Taiwan apologizes to S. Korea after scouts sneak into practice match ahead of WBC

One of South Korea’s opponents at the upcoming World Baseball Classic (WBC) was forced to apologize on Tuesday after its scouts sneaked into a Korean practice game, in an apparent attempt to gather information on its regional rival ahead of the March 2-19 tournament.

  According to the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), the South Korean governing body of pro baseball, four Taiwanese advance scouts posed as umpire trainees to gain entrance to a practice game at Dou Liou Stadium between the South Korean national team and a South Korea pro club, the NC Dinos.

Masters of disguise!

Yonhap: Baseball seeks to expand with fan interest at all-time high

   For over 20 years, there have been eight teams in the league, but that is set to change. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) has made the decision to expand. The NC Dinos are the ninth and a tenth is set to follow in 2015.

   Seoul, Incheon, Busan, Gwangju, Daegu and Daejeon have been the foundation on which the present success of the league has been built for two decades. With the 2012 season seeing the total number of spectators pass the 7 million mark for the first time ever as well as being the fourth consecutive record-breaking season in terms of attendance, the KBO wants to strengthen itself.

Chan-Ho Park retires

Ending his 19-year professional baseball career, veteran pitcher Park Chan-ho said Friday he is looking forward to opening a new chapter in his life and helping develop the sport in his native land.
   Park, 39, first announced his retirement on Thursday through his South Korean club, the Hanwha Eagles, and held a press conference Friday to talk about his decision.
   “I’d like to say this is not an end, but a new beginning for me,” Park said, at times choking back on tears. “I decided to call it quits to map out a new future and to pursue new challenges and dreams.”