Baltimore Orioles facing a tough situation – MLB News
According to a leading sports website, Major League Baseball has decided not approve Baltimore Orioles’ signing of 17 year old Korean Kim Seong-min. The move came as a reaction to Orioles’ unintentional breach of protocol last month
The South Korean Kim is country’s finest high school baseball player. Not only he is strong and powerful, he also has the ability to pitch with control and accuracy in crunch situations. Orioles’ unauthorised signing of Kim has caused great controversy in his home country.
A source told the reporters that MLB has disapproved Orioles-Kim agreement as the club did not confirm the eligibility status of left handed thrower. The executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette had signed on Korea’s top pitching prospect after Orioles’ pitching attack failed to deliver the goods last season. Orioles will now be looking to acquire someone of the same stature to fulfil their pitching requirements.
In an interview with a leading sports website, Duquette stated that the club realise it’s mistakes and it will not be commenting on the situation any further. Orioles’ were supposed to contact the commissioner office in South Korea to inquire Kim’s status. Failing to follow the appropriate procedures, the club had to apologise to the Korean Baseball organisation. Duquette further added that Orioles will still have the opportunity to sign him at a later date.
"On behalf of the Orioles organization, I offer a sincere apology to the Korea Baseball Organization and the Korea Baseball Association for the club's unintentional breach of protocol in failing to tender a status check in the process of signing Seong-Min Kim," Duquette said in a statement.
In January, the Orioles signed a $550,000 international free agent deal with the starter. However, shortly after the deal was finalised, the baseball community in South Korea started to claim the club had failed to take the appropriate measures in signing of the right handed pitcher.
The Korean Baseball Association then filed a formal complaint with MLB, stating that the Orioles had failed to follow the applicable rules. Last week, KBA also banned Orioles’ officials from watching KBA sanctioned games, a move that will stop the club acquiring players directly from national high school and college level tournaments.
"MLB will let us know once they have decided upon a proper measure of response," Michael Park, the KBO's operations manager, told Reuters on Tuesday. "Poaching our players like this makes it difficult for [South Korea] to keep its scouting rules tight and to develop our youth sports programs."
The regulatory body further added that same penalty will be inflicted on other MLB teams who fail to take proper measures in signing of amateur players. According to sources, the Orioles could end up facing additional penalties as well. Kim has also been suspended indefinitely for signing a contract with an MLB team before finishing his high school studies.
The executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette had signed on Korea’s top pitching prospect after Orioles’ pitching attack failed to put in a decent performance last season.
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