The Korea Herald

MLB dream on hold

With his dream of pitching in Major League Baseball recently foiled, South Korean pitcher Yang Hyeon-jong will stay home at least for another season, his domestic club announced over the weekend.The Kia Tigers of the Korea Baseball Organization said their star left-hander will be with them next season. Last month, the Tigers posted Yang for interested MLB clubs, in his first offseason of eligibility. An unidentified club won the bidding war for the exclusive right to negotiate with Yang but the

Dec. 8, 2014

Hanwha Eagles acquire two American pitchers

South Korean baseball club Hanwha Eagles announced Friday they’ve acquired two veteran American pitchers with prior playing experience in the top domestic competition.The Korea Baseball Organization team said they’ve signed left-hander Shane Youman and right-hander Mitch Talbot.Youman will make $375,000, along with a $100,000 signing bonus. Talbot has signed for a $390,000 salary with a signing bonus of $210,000. Foreign players may only sign one-year deals in the KBO.Youman, 35, pitched the pas

Dec. 5, 2014

NC Dinos re-sign two foreign players

South Korean baseball club NC Dinos announced Thursday they have re-signed infielder Eric Thames and starting pitcher Charlie Shirek for next season.The Korea Baseball Organization club said each player has signed for $1 million.Shirek, who will return for his third KBO season, made $300,000 in 2014. Thames, who joined the Dinos before the 2014 season, earned $250,000.Shirek in June became the first foreign pitcher to toss a no-hitter in league history. (Yonhap)

Dec. 4, 2014

Nexen Heroes sign pitcher Feierabend

The Nexen Heroes announced on Wednesday they’ve signed former Major League Baseball left-hander Ryan Feierabend to a one-year deal.The Seoul-based Korea Baseball Organization club said the 29-year-old American has signed for $270,000 in annual salary, along with $30,000 in signing bonus and $80,000 in options.Feierabend has 31 big league games under his belt. He was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in 2003 and made his major league debut with the M’s in 2006. Most recently, the left-hander pitche

Dec. 3, 2014

Cruz set to join M’s

SEATTLE (AP) ― The Mariners are on the verge of landing the right-handed slugger they were seeking for the middle of their batting order.Free agent slugger Nelson Cruz and Seattle are nearing agreement on a contract, two people with knowledge of the deal told the Associated Press on Monday. The pair spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal had not been finalized and was still pending a physical.El Caribe in the Dominican Republic first reported the agreement, saying it was worth $57

Dec. 2, 2014

Seo voted by peers as top player

Nexen Heroes’ second baseman Seo Geon-chang on Tuesday was voted by his peers as the top player of 2014 in South Korean professional baseball.Seo was the winner of the Player of the Year honors at the Players Choice Awards, presented by the Korea Professional Baseball Players Association, the interest group for players in the Korea Baseball Organization.Two weeks ago, Seo captured the league MVP award, as voted by the media, thanks to his historic season. (Yonhap)

Dec. 2, 2014

Heroes re-sign Van Hekken

South Korean baseball club Nexen Heroes announced Monday they’ve re-signed their 20-game winner Andy Van Hekken for his fourth season.The Seoul-based Korea Baseball Organization team said Van Hekken will return for $650,000 in salary, along with a $50,000 signing bonus and $100,000 in options. He made $350,000 this year.The 35-year-old left-hander is coming off his best KBO season, after going 20-6 with a 3.51 ERA and 178 strikeouts in 187 innings. (Yonhap)

Dec. 1, 2014

Donaldson says Jays have elements to win

TORONTO (AP) ― Josh Donaldson has good memories of playing in Toronto. He made his major league debut there in 2010, striking out as a pinch-hitter. The following day he smacked a game-winning, two-run homer for his first career hit.More memories are on the way. Next season, Toronto is his big league home.The Blue Jays acquired Donaldson from the Oakland Athletics on Friday night for infielder Brett Lawrie, left-hander Sean Nolin, right-hander Kendall Graveman and minor league shortstop Franklin

Nov. 30, 2014

Donaldson says Jays have elements to win

Cuban slugger agrees to $68.5m deal with Arizona

Cuban outfielder Yasmany Tomas is in the process of agreeing to a $68.5 million, six-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.The person spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the deal had not yet been completed. The person said several additional steps were necessary but the agreement was likely to be finalized in the next few days.MLB.com reported Wednesday a deal had been agreed to.Tomas, 24, hit .375 (6 for 16) for Cuba with

Nov. 27, 2014

Sandoval, Ramirez give Red Sox new hope

BOSTON (AP) ― Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez spent the last two seasons as NL West rivals. Now they’re teammates in Boston, the result of a $183 million spending spree the Red Sox are hoping will lift them out of the AL East cellar.“It’s exciting for me to be with Hanley and David Ortiz,” Sandoval said Tuesday at Fenway Park after finishing up a five-year, $95 million contract that adds him to a lineup he called “The Three Amigos.”About five hours later, the Red Sox completed their day-night

