes a $50,000 signing bonus, for the rest of the season. (KT Wiz)The career minor leaguer has been pitching for the Acereros de Monclova in the Mexican League in 2016. He was the league leader with 13 wins, 1.65 ERA and 131 strikeouts in 103 2/3 innings, across 16 starts.The Wiz said Lowey's fastball sits around low 90s in

July 7, 2016

Lee Dae-ho of the Seattle Mariners has hit his 12th home run of the season against the Houston Astros.Lee belted a solo shot off the Astros starter Mike Fiers in the top of the fourth at Minute Maid Park in Houston on Wednesday (local time). It was part of the Mariners' four-run inning, cutting the deficit to 5-4.Lee, batting sixth and playing first base, also extended his hitting streak to six games.He is tied with Park Byung-ho of the Minnesota Twins for most home runs by a South Korean player

July 7, 2016

The Korean baseball club Lotte Giants have acquired a new American outfielder.The Korea Baseball Organization team on Wednesday announced the signing of Justin Maxwell to a $280,000 contract for the remainder of the season. The 32-year-old replaces Jim Adduci, who was waived last week after failing a doping test.  (Lotte Giants)Maxwell has 441 major league games to his credit but has been playing for the Boston Red Sox's Triple-A affiliate Pawtucket, hitting .219 with five home runs and 25 RBIs

July 6, 2016

Two days before making his season debut, Los Angeles Dodgers' Korean pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin said Tuesday he will likely be as nervous as he had been before his first major league start.The left-hander, who underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his pitching shoulder in May last year, is scheduled to start against the San Diego Padres at home on Thursday. (Yonhap)It will be Ryu's first major league appearance since Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the St. Louis Cardinals

July 6, 2016

Choo Shin-soo of the Texas Rangers isn't wasting much time these days putting his club on the board.The Korean outfielder belted a leadoff home run against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Tuesday (local time). It was Choo's fourth home run to start a game this season, and 20th of his career.Choo jumped on the first pitch fastball by Boston starter David Price and sent it over the center field wall for his seventh home run of 2016. It was Choo's second leadoff homer off the left-hand

July 6, 2016

Kang Jung-ho, Korean infielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates, is being investigated over a sexual assault allegation that emerged in Chicago, a U.S. newspaper said.Citing a police spokesman, the Chicago Tribune reported Tuesday (local time) that Kang faces the probe over an incident that allegedly took place when the Pirates were visiting the Chicago Cubs last month. Kang hasn't been charged with a crime.The Pirates said they are aware of the allegation and vowed full cooperation with the authoriti

July 6, 2016

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin will return to the big leagues this week after recovering from shoulder surgery, his manager announced Monday.Before the Dodgers opened a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles at Dodger Stadium, Dave Roberts told reporters the South Korean left-hander will start against the San Diego Padres at home Thursday.It will be a 7:10 p.m. start local time. That's 11:10 a.m. Friday in Korea.Ryu went under the knife to repair a torn labrum in his pitching

July 5, 2016