TOKYO -- South Korea lost to Japan 7-0 to finish in second place at the inaugural Asia Professional Baseball Championship here on Sunday.South Korea had no answer against crafty left-hander Kazuto Taguchi, who held the opponents to three hits in seven shutout innings at Tokyo Dome, as Japan claimed the first APBC title with an undefeated 3-0 record.Ryoma Nishikawa hit a solo shot as part of his three-RBI day at the plate. Hotaka Yamakawa and Shuta Tonosaki chipped in two RBIs apiece.The two coun

TOKYO -- South Korea will start a hard-throwing right-hander against Japan to open an inaugural baseball tournament this week.South Korean manager Sun Dong-yol on Wednesday announced Jang Hyun-sik as the starter against Japan in Thursday's opening game of the Asia Professional Baseball Championship at Tokyo Dome.The event features professional players from South Korea, Japan and Chinese Taipei under 24 years of age -- born on or after Jan. 1, 1993 -- or those with less than three years of profes

South Korean baseball club Hanwha Eagles said Wednesday they've signed American pitcher Jason Wheeler.The Korea Baseball Organization club said it has inked the 27-year-old left-hander to a $575,000 contract, which includes $100,000 in signing bonus.The Eagles said Wheeler has a good command of his four-seam fastball, slider and changeup. This photo captured from website MLB.com shows a profile for pitcher Jason Wheeler, acquired by the Korea Baseball Organization club Hanwha Eagles on Nov. 15,

South Korean baseball club KT Wiz said Tuesday they have signed American hitter Mel Rojas Jr. for a second season.The Korea Baseball Organization club said the new deal is worth $1 million.Rojas, 27, joined the Wiz in June on a $400,000 deal, replacing slumping Johnny Monell. In 83 games, Rojas batted .301 with 18 home runs, 56 RBIs and five steals. In this file photo taken Sept. 27, 2017, Mel Rojas Jr. of the KT Wiz picks up a base hit against the Doosan Bears in the bottom of the first inning

Major League Baseball has checked on the availability of three South Korean players in the market this offseason, league officials here said Monday.The Korea Baseball Organization said MLB tendered status checks on Lotte Giants outfielder Son A-seop, Kia Tigers left-hander Yang Hyeon-jong and SK Wyverns outfielder Jung Eui-yoon on Sunday.The KBO responded on Monday that Son and Jung are both free agents and may sign with any club, but Yang, the reigning KBO MVP, remains under the Tigers' control

Former San Francisco Giants infielder Hwang Jae-gyun has signed with a South Korean club, returning home after a cup of coffee in the majors this year.The KT Wiz of the Korea Baseball Organization announced on Monday they've acquired Hwang on a four-year deal worth 8.8 billion won ($7.9 million), which includes a 4.4 billion won signing bonus.The 30-year-old had two stints with the Giants in his first major league season. He homered in his very first big league game on June 28, but ended up batt

A former All-Star catcher and a reliever each announced their retirement from the Korea Baseball Organization on Wednesday.A 42-year-old backstop Cho In-sung announced his decision through the Korea Professional Baseball Players Association earlier in the day. He'd been without a team after getting released by the Hanwha Eagles in June.Cho has wrapped up a 20-year career spent with three different clubs. He enjoyed his best years with the LG Twins, which drafted him in 1998.Known for his strong

A teenage sensation captured South Korean baseball's top rookie award in a landslide on Monday.Nexen Heroes' outfielder Lee Jung-hoo was voted Rookie of the Year in the 2017 Korea Baseball Organization season at the annual awards ceremony in Seoul on Monday. The 19-year-old earned 503 total points out of the maximum 535, winning 98 out of 107 first-place votes.The first-place vote was worth five points, the second-place vote three points, and the third-place vote was good for one point.Lotte Gia

From laughingstock to liftoff

All Ryu Hyun-jin could do was to watch, as his Los Angeles Dodgers lose to the Houston Astros 5-1 in Game 7 of the World Series at home.In fact, the South Korean left-hander did nothing but watch during the Dodgers' postseason run.The Dodgers' loss at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Wednesday (local time) ended their 2017 season, and Ryu never made a postseason appearance.After going 5-9 with a 3.77 ERA in 25 appearances in the regular season, Ryu was left off the roster in all stages of the po

A retired South Korean baseball star will be going back to his former club as a coach.The LG Twins in the Korea Baseball Organization said Thursday former All-Star outfielder Lee Byung-kyu will join the team as a coach. His specific role hasn't been determined, though he'll likely be the hitting coach for the Twins' minor league club in the Futures League.Lee, 43, is one of the Twins' greatest players. He spent his entire 17-year KBO career with the Twins, and batted .311 with 2,043 hits, 161 ho

Reigning South Korean baseball champions Kia Tigers signed their manager Kim Ki-tai to a three-year extension Wednesday, two days after clinching the title.　The Korea Baseball Organization club said Kim has agreed to a new three-year deal worth 2 billion won ($1.8 million), including a signing bonus of 500 million won.　With Kim at the helm, the Tigers won the Korean Series over the Doosan Bears in five games Monday. It was the Tigers‘ first championship since 2009 and their 11th overall.　 Kim Ki

South Korean baseball club Hanwha Eagles on Tuesday named a former franchise star as their new manager.The Korea Baseball Organization club said Han Yong-duk will take over as manager on a three-year contract worth 1.2 billion won ($1.07 million), including a signing bonus of 300 million won. Han had been the bench coach for the Doosan Bears since 2015.The Eagles missed the postseason for the 10th consecutive season in 2017, finishing eighth among 10 clubs with 61 wins, 81 losses and two ties. 

The Kia Tigers' 2017 Korea Baseball Organization championship was fueled in part by a combination of aggressive free agent signings and smart trades.They ended their eight-year championship drought on Monday by defeating the Doosan Bears 7-6 in Game 5 of the Korean Series at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul.They finished first in the regular season with a record of 87-56-1 (wins-losses-ties), and advanced directly to the Korean Series. Following a three-week layoff, they lost the series opener last Wedne

Kia Tigers' left-handed ace Yang Hyeon-jong was voted the most valuable player of the Korean Series on Monday.Yang finished off the Tigers' 7-6 victory over the Doosan Bears in clinching Game 5 of the Korea Baseball Organization championship series at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul. After throwing a complete game shutout in the 1-0 victory in Game 2, Yang tossed a scoreless ninth on Monday for the save.He earned 48 out of 74 votes from the media for the honors, after throwing 10 shutout innings in two