The Korea Herald

Sports ministry to seek police probe into money transfer between umpire, baseball club CEO

Jul 4, 2017

South Korea's sports ministry is set to request a police probe into a money scandal involving an umpire and a baseball club CEO after it found out the pro baseball governing body's poor handling of the case, an official here said Tuesday.An official at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism told Yonhap News Agency that it is very likely that the ministry will call for a police investigation into a suspicious money transaction between Doosan Bears President Kim Seung-young and an umpire surn
Cozart earns first All-Star Game selection -- and donkey

Jul 3, 2017

Zack Cozart will be a winner at this year’s Major League Baseball All-Star Game, regardless of which team prevails. While he certainly would not say no to the $20,000 prize that is awarded to players on the victorious side, another prize is awaiting the veteran Cincinnati Reds shortstop and first-time All-Star. A donkey.One of Cozart’s teammates, first baseman and fellow All-Star selection Joey Votto, promised Cozart a donkey if he made the All-Star team. Cincinnati Reds' shortstop Zack Cozart (
Giants’ Hwang Jae-gyun stays hot

Jul 3, 2017

San Francisco Giants’ new third baseman Hwang Jae-gyun continued his case for a starting role by hitting two singles in the Giants’ 5-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. This was Hwang’s first major league multi-hit game. He also showed off his defensive ability, making a diving catch on a Gregory Polanco foul pop. in the sixth inning. Hwang finished the day with a 2-for-4 line.Hwang Jae-gyun celebrates after hitting his first major league home run on June 28. (Yonhap)Hwang has now reached base i
Slugging outfielder tops KBO All-Star voting

Jul 3, 2017

The starting lineups for the All-Star Game in South Korean baseball were announced Monday, with a slugging outfielder from the Kia Tigers finishing as the top vote-getter.The Korea Baseball Organization unveiled the list of 12-man rosters for the Dream and Nanum All-Stars.The 10 clubs were divided into two sides: the Doosan Bears, the Samsung Lions, the SK Wyverns, the Lotte Giants and the KT Wiz for the Dream, and the NC Dinos, the Nexen Heroes, the Hanwha Eagles, the Kia Tigers and the LG Twin
For Giants’ Hwang Jae-gyun, MLB debut means major payday

Jun 30, 2017

Hwang Jae-gyun of the San Francisco Giants fulfilled a clause in his contract by making his Major League Baseball debut Wednesday, which means he could make up to $1.6 million in incentives. Hwang Jae-gyun celebrates after collecting his first major league hit, a home run. (Yonhap)In January, Hwang signed a minor league deal with San Francisco that included performance-based bonuses and incentives. His starting minor league salary was $125,000, but the contract included a $1.5 million bonus for
Dodgers' Ryu Hyun-jin serves up another homer in no-decision

Jun 29, 2017

Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers has once again come undone by a home run, taking his second straight no-decision in an otherwise solid outing.Ryu allowed two earned runs in 5 2/3 innings on seven hits, including a homer, against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on Wednesday (local time).Ryu left the game in the sixth with the Dodgers trailing 2-0, but they scored a run each in the eighth and the ninth to bail out Ryu.The Dodgers lost the game 3-2 in the bottom of the ni
Giants' Hwang Jae-gyun homers for 1st major league hit

Jun 29, 2017

Hwang Jae-gyun of the San Francisco Giants has homered for his first hit in Major League Baseball.The South Korean third baseman, called up by the Giants prior to the home game against the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday (local time), hit a solo home run in just his third at-bat in his first big league game.With the score tied at 3-3 with two outs in the sixth at AT&T Park, Hwang, batting fifth, took Colorado starter Kyle Freeland over the left field wall for a tie-breaking shot. He's the first So
Cardinals' closer Oh Seung-hwan blows 3rd save of season

