I Miss Baseball Already...

And it's not even December.

I know what a blogger does during the off season(booze and plenty of it), but what about those unsung heroes. The Korean male cheerleaders?


This was taken right after the walk off homer in Game 7. The strain was more than Chang-hwa could bear as he leapt upon his own fans much like a knight impaling himself with a sword.



Our Hero...indeed.


I wonder if this guy also jumped to Japan.



Min-seok thrilled the Doosan faithful with his spot-on impression of The Boss at Super Bowl 43.

Korea Series Champ Manager Cho Bum-hyun Signs Big Contract Extension

Korea Series champion Kia Tigers manager Cho Bum-hyun was signed to a "late/urgent" 3 year contract extension worth a total W1.6 billion won ($1.4 million) on the 26th.

Cho and Tigers president Kim Cho-ho met at an undisclosed location in Gwangju to finalize the 550,000,000 won contract bonus, 350,000,000 yearly salary (translator note: please don't try to add this up because if it's wrong then something's wrong) deal. This deal compares to the deals of other managers who have recently signed long-term contracts: Kim Seong-geun (SK, 3 years, 2 billion won) and Seon Dong-yeol (Samsung, 5 years, 2.7 billion won).

And it now makes Cho the third highest among Korean Baseball Organization managers in terms of average annual money: Kim Seong-geun with 666,000,000 won, Sun Dong-yeol with 540,000,000 won, Cho with 533,000,000 won. Kim Kyeong-moon (Doosan Bears) has a 466,000,000 won a year, 1.4 billion won contract and Lotte Giants manager Jerry Royster just signed a 1 year deal including a $300,000 salary and a matching contract bonus.

Cho signed a 600,000,000 won deal back in '07 including a 200,000,000 won annual salary and 600,000,000 contract bonus. His new deal gives him a substantial raise, with his win in this year's Korea Series becoming the deal breaker.

The Tigers had offered Cho a contract a month before, but Cho did not accept it. The new deal was considered a win for both sides.

Cho, recently recovered from a hospital stay, had this to say after his contracting was completed: "Thanks to the team, we'll be seeing some nice games next season thanks to the team, I was pretty sick and I had to go into the hospital... and sorry to the fans for taking so long with my contract, I'm going to get better soon and I'm going to get ready for next season with the players and we're going to give it our best shot."

He also added: "Got a lot to do for next year, got to forget we're champions and start to train in normal mode again, I'm going to stop the players from getting all wrapped in the end-of-year things happening make them train hard!"

Translator's note: Cho's speech in the end is kind of funny, it wasn't as sloppy as that, but it's translated directly (my interpretation?). Also, a billion won is approximately a million dollars. www.xe.com for conversions. I'm your translator not your banker.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Simon K.

Korean link: http://news.naver.com/sports/index.nhn?category=baseball&ctg=news&mod=read&office_id=109&article_id=0002066587

Article published by OSEN, November 26, 2009

The Hanhwa Exodus Continues

The speculation is over. Lee Beom-ho had to choose between being the only competent hitter with Hanhwa, jumping to Lotte or making the move across the sea to Japan. He announced his decision today. Lee has signed a 3 year(2 years plus 1 option year), 500 million yen deal with the NPB's Fukuoka Softbank Hawks.

That massive thud you just heard was new Hanhwa manager Han Dae-hwa's head hitting his desk. Han now has a team coming off a 46 win season without its 2 best hitters. An exact quote from Han, "I would like to cry." So would all the Hanhwa fans, Manager Han, so would all the Hanhwa fans.

And Now Our First Trade of the Offseason!

And boy, is it yawn inspiring. Hanhwa has traded pitcher Cho Gyu-su and a PTBNL to the Doosan Bears for infielder Lee Dae-su. Lee posted a .262/.308/.361 in 61 AB's for the Bears. Cho hasn't pitched in a KBO game since 2005. He was with Hanhwa's 2nd league team for a while. He posted a 6.87 ERA and 33 baserunners in 18 1/3 innings of work. Cho won 10 games as a rookie in 2000, but hasn't shown much since.

I'm guessing the PTBNL will have talents such as "is able to put a shirt on in only one try" and "has a pulse," but he must improve "baseball skills."

KBO Fever! Catch it!

Yomiuri Giants 9, KIA Tigers 4

Lee Seung-yeop meets 2009 KBO MVP Kim Sang-hyeon. "You guys won the Korean Series? Seriously? No effing way."

What, exactly, is it going to take for Korea to win one of these effing club championships? It's gotten increasingly more frustrating the longer I live in Korea.

The best news that came out of this weekend was that next year the 4-club Asian Series should return! I really dug the Asian Series and thought that it made for a fun weekend, even if it was promoted terribly. Supposedly, next year's tourney will take place in Taiwan. I'm all for Japan not getting home field advantage for one of these tournaments. They've had home field advantage for both WBCs and all of the Asian Series. Enough is enough. Hopefully, the KBO will finally get funding for a dome or two and be able to host an Asian Series in November or a WBC in March.

On to a quick recap...

HT to the Japan Times for a much better recap than the Korea Times offered. Hey, if the English language press in Korea were remotely competent, I wouldn't need to blog.


Yang Hyeong-jong about to unload on an unsuspecting Japanese hitter. Just because he wears glasses doesn't mean he sucks.

KIA actually held a 3-1 lead heading into the 7th, but the KIA bullpen collapsed and surrendered 7 runs(!) to the Giants. Yang Hyeon-jong got the start for KIA and looked solid. Yang threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings. Yang gave up only 3 hits and 1 walk while striking out 6 before he was lifted. Relievers Kwak Jeong-cheol and Jeong Yong-woon allowed all the damage during the 7th inning. I guess KIA forgot to bring their bullpen on the trip. We couldn't bring in Yoon Seok-min for a batter or two? Yoo Dong-hoon was unavailable? What better way to send SK another great big "EFF YOU" than to succeed where they failed? Whatever. At least the game was over before 5 o'clock.

KIA broke through in the 1st inning on an RBI single from DH Na Ji-wan. KIA added 2 more in the 5th inning on a Na Ji-wan single with the bases loaded. KIA fake rallied their way to a 4th run in the 9th inning on a Lee Hyeon-gon RBI double. Hopefully, the Tigers got to do some sightseeing and/or buy some presents for the kids back home. I guess Na was the only guy that didn't spend all night at a karaoke bar.

Yomiui Giants 9, KIA Tigers 4

Meet the Newest Chiba Lotte Marine

Hanhwa 1st baseman, Kim Tae-gyun, has signed a 3-year, 700 million yen contract with the Chiba Lotte Marines. Kim ends his 9-year KBO career with 188 homers, a .310 batting average and 701 RBIs. The new Hanhwa manager was last seen headbutting his head against a wall. He was...unavailable for comment.

Hanhwa fans, don't despair. The Eagles re-signed veteran outfielder Kang Dong-woo with a 1-year, 100 million won contract.

Also, outfielder Park Jae-hong will be back with SK next season for 400 million won.