KBO sends letter to MLB, accuses the Orioles of breaking protocols

[shoriole]

I thought I read that DD said he was closer to 18. But I get the premise of what your saying. We don't sign sophomores but we certainly scout them. Response to Nadecir's post

[Stotle]

I thought I read that DD said he was closer to 18. But I get the premise of what your saying. We don't sign sophomores but we certainly scout them. Response to Nadecir's post

Maybe in Latin America. Little, if any, scouting of domestic high schoolers occurs.

[srock]

Maybe in Latin America. Little, if any, scouting of domestic high schoolers occurs.

If MLB teams aren't doing it, then this is exactly what the Orioles should be doing: finding talent in untapped pools.

Unless there is an explicit law or a written agreement between MLB and KBO, then I care not for any 'precedent'. KBO should have wrapped this kid up if they didn't want him signing with MLB.

[Oriolidae85]

If you never make anyone angry, you're not trying hard enough.

Does this apply to the OH?

[Stotle]

If MLB teams aren't doing it, then this is exactly what the Orioles should be doing: finding talent in untapped pools.

Unless there is an explicit law or a written agreement between MLB and KBO, then I care not for any 'precedent'. KBO should have wrapped this kid up if they didn't want him signing with MLB.

I never said Baltimore shouldn't scout Korean high schoolers. I was just pointing out that it's incorrect to say that MLB teams scout US high school sophomores. They don't.

I'd also have no issue with the KBO trying to prevent MLB from poaching HSers before they graduate.

[Spoonless]

A quick search for information on Korean school systems shows that they graduate at age 19 so let's acknowledge that before continuing with disparaging remarks based on being a 17-year-old sophomore.

[Mr Snuffleupagus]

I can see it now...

Bud Selig: "What the hell is this?... Hey can anyone here read Korean?"

[weams]

I can see it now...

Bud Selig: "What the hell is this?... Hey can anyone here read Korean?"

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/G7D8aDp3RUs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

What???

[atomic]

all players should be in the draft. And 18 should be the age for the draft.

[Can_of_corn]

all players should be in the draft. And 18 should be the age for the draft.

So the NPB should just close up shop then?

You would be ok with all of Latin America drying up like Puerto Rico in terms of baseball prospects?

[TakebackOPACY]

A quick search for information on Korean school systems shows that they graduate at age 19 so let's acknowledge that before continuing with disparaging remarks based on being a 17-year-old sophomore.

Korean High Schools are three years, so 'sophomore' is most likely the equivalent of being a Junior in the U.S.. (I'm guessing he has one year left, but I could certainly be wrong.)

[paulcoates]

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/G7D8aDp3RUs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

What???

This has to be a joke

[SteveA]

Heehee. Now we've managed to tee off an entire Asian country. Will wonders never cease.

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/46291562

Yes -- but by pissing off South Korea that probably gives us an in with Kim Jun Il and the North Koreans. No telling what kind of baseball players they are developing up there.

[Can_of_corn]

I'm not sure of the history of baseball in PR but I am interested if the talent got worse because the players are subject to the draft. Let's use the Dominican for example. Even if there is a draft, isn't baseball still the way to money and out of the country? If the system says you can no longer sign at 16 but now you most likely will be 18, will Dominicans stop seeing baseball as the same opportunity as they do now? I realize there was quite a cycle of great players from PR with Pudge and JuanGon among others. The question is was there always a great pipeline and did it stop because of the draft? There may be a correlation but I'm not sure what or why it is.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/17/sports/baseball/puerto-rico-traces-decline-in-prospects-to-inclusion-in-the-baseball-draft.html?pagewanted=all

After decades of populating major league rosters with All-Stars at every position, Puerto Rico had only 20 players on Major League Baseball rosters on opening day last season. Only two made the All-Star team. (By contrast, the 1997 All-Star Game included eight Puerto Ricans.)

Baseball officials here note that Puerto Rico has a major disadvantage when competing against American talent because high school baseball is almost nonexistent on the island. Instead, players hone their craft on teams in American Legion ball and the Pony League. Many players in rural areas are forced to travel to cities where the better teams and leagues play.

[weams]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/17/sports/baseball/puerto-rico-traces-decline-in-prospects-to-inclusion-in-the-baseball-draft.html?pagewanted=all

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120207&content_id=26604748&vkey=news_bal&c_id=bal&partnerId=rss_bal&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=br_orioles

"We have sent an official complaint to MLB," said Michael Park, the KBO's operations manager. "We were told they will look into the case. ... They are investigating whether the Orioles did sign Kim to a contract."

"We are cooperating with MLB to resolve this concern," said Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette.

"The MLB will let us know once they have decided upon a proper measure of response," Park said. "Poaching our players like this makes it difficult for [south Korea] to keep its scouting rules tight and to develop our youth sports programs.

"We only have 50 high school teams and taking promising players away like this makes it very hard for Korean baseball to stay strong."