Nov. 26, 2014

Kia Tigers reject bid for Yang

The Kia Tigers on Wednesday rejected a bid submitted by a Major League Baseball club for their posted pitcher Yang Hyeon-jong, saying they weren’t happy with the amount of money put up for their southpaw ace.With the decision by the Korea Baseball Organization team, Yang, who was made available for interested big league clubs in a silent auction earlier this month, can’t be posted again until Nov. 1, 2015.The KBO first notified the Tigers of the result of the bidding last Saturday and the Tigers

Nov. 26, 2014

Two KBO clubs sign new foreign players

Two Korea Baseball Organization clubs on Tuesday announced their acquisitions of former Major League Baseball players.The Lotte Giants said they signed outfielder Jim Adduci to a one-year deal worth $650,000, a figure that includes a signing bonus.The 29-year-old played 61 games with the Texas Rangers in 2013 and 2014, with a career big league batting average of .189 with one home run, eight RBIs and five steals.Also on Tuesday, the LG Twins said they signed right-hander Lucas Harrell to a one-y

Nov. 25, 2014

Pitcher, club again fail to agree on bid

For a second straight day, the South Korean baseball club Kia Tigers and their posted left-hander Yang Hyeon-jong on Monday failed to narrow their differences over accepting a bid from a Major League Baseball club.Yang has asked the team to accept the bid so that he could pursue his dream of playing in the majors, while the Tigers, apparently not pleased with the amount of the winning bid, haven’t budged.An official with the Tigers said that while Yang understands the team’s plight, he said he’d

Nov. 24, 2014

Minnesota Twins win bidding for Yang Hyeon-jong

The Minnesota Twins have won the bidding war for the posted South Korean left-hander Yang Hyeon-jong, an informed baseball source told Yonhap on Sunday.The source, who’s familiar with the posting process, confirmed an earlier U.S. report that the Twins had submitted the highest bid for Yang. He has been pitching for the Kia Tigers in the Korea Baseball Organization since 2007 and became eligible for posting after the 2014 season.The value of the Twins’ bid has not been announced. Multiple indust

Nov. 23, 2014

Big league scouts upbeat on Yang Hyeon-jong’s potential

Until recently, Kia Tigers’ left-hander Yang Hyeon-jong had largely been an unknown commodity in the international market. Then toward the end of the Korea Baseball Organization season mid-October, Yang threw himself into the mix, saying he wanted to sign with a foreign club next season as long as the Tigers granted him his wish.By completing his equivalent of seven full KBO seasons, Yang earned conditional free agency, a status that would allow him to be posted for interested Major League Baseb

Nov. 20, 2014

Big league scouts upbeat on Yang Hyeon-jong’s potential

MVP award caps off Seo’s improbable journey

By winning his first Korea Baseball Organization MVP award, Seo Geon-chang, the dynamic leadoff man for the Nexen Heroes, capped off an improbable journey from the baseball netherworld to its pinnacle.Seo earned 77 of 99 possible votes cast by media to win the MVP in a landslide. During the regular season, he set new league records with 201 hits, 135 runs scored and 17 triples, while winning his first batting title with a .370 average.It’s hard to believe this is the same player who was struggli

Nov. 19, 2014

Big league dreams

Hard-hitting shortstop Kang Jung-ho said he will ask to be posted for interested Major League Baseball clubs by mid-December and join two other players from the top South Korean league who have taken steps toward the big leagues.Kang of the Nexen Heroes in the Korea Baseball Organization said he plans to meet his agent sometime next week. The 27-year-old is being represented by veteran agent Alan Nero of Octagon.Kang has completed his equivalent of seven full seasons in the KBO and has become a

Nov. 19, 2014

Staggering contract

MIAMI (AP) ― The Marlins are no longer pinching pennies, and Giancarlo Stanton won’t be, either.Stanton agreed to terms with the team Monday on a $325 million, 13-year contract, Miami owner Jeffrey Loria said. It’s the most lucrative deal for an American athlete and averages $25 million per season, or $154,321 per game.The deal includes a no-trade clause, and Stanton can opt out after six years, Loria said. A news conference was planned Wednesday.“It’s a landmark moment for the franchise and Gia

Nov. 18, 2014

Seo Geon-chang voted MVP

Seo Geon-chang, the record-breaking second baseman for the Nexen Heroes, on Tuesday bagged his first MVP award in South Korean pro baseball.Seo garnered 77 of 99 media votes to claim the 2014 Korea Baseball Organization MVP honors. He established new KBO single-season records with 201 hits, 135 runs scored and 17 triples. The 25-year-old also batted .370 for his first batting title. He played in all 128 games this year.Seo, the 2012 Rookie of the Year, became only the second KBO player ever to w

Nov. 18, 2014

Yang Hyeon-jong to be posted for MLB teams

The top South Korean baseball league said Monday it requested Major League Baseball to post South Korean left-hander Yang Hyeon-jong for interested clubs.The Korea Baseball Organization said it has filed the necessary paper work with the MLB after being notified of Yang’s availability by the Kia Tigers earlier in the day.They are steps to have the 26-year-old pitcher available for an MLB-wide silent auction this week. Once he is posted, interested MLB clubs will have four business days to submit

Nov. 17, 2014

Yang Hyeon-jong to be posted for MLB teams