MLB player in dispute over assault accusation

Kim Ha-seong of the San Diego Padres is embroiled in a dispute over allegations that he assaulted his former staff, with the Gold Glove-winning utility player claiming that he was blackmailed for a mere scuffle. It has been reported Thursday that the 28-year-old has filed charges for blackmail against Im Hye-dong, a retired baseball player who was briefly on Kim's team when they played for the Nexon Heroes in the Korean Baseball League. Im retaliated by telling the local media that he had b

Dec. 8, 2023

Padres' Kim Ha-seong files charges for blackmail against former teammate

San Diego Padres' infielder Kim Ha-seong has filed charges for alleged blackmail against a former teammate from his playing days in South Korea, local police said Thursday. Kim, 28, claimed that the yet-unidentified former baseball player coerced a large sum of money as compensation for his injuries from a fistfight at a bar in 2021, not long before he made his Major League Baseball debut. The charges were filed at Gangnam Police Station in Gangnam-gu, southern, Seoul, where the altercation

Dec. 7, 2023

KBO MVP Fedde signs with White Sox: reports

Erick Fedde, the reigning most valuable player award winner in South Korean baseball, has signed with the Chicago White Sox, US media reports claimed. ESPN and other outlets reported Tuesday that Fedde has agreed to a two-year deal worth $15 million with the White Sox. Fedde, 30, won the Korea Baseball Organization regular season MVP award for the NC Dinos this season, after winning the Triple Crown as the league leader with 20 wins, a 2.00 ERA and 209 strikeouts. The American right-hander becam

Dec. 6, 2023

KBO All-Star closer Go Woo-suk posted for MLB clubs

South Korean All-Star closer Go Woo-suk has been posted for Major League Baseball clubs, the league office here announced Tuesday. The Korea Baseball Organization said MLB notified its 30 clubs of Go's posting by his domestic club, LG Twins, on Monday (US time), confirming US media reports from earlier in the day. The 25-year-old right-hander is now able to sign with any big league team within the 30-day negotiating window, which opens at 8 a.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday and will end at 5 p.m

Dec. 5, 2023

9 foreign players not tendered contract for 2024 KBO season

Nine foreign players are among dozens of players not receiving a contract for next season in the top South Korean baseball league. The Korea Baseball Organization unveiled a list of 59 non-tendered players Thursday evening. Other than a handful of players in the group who have announced their retirements, non-tendered players immediately became free agents. Underachieving foreign players, including KT Wiz outfielder Anthony Alford, SSG Landers pitcher Kirk McCarty and NC Dinos pitcher Tanner Tul

Dec. 1, 2023

SSG Landers strip general manager of duties over mishaps

The South Korean baseball club SSG Landers said Saturday they have stripped general manager (GM) Kim Sung-yong of his duties over a recent series of mishaps. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) team said Kim will instead lead its research & development center, which oversees player development. Kim's reassignment is the latest development in what has been a tumultuous offseason for the Landers. They abruptly fired manager Kim Won-hyong on Oct. 31, soon after the team's eliminat

Nov. 25, 2023

Korean Series champions Twins re-sign 1B Austin Dean

The reigning Korean Series champions LG Twins announced Friday they have re-signed first baseman Austin Dean for one more season. The Korea Baseball Organization club said Dean, 30, has agreed to a new contract that could pay him up to $1.3 million. He will earn $800,000 in annual salary and $300,000 in a signing bonus, plus another $200,000 in incentives. The announcement comes four days after Dean helped the Twins win their first Korean Series crown in 29 years. Dean made $700,000 in 2023, his

Nov. 17, 2023

Seoul mayor to consider street festivities for LG Twins' victory

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon stated that the Seoul Metropolitan Government will consider holding street celebrations to commemorate the LG Twins’ victory during this year’s Korean Series on Monday. “As the mayor of Seoul, I am overjoyed that the LG Twins won the Korean Series, for the first time in 29 years,” said Oh in a post on his Facebook account. “The city government will actively consider organizing public celebrations at Seoul Plaza to congratulate the LG Twins.&rd

Nov. 14, 2023

LG Twins makes 29-year-long dream come true

The LG Twins nabbed the Korean Series trophy for the first time in 29 years, beating KT Wiz 6-2 in Game 5 of the Korean Series on Monday on their home turf at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa-gu, southeastern Seoul. After getting ahead with a victory in Suwon on Nov. 10 -- putting them at 3 games to 1 in the best of seven series -- the Seoul-based Twins hoped to close the series with a final victory in front of their 23,750 fans at Jamsil. The game was scoreless for two innings, but then Twin

Nov. 14, 2023

LG Twins crowned champions for 1st time since 1994 as S. Korean baseball season ends

The 2023 season in South Korean baseball ended Monday night the way it hadn't for nearly three decades: with the LG Twins as the champions. The Twins defeated the KT Wiz 6-2 in Game 5 of the Korean Series at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, claiming the best-of-seven series 4-1 for their first championship since 1994. The drought-busting victory capped a memorable season in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), which saw the attendance figure surpass the 8 million mark for the first time in fi

