Team Korea: 2017 WBC Final Roster

Pitchers

Woo Kyu-min (Samsung)

2016 Stats (KBO w/LG)

ERA	W-L	SV	HLD	SO	BB	IP
4.91	6-11	0	1	81	36	132

Rhee Dae-eun (Police)

2016 Stats (NPBL w/Chibba Lotte)

ERA	W-L	SV	HLD	SO	BB	IP
7.20	0-0	0	0	2	4	5

Won Jong-hyun (NC)

2016 Stats (KBO w/NC)

ERA	W-L	SV	HLD	SO	BB	IP
3.18	3-3	3	17	75	18	70 2/3

Jang Shi-hwan (KT)

2016 Stats (KBO w/KT)

ERA	W-L	SV	HLD	SO	BB	IP
6.33	3-12	6	3	67	43	75 1/3

Im Jung-woo (LG)

2016 Stats (KBO w/LG)

ERA	W-L	SV	HLD	SO	BB	IP
3.82	3-8	28	0	87	36	70 2/3

Yang Hyun-jong (KIA)

2016 Stats (KBO w/KIA)

ERA	W-L	SV	HLD	SO	BB	IP
3.68	10-12	0	0	146	77	200 1/3

Oh Seung-hwan (St. Louis)

2016 Stats (MLB w/St Louis)

ERA	W-L	SV	HLD	SO	BB	IP
1.92	6-3	19	0	103	18	79 2/3

Park Hee-soo (SK)

2016 Stats (KBO w/SK)

ERA	W-L	SV	HLD	SO	BB	IP
3.29	4-5	26	0	37	26	54 2/3

Cha Woo-chan (LG)

2016 Stats (KBO w/Samsung)

ERA	W-L	SV	HLD	SO	BB	IP
4.73	12-6	0	0	120	65	152 1/3

Lee Hyun-seung (Doosan)

2016 Stats (KBO w/Doosan)

ERA	W-L	SV	HLD	SO	BB	IP
4.84	1-4	25	1	41	17	57 2/3

Lim Chang-yong (KIA)

2016 Stats (KBO w/KIA)

ERA	W-L	SV	HLD	SO	BB	IP
4.37	3-3	15	0	38	10	35

Shim Chang-min (Samsung)

2016 Stats (KBO w/Samsung)

ERA	W-L	SV	HLD	SO	BB	IP
2.97	2-6	25	4	76	26	72 2/3

Jang Won-jun (Doosan)

2016 Stats (w/Doosan)

ERA	W-L	SV	HLD	SO	BB	IP
3.32	15-6	0	0	137	76	168

Catchers

Kim Tae-goon (NC)

2016 Stats (KBO w/NC)

AVG	HR	RBI	SO	BB	SB	OBP	E
0.232	1	30	44	22	0	0.293	0

Yang Eui-ji (Doosan)

2016 Stats (KBO w/Doosan)

AVG	HR	RBI	SO	BB	SB	OBP	E
0.319	22	66	29	40	2	0.404	7

1st Base

Kim Tae-gyun (Hanhwa)

2016 Stats (KBO w/Hanhwa)

AVG	HR	RBI	SO	BB	SB	OBP	E
0.365	23	136	97	108	1	0.475	4

Lee Dae-ho (Lotte)

2016 Stats (MLB w/Seattle)

AVG	HR	RBI	SO	BB	SB	OBP	E
0.253	14	49	74	20	0	0.312	2

2nd Base

Oh Jae-won (Doosan)

2016 Stats (KBO w/Doosan)

AVG	HR	RBI	SO	BB	SB	OBP	E
0.272	5	58	82	54	13	0.358	16

Seo Geon-chang (Nexen)

2016 Stats (KBO w/Nexen)

AVG	HR	RBI	SO	BB	SB	OBP	E
0.325	7	63	58	69	26	0.406	15

3rd Base

Park Suk-min (NC)

2016 Stats (KBO w/NC)

AVG	HR	RBI	SO	BB	SB	OBP	E
0.307	32	104	95	56	2	0.404	15

Heo Kyung-min (Doosan)

2016 Stats (KBO w/Doosan)

AVG	HR	RBI	SO	BB	SB	OBP	E
0.286	7	81	95	56	6	0.360	8

SS

Kim Ha-sung (Nexen)

2016 Stats (KBO w/Nexen)

AVG	HR	RBI	SO	BB	SB	OBP	E
0.281	20	84	80	60	28	0.358	21

Kim Jae-ho (Doosan)

2016 Stats (KBO w/Doosan)

AVG	HR	RBI	SO	BB	SB	OBP	E
0.310	7	78	52	57	8	0.389	10

Outfield

Min Byung-hun (Doosan)

2016 Stats (KBO w/Doosan)

AVG	HR	RBI	SO	BB	SB	OBP	E
0.325	16	87	91	48	9	0.396	0

Park Kun-woo (Doosan)

2016 Stats (KBO w/Doosan)

AVG	HR	RBI	SO	BB	SB	OBP	E
0.335	20	83	86	38	17	0.390	3

Lee Yong-kyu (Hanhwa)

2016 Stats (KBO w/Hanhwa)

AVG	HR	RBI	SO	BB	SB	OBP	E
0.352	3	41	29	63	21	0.438	3

Choi Hyung-woo (KIA)

2016 Stats (KBO w/Samsung)

AVG	HR	RBI	SO	BB	SB	OBP	E
0.376	31	144	83	83	2	0.464	3

Son Ah-seop (Lotte)

2016 Stats (KBO w/Lotte)

AVG	HR	RBI	SO	BB	SB	OBP	E
0.323	16	81	104	92	42	0.418	3

2017 Team Korea WBC Jersey Release

The finalized roster for team Korea has been released and the their jerseys just went on sale today. The authentic jerseys cost 120,000 won and the replica jerseys are selling for 59,000. If you want a team member's name and number on the jersey you will have to pay an extra 20,000 won.

