Thursday, September 22, 2011

Korean Ball Players in America on UK Network

BBC (that would be British Broadcasting Corporation for you non-interested in Britain people) is running this small report on "Asian" ball players playing in the minor leagues.

Watch here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14981021?OCID=fbusbbc?OCID=fbwin

The story takes place in Boise, Idaho where the Chicago Cubs' low A affiliate Boise Hawks boast not one but two minor league Korean players: OF Kyung-min Na and SP and RP Su-min Jung.

This reminds me a lot about this movie "Sugar" I saw this summer, about a young Dominican player playing in a small US town.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFPo7XMWGMo

In all instances, it seems these kids have a great time.

I grew up in Canada, where we hear a lot about kids playing in junior and minor hockey. They go around lugging 80 pounds of hockey equipment in -30 weather. They get screamed at by their angry hockey coaches and get kicked out of their dorms for drinking. I'm not sure if that is the case, but that is the image many have.

But these two Korean kids and others like them seem to play baseball and chill in nice weather. They live in nice homes with nice people and get to drink beer and juice. "I don't worry about anything, that's good!" Su-min Jung.

Kyung-min Na finished the season with a .268 batting average, 0 home runs, and 72 hits on 269 at bats with 4 different Cubs affiliate teams.

Su-min Jung finished 2011 with the Hawks and also split time with Peora Chiefs in the Cubs system. He finished with a cumulative 2-3, 4.96 on 65.1 IP.


 "I don't worry about anything, that's good!" Su-min Jung

I will complete the Kaneda interview shortly. I am busy with a few things right now.




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