Nov. 14, 2023

LG Twins capture 1st Korean Series title in 29 years

The wait is over. The LG Twins are the champions of South Korean baseball for the first time in 29 years. The Twins defeated the KT Wiz 6-2 in Game 5 of the Korean Series on Monday, winning their fourth straight game after dropping the opener of this best-of-seven competition. This is the Twins' first title since 1994 and it ends one of the longest title droughts in the history of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), dating to 1982. The Seoul-based Twins got to celebrate their long-awaite

Nov. 13, 2023

Twins look to capture Korean Series title with ace Kelly on mound

A win away from capturing their first Korean Series title in 29 years, the LG Twins will send their top starter, Casey Kelly, to the hill in the potential clinching game. In a rematch of the opening contest of this best-of-seven series, the KT Wiz will counter with right-hander Ko Young-pyo on Monday as they try to stay alive. The starting pitching matchup was announced Sunday, the eve of Game 5 of the Korea Baseball Organization championship round. After dropping Game 1 last Tuesday, the Twins

Nov. 12, 2023

American lefty vs. S. Korean righty to duel in pivotal Game 3 of Korean Series

With the Korean Series against the LG Twins knotted at one game apiece, the KT Wiz will turn to their American ace Wes Benjamin trying to win their first home game in the best-of-seven set Friday. The Twins will send homegrown right-hander Im Chan-kyu to the hill, as they look to steal a game on the road. The Wiz won the opening game of the series 3-2 on Tuesday at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. Then on the following day, the Wiz opened up a 4-0 lead after the first inning before the Twins ra

Nov. 9, 2023

Be it playoff beard or routine, Wiz ace Benjamin not changing anything

KT Wiz left-hander Wes Benjamin is about to pitch in the biggest game of his career in South Korea this week, but he says he won't change anything -- including his facial hair. Benjamin last shaved after the Wiz dropped their second straight game against the NC Dinos in the previous Korea Baseball Organization postseason series on Oct. 31. Then the Wiz won three games in a row to take the best-of-five series and reach the Korean Series. Benjamin is now in full playoff beard mode. "I do

Nov. 8, 2023

LG Twins turn rare triple play in Korean Series

The LG Twins turned a rare triple play in the opening game of the Korean Series against the KT Wiz on Tuesday. With runners at first and second with nobody out in the top of the second inning, the Wiz's Moon Sang-chul put down a bunt trying to advance the runners. But the ball stopped right in front of the home plate in fair territory. Catcher Park Dong-won picked it up and threw out the lead runner Jang Sung-woo at third, where shortstop Oh Ji-hwan was covering the bag. Oh then threw to fi

Nov. 7, 2023

LG Twins looking to end KBO title drought vs. surging KT Wiz

In 1994, the last time the LG Twins won the Korean Series title as the champions of the Korea Baseball Organization, the league only had eight teams. The KT Wiz didn't even exist then. The Wiz joined the league in 2015 as the 10th team. Just six years later, they won their first Korean Series championship. Starting Tuesday, the two clubs will square off in the best-of-seven Korean Series, with the Twins trying to end a drought that has gone on for nearly three decades, and the Wiz chasing t

Nov. 6, 2023

Wiz face steep odds in bid to keep KBO title hopes alive

Having been pushed to the brink of elimination in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason, the KT Wiz must pull off a rare feat to stay alive against the NC Dinos. The Wiz dropped the first two games of the best-of-five second round in the postseason at home in Suwon, just south of Seoul. The series now moves to the Dinos' home in the southeastern city of Changwon, for Game 3 at 6:30 p.m. Thursday and, if necessary, Game 4 at 6:30 p.m. Friday. If the Wiz bounce back to steal the next two

Nov. 2, 2023

3 yrs removed from KBO title, Dinos make another push with new-look roster

The NC Dinos won their first and so far only Korean Series title three years ago, but three years can be like an eternity in baseball. From the Dinos' title-winning roster of 30 players in 2020, only seven have returned for this year's postseason in the Korea Baseball Organization. And one of those seven didn't even play any game in 2020 but has been a key contributor this year, as the Dinos sit a win away from reaching the next round. Change is the name of the game: players are c

Oct. 25, 2023

Dinos beat Landers on road to open KBO postseason series

Riding strong starting pitching and timely hitting, the NC Dinos held off the SSG Landers 4-3 to begin their first-round series in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason Sunday. Kim Seong-uk delivered a pinch-hit, two-run home run in the top of the eighth inning at Incheon SSG Landers Field in Incheon, west of Seoul, backing a scoreless start by Shin Min-hyeok. The Dinos added two insurance runs in the top of the ninth, and they all counted as the Landers made things interesting with a two-r

Oct. 22, 2023

Cuban veteran to duel homegrown pitcher to begin KBO postseason series

A veteran left-hander from Cuba will be up against a homegrown right-hander to begin a South Korean baseball postseason series on Sunday. The SSG Landers, defending Korean Series champions, announced Saturday that Roenis Elias will start Game 1 of their first round Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) playoff series against the NC Dinos. The Dinos will counter with right-hander Shin Min-hyeok. The first pitch is 2 p.m. Sunday at Incheon SSG Landers Field in the western city of Incheon. As the No. 3

Oct. 21, 2023