The jerseys are pretty much the same except the replica is made of a lighter fabric, which is actually better if you plan to wear it to any games during the summer. I purchased a Min Byung-hun replica for 79,000 this morning. I really couldn't bring myself to spend 140,000 for the authentic.

In addition to the jerseys, you can also pick up t-shirts, windbreakers, winter jackets, and fall jackets. The prices for t-shirts are start at 29,000 and windbreakers start at 99,000. Winter and fall jackets are a bit more pricey at 159,000 and 189,000 won.

According to the website, orders will be shipped out on Feb. 27th so you should be able to get your jersey a few days before the WBC kicks off on March 6th.

Here is a link to the site where you can make your purchase.

http://lockerdium.com/event/2017wbc.asp

I have bought my tickets and my jersey so I am set for the WBC!

Dugout Magazine (February 2017)

The February issue of Dugout Magazine features Kim Joo-chan of the KIA Tigers in the new KIA uniforms for the 2017 Season. Honestly, I didn't care too much for the new uniforms at first glance, but they have kind of grown on me. I'm still a little put off by the design of the back of the uniforms, but I wouldn't mind picking up one with the name of my favorite Tiger Na Ji-wan.

Now, back to the magazine and Kim Joo-chan. Kim got his start in the KBO with the Samsung Lions back in 2000. In 2001 he went to the Lotte Giants and stayed with them through 2012 and he was picked up by KIA in 2013. Kim currently has a career batting average of 0.295 with 104 HRs. While he may not have huge numbers in terms of HRs, he is always a threat to hit for extra bases and he is coming off of the best season of his career.

In 2016, he tied his career high batting average of 0.346 (same as 2014) but he did it through 130 games last season vs. 100 games back in 2014. His 130 games last season was also a career high for him. Additionally, Kim had career highs pretty much across the board except for stolen bases. He only had 9 stolen bases last season and his career high was back in 2010 with the Giants at 65 swipes. He did obliterate his previous RBI numbers with 101 this season. His second best season for RBI was in 2015 with 62. He seems to be following the path of many KBOers and getting better with age at the age of 35.

In addition to Kim Joo-chan, this magazine features Kim Ha-seong of the Nexen Heroes, rehab coach for the LG Twins, Kim Kwang-sam, and my favorite cheerleader (except for my brother Han Jae-gwan) Seo Hyun-suk of the Doosan Bears. I love her style and energy. ^^

Here are a couple of photos that I have taken with her in the past.

Cheerleaders Dancing to "Pick Me"

Dugout Magazine (January 2017)

I'm a little bit late on this post since I didn't pick up the January issue until last week. Anyway, the January issue of Dugout Magazine features Lim Chang-yong of the KIA Tigers.

Lim made his KBO debute with the Haitai Tigers, currently named the KIA Tigers, in 1995. Over the years he has played in the KBO with the Tigers and the Samsung Lions. He also spent time playing in Japan in the NPBL for the Yakult Swallows in 2012 and in the MLB with the Chicago Cubs in 2013. After being released from the Cubs, Lim went back to the Samsung Lions.

At the end of the 2015 season he was released from the Lions for illegal gambling and he went back to the KIA Tigers in 2016.

Inside the magazine you can also find some interviews and photos of Ha Ju-seok of the Hanhwa Eagles, and the bullpen coach for the Samsung Lions, Jeong Hyun-wook.

2016-17 KBO Super Star Baseball (슈퍼스타 베이스볼 카드) Black Edition (Break #1)

Card of the Week - Jang Won-jun (Week 9)

In the 2016 season, Jang Won-jun was a part of the "Fantastic Four" of the Doosan Bears. The "Fantastic Four" was made up of 4 starting pitchers from Doosan and included Dustin Nippert, Michael Bowden, Yoo Hee-kwon, and Jang Won-jun. The 4 pitchers combined for 29 1/3 innings during the KBO series and only gave up one run in the 4 game sweep of the NC Dinos.

During the regular season they combined for 70 of Doosan's 93 wins. Jang Won-jun had 15 wins on the season and finished 2nd in ERA at 3.32. Jang, a long time Lotte Giant, started in the KBO in 2004 as a 1st round draft pick for the Giants. He played with them from 2004 until 2014. His first few years were mediocre but in 2008 he started to show more potential and grow as a pitcher. In 2008, Jang had his first double digit win season and it was his first season where his winning percentage broke 0.500, something that he has done in every season since.

In 2015 he was acquired by the Bears and he had what some would call a rocky season at 12-12 with a 4.08 ERA. There were times when some of the Doosan fans called the Bears decision to pick up Jang in 2015 a mistake and they felt that they had overpaid for a pitcher that looked like he may be on a decline. However, in 2016, Jang showed the fans that he was worth it and that he truly belonged in on the team. Getting to his 15th win of the season was a bit rocky as he went 4-3 in his final 10 starts of the season, but on September 22nd he picked up his 15th against the KT Wiz. He finished the season at 15-6.

Here is a look at his jersey relic card from the 2016-17 Super Star Baseball Black Edition set.

Jang Won-jun - Super Piece (#'d 09/40)