Star left-hander to donate hair for cancer-stricken children

Korean baseball pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun has cut off his long locks for cancer-stricken children.The SK Wyverns in the Korea Baseball Organization said Monday that the left-hander got a haircut for a good cause following his start Sunday. He will donate his hair to make wigs for children who've lost their own hair following cancer treatment.The Wyverns said it will hold a ceremony to mark the occasion before their home game against the KT Wiz on Tuesday at SK Happy Dream Park in Incheon, 40 kilome

March 26, 2018

World baseball federation announces qualification system for Tokyo 2020

The international baseball governing body has announced the qualification system for the sport at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.The Switzerland-based World Baseball Softball Confederation announced Saturday (local time) that the first opportunity to qualify for the six-team Olympic baseball tournament will come up at 2019 Premier 12, the WBSC's flagship event.The WBSC said the top finisher from the Americas and the top country from the Asia/Oceania region, excluding Olympic host Japan, will

March 25, 2018

1st overall draft pick hits 1st home run of 2018 KBO season

Kang Baek-ho, the first overall pick in last year's Korea Baseball Organization rookie draft, hit the first home run of the league's 2018 season on Saturday. In this file photo taken on March 13, 2018, Kang Baek-ho of the KT Wiz hits an RBI grounder in a Korea Baseball Organization preseason game against the Samsung Lions at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)The 18-year-old left fielder for the KT Wiz hit a solo shot off Hector Noesi of the Kia Tigers in the top of the

March 24, 2018

Dodgers' Ryu Hyun-jin picks up 2nd preseason win in best spring start

The Los Angeles Dodgers' Ryu Hyun-jin has earned his second preseason victory in his best outing of spring training so far.The South Korean left-hander held the Los Angeles Angels to a run on five hits in five innings at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona, on Thursday (local time), as the Dodgers prevailed 4-3. He struck out six and walked just one, while lowering his ERA from 14.29 to 8.44.This was Ryu's third start of spring training. He allowed four runs in 2 2/3 innings against the Colorad

March 23, 2018

Oh Seung-hwan pitches perfect inning in debut for Blue Jays

South Korean pitcher Oh Seung-hwan has thrown a perfect inning in his spring training debut for the Toronto Blue Jays.Oh made quick work of the Philadelphia Phillies in the top of the fifth inning at Dunedin Stadium in Dunedin, Florida, on Wednesday (local time).The right-hander took the mound with the score knotted at 2-2 and went up against the heart of the Phillies order.No. 3 hitter Maikel Franco popped out to the catcher to begin the inning. Then Carlos Santana grounded out to third. Oh the

March 22, 2018

Dodgers' Ryu Hyun-jin to open season as 5th starter

Los Angeles Dodgers' South Korean pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin has been confirmed as the team's fifth starter to begin the new season.Manager Dave Roberts said in Glendale, Arizona, site of the Dodgers' spring training, on Sunday (local time) that Ryu will follow starters Clayton Kershaw, Alex Wood, Kenta Maeda and Rich Hill during the first week of the season.Kershaw will be the Opening Day starter against the San Francisco Giants in Los Angeles on March 29.The Dodgers will start the season with four g

March 19, 2018

Dodgers’ Ryu Hyun-jin suffers 1st spring training loss

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Ryu Hyun-jin has suffered his first loss of spring training.Ryu allowed five runs on seven hits in just three innings against the Chicago White Sox in their spring training game at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona, on Saturday. The South Korean pitcher walked two and struck out two, while making 62 pitches.Ryu left the game with his team down 5-0. The Dodgers got two runs back in the top fourth but couldn’t generate more offense in a 5-2 loss.In his previous s

March 18, 2018

Dodgers' Ryu Hyun-jin shaky in 1st official spring training start

The Los Angeles Dodgers' Ryu Hyun-jin saw his struggles against the Colorado Rockies continue in spring training.The South Korean left-hander allowed four earned runs in 2 2/3 innings against the Rockies at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Sunday (local time), though he was still credited with the win in the Dodgers' 13-7 victory.This was Ryu's first official spring training start. Last week, he faced the Chicago White Sox minor leaguers in the unofficial "B" game an

March 12, 2018

Dodgers' Ryu Hyun-jin recovers from norovirus, to make spring debut this week

Los Angeles Dodgers' left-hander Ryu Hyun-jin has recovered from norovirus and will make his spring debut this week, the team announced Monday.The South Korean pitcher was scratched from his scheduled start last Wednesday (local time) in Arizona while dealing with the norovirus, which is known to cause stomach pain and diarrhea and worked its way through the Dodgers' spring training clubhouse. A report on MLB.com said Ryu is now healthy enough to pitch in the unofficial "B" game against the Chic

March 5, 2018

Korean pitcher Oh Seung-hwan joins Blue Jays' camp, says no problem with elbow

South Korean right-hander Oh Seung-hwan has joined the Toronto Blue Jays' spring training, rejecting reports that his pitching elbow could be an issue.The 35-year-old signed a one-year deal worth $1.75 million with the Blue Jays on Monday (local time) and arrived at the team's spring training site in Dunedin, Florida, the following day.Oh's deal includes a $2.5 million option and a $250,000 buyout.He nearly had a deal with the Texas Rangers earlier this month but reportedly failed a physical due

