Hyun-jin Ryu comes in Los Angeles Dodgers with high expectations- MLB Update
Korean international pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu has recently signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers but even before the start of 2013 Major League Baseball season, the level of expectations is mounting.
Dodgers believe that after spending so much money on Ryu, he needs to come with full thrust in the next Major League season. Not only they expect him to play attacking baseball, but they believe that Ryu will certainly match his predecessors.
“Part of what we’ve done to this point is ‘catch-up,” Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said of the $600 million in salary commitments added since the Guggenheim Baseball Management took over the team as well as the reconstruction of the international scouting department.
“I watched Chan Ho pitch since I was young in a lot of Dodger games, My first goal is having double-digit wins and an ERA in the 2.00s. My final goal is breaking Chan Ho’s record of 124 wins (in his 17 major-league seasons),” Ryu said through a translator and explained about his signing with the Dodgers.
Later Dodgers executive vice president and chief marketing officer Lon Rosen said, “He’s a really popular figure with a huge following in Korea, When you sign a player of his stature, as we’ve seen before, we expect the Korean community and Korean sponsors will want to follow him.”
The Dodgers management officially announced the deal on Monday and introduced Ryu in a press conference. Dodgers and Ryu reached an agreement to a six year commitment worth $36 million.
After coming from Nashville where Dodgers management attended 2012Major League Baseball’s annual meetings, they focused adding some more pitches in the roster. Not only they engaged talks with Ryu but they also signed former Los Angeles Angels ace starter Zack Greinke.
Experts believe that now the Dodgers offence will be tough to beat for any leading Major League team. The Spring Training is about to begin in next couple of months while the Dodgers roster seemed ready to impress their new look in which their pitchers will be playing a key role leading the team into last stages of the season.
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