A Korean high school sophomore has signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles in Major League Baseball (MLB), a transaction that had local baseball officials concerned about further departure of young talent.
The Orioles announced on their Web site that they have signed Kim Seong-min, a 17-year-old who pitched for Daegu Sangwon High School, about 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul. Dan Duquette, the team’s executive vice president of baseball operations, was quoted as saying Kim is “one of the top amateur left-handed pitchers in South Korea” who has “an excellent curveball and very good control.”
While several high school graduates have been signed by major league teams before entering college in the past, Kim is only the second sophomore to ink a deal. In 1997, Bong Jung-keun, formerly with the Atlanta Braves and now with the LG Twins in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), was the first to sign with a U.S. club before entering his final year in high school.
In light of Kim’s signing, the KBO plans to file an official complaint with the MLB over the exodus of young baseball talent, officials said.
“In the name of KBO Commissioner Koo Bon-neung, we will soon send a letter to the MLB, telling them to refrain from indiscriminately signing players,” said Yang Hae-young, the KBO’s secretary general. “If things do not change, we will either visit the MLB commissioner’s office in person, or team up with leagues in Japan and Taiwan to confront major league teams’ hegemonic rookie signings.”
Will inform band tonight that we are now “The Hegemonic Rookies”.
Reader Comments and Retorts
Go to end of page
Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.
1. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: January 31, 2012 at 05:50 PM (#4050656)I am considering naming my fantasy team "Hegemonic Rookie Signings."
ok, but what's his apm?
Golfclap.
There is not much there.
Very conducive to drinking though.
From what I understand this is Korea's national motto.
In South Korea (as well as some other East Asian cultures, I think) they do age differently. When you are born you are already one year old, and each passing of the lunar new year adds one to your age. So that might be why he is older than an American sophomore.
Blix: Mr. Il, I was supposed to be allowed to inspect your palace today, but your guards won't let me enter certain areas.
Kim Jong Il: Hans, Hans, Hans! We've been frew this a dozen times. I don't have any weapons of mass destwuction, OK Hans?
Hans Blix: Then let me look around, so I can ease the UN's collective mind. I'm sorry, but the UN must be firm with you. Let me in, or else.
Kim Jong Il: Or else what?
Hans Blix: Or else we will be very angry with you... and we will write you a letter, telling you how angry we are.
You must be Registered and Logged In to post comments.
<< Back to main