Feb. 28, 2018

Toronto Blue Jays announce signing of S. Korean pitcher Oh Seung-hwan

The Toronto Blue Jays have announced their signing of free agent pitcher Oh Seung-hwan, making him the first South Korean to play for the franchise.The Jays said on Monday (local time) that the 35-year-old agreed to a one-year deal worth $1.75 million, with a club option for 2019 worth $2.5 million that goes into effect if he meets performance incentive thresholds.Earlier in the day, Oh's Seoul-based agency, Sports Intelligence Group, said Oh had signed with the Jays and passed his physical in F

Feb. 27, 2018

Ex-KBO MVP feels 'right at home' after leaving MLB for former team

The last two seasons were something of a struggle for South Korean slugger Park Byung-ho, who was mostly toiling in the minors of the Minnesota Twins system and awaiting a call-up that never came. Park Byung-ho (Yonhap)Now that he's back with his former Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club, Nexen Heroes, Park said he feels "right at home.""It's great to see some familiar faces, and I feel really comfortable now," Park said at a press conference in Incheon on Tuesday, moments after arriving bac

Jan. 9, 2018

Dodgers’ Ryu Hyun-jin ties knot with sports announcer

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin tied the knot with local sports announcer Bae Ji-hyun Friday.The star athlete and the popular TV personality exchanged vows in a private ceremony at Shilla Hotel in Seoul. Kim In-sik, Ryu’s former manager in South Korea with the Hanwha Eagles, was the officiant and Yoo Jae-suk, one of South Korea’s biggest celebrities, served as the master of ceremonies. (Yonhap)Their wedding guests included Choo Shin-soo of the Texas Rangers and former big leaguers Kim H

Jan. 5, 2018

Pro baseball's new commissioner envisions league as successful industry

Chung Un-chan, former South Korean prime minister inaugurated as head of professional baseball on Wednesday, has previously been an economics scholar, with Ph.D. in economics at Princeton University.And it's perhaps the academic in him that envisions the 10 clubs in the Korea Baseball Organization developing into successful business entities.Throughout his inauguration ceremony, Chung stressed the need to turn individual clubs into profitable business organizations, so that professional baseball

Jan. 3, 2018

Ex-PM Chung Un-chan formerly unveiled as baseball's new commissioner

Former Prime Minister Chung Un-chan was formerly unveiled as the new head of South Korean professional baseball Wednesday.The Korea Baseball Organization held an inauguration ceremony for its new commissioner in Seoul, as Chung replaces Koo Bon-neung, a corporate executive who had been the commissioner since 2011. Chung's term is three years.Chung, 70, was nominated by the KBO's board of directors -- made up of the 10 club presidents, Koo and KBO's Secretary-General Yang Hae-yong -- on Nov. 29 l

Jan. 3, 2018

Korean infielder Choi Ji-man receives offers from 13 MLB clubs

South Korean free agent infielder Choi Ji-man has received offers from 13 Major League Baseball clubs, his agency said Friday. GSM said the clubs that made offers to the 26-year-old include Choi's former clubs the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels. The others are the Tampa Bay Rays, the Oakland Athletics, the Milwaukee Brewers, the Miami Marlins, the Chicago Cubs, the Cincinnati Reds, the Baltimore Orioles, the Minnesota Twins, the Atlanta Braves, the Toronto Blue Jays and the Chicago

Dec. 29, 2017

Baseball league MVP re-signs with original club for 1 more year

Reigning South Korean pro baseball league MVP Yang Hyeon-jong will stay with his original club for one more season after he inked a lucrative contract on Thursday.The free agent pitcher re-signed with the Kia Tigers after he agreed to a one-year deal that will give him 2.3 billion won (US$ 2.14 million) next season. Yang is now the second-highest paid player in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) behind Lotte Giants slugger Lee Dae-ho, who receives an annual salary of 2.5 billion won.Yang this

Dec. 28, 2017

Ex-big leaguer Kim Hyun-soo hoping for another crack at MLB

South Korean outfielder Kim Hyun-soo has returned home after a largely unsuccessful stint in Major League Baseball, but the 29-year-old hasn't entirely given up on his big league dreams.Kim recently signed a four-year deal worth 11.5 billion won ($10.7 million) with the LG Twins in the Korea Baseball Organization and was formally introduced by the Seoul-based club on Thursday.He split the past two seasons with the Baltimore Orioles and the Philadelphia Phillies, batting .273 with seven home runs

Dec. 21, 2017

Ex-big leaguer Kim Hyun-soo formally introduced by new Korean club

Former major league outfielder Kim Hyun-soo was formally introduced by his new South Korean club on Thursday, two days after signing one of the largest free agent contracts in the history of professional baseball here.Kim donned the pinstriped jersey of the LG Twins of the Korea Baseball Organization at his introductory press conference in Seoul. On Tuesday, the Twins, based in the nation's capital, announced their signing of the 29-year-old to a four-year deal worth 11.5 billion won ($10.7 mill

Dec. 21, 2017

Ex-All-Star outfielder takes biggest pay cut in Korean baseball history

Former All-Star outfielder Lee Yong-kyu has taken the biggest year-to-year pay cut in South Korean professional baseball history.The Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization said Wednesday Lee has agreed to a 400 million won ($368,000) deal for the 2018 season.The 32-year-old earned 900 million won in 2017, the final season of his four-year contract. The 500 million won pay cut is the largest in the KBO's 35-year history, surpassing a 450 million won reduction that former LG Twins pitche

Dec. 20, 2017