Jun 28, 2017

St. Louis Cardinals' closer Oh Seung-hwan has blown his third save of the season, as his midseason woes continued.Oh gave up a solo home run to squander a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix on Tuesday (local time). The Cards went on to lose the game 6-5 in 10 innings. South Korean Oh Seung-hwan of the St. Louis Cardinals (Yonhap)Oh entered the game in the ninth with the Cards nursing that one-run lead. Leading off the frame, Davi
San Francisco Giants call up Korean Hwang Jae-gyun

Jun 28, 2017

South Korean minor leaguer Hwang Jae-gyun is headed to San Francisco to join the Giants, realizing his dream of playing in Major League Baseball, the big league club said Wednesday.The Giants said they've purchased Hwang's contract from the Triple-A Sacramento, and manager Bruce Bochy said the South Korean will likely get the starting nod at third base against the Colorado Rockies at AT&T Park on Wednesday (local time), or early Thursday in South Korea.Earlier in the day, an informed source told
Korean in US minor leagues to opt out of contract without call-up

Jun 27, 2017

South Korean minor leaguer Hwang Jae-gyun said Tuesday he will opt out of his contract with the San Francisco Giants if he doesn't make the big league club by the weekend.Hwang said in an interview carried on a South Korean portal site that he'll exercise his contractual right to opt out of his deal if he isn't called up by the Giants by July 1. He will then become a free agent, in which case he can either try to land with another major league club or return to the Korea Baseball Organization, w
Rangers' Choo Shin-soo belts 12th homer of season, shines on defense

Jun 26, 2017

Choo Shin-soo of the Texas Rangers has blasted his 12th home run of the season, while also making a fine defensive play in the team's victory.Batting second and playing right field, Choo hit a three-run home run and recorded his third outfield assist at Yankee Stadium in New York on Sunday (local time), as the Rangers prevailed 7-6. Choo Shin-soo of the Texas Rangers (R) celebrates his three-run home run with Jonathan Lucroy in the second inning of a Major League Baseball game against the New Yo
Cardinals' Oh Seung-hwan earns 16th save of season

Jun 22, 2017

Oh Seung-hwan of the St. Louis Cardinals has saved his 16th game of the season against the Philadelphia Phillies.Oh gave up a run in the bottom of the 10th inning against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Wednesday (local time), but managed to collect a save with the Cards' 7-6 victory. South Korean reliever Oh Seung-hwan of the St. Louis Cardinals (Yonhap)The right-hander, however, saw his ERA go up from 3.38 to 3.55.Oh went to the mound after the Cards made the score 7-5 in
British artist's works on Korean ballparks no trivial pursuit

Jun 19, 2017

Andy Brown is a member of that rare species: a British man who's fallen in love with South Korean baseball. His first Korea Baseball Organization game was in fall of 2009. Turn the clock forward to 2017. Not only is Brown going to KBO games frequently, he's making artworks out of them.The 36-year-old artist boasts an impressive collection of pastel, watercolor and acrylic paintings of baseball stadiums in South Korea, Japan and the United States, and he'd like to keep expanding it so that he can
Rangers' Choo Shin-soo belts 10th home run in win

Jun 18, 2017

Choo Shin-soo of the Texas Rangers has reached double figures in home runs for the first time in two years.Choo hit a two-run blast off Seattle Mariners reliever Dan Altavilla in the Rangers' five-run sixth inning at Globe Life Park in Arlington in Texas on Saturday (local time).Choo, who batted leadoff and played in right field, also hit a single in the second for a 2-for-5 day at the plate, helping the Rangers to a 10-4 victory.Choo is now batting .261 with 10 home runs and 32 RBIs.The 34-year
Dodgers' Ryu Hyun-jin beats Reds in return match for 3rd win of season

Jun 18, 2017

Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers has beaten the Cincinnati Reds in a return match for his third win of 2017.Ryu improved to 3-6 after holding the Reds to two earned runs in five innings in the Dodgers' 10-2 victory on Saturday (local time) at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.Ryu scattered eight hits while striking out seven and walking two. He lowered his ERA from 4.42 to 4.35.Six days earlier, the Reds touched Ryu for three home runs in four innings in one of the left-hander's wors