By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter
The addition of veteran starter Seo Jae-weong was a key piece in the Kia Tigers' plans to depart from their current status as the league's bottom feeders.
However, after suffering a torn hamstring, the former New York Mets standout is not in a position to help anybody, at least not immediately.
According to Tigers officials, the 31-year-old pitcher, who left the Tampa Bay Rays in the offseason to join the Gwangju-based club, suffered the injury at the team's training camp in Japan and is expected to miss his opening day start on March 29.
Seo's injury also hurts the South Korean national team, which enters an Olympic qualifying tournament in March that stakes three spots in Beijing. The tournament features such regional contenders as Mexico, Canada, Taiwan and Australia, and Seo, a veteran in international competition, was penciled as the key part of the pitching staff with his versatility to handle both starter and reliever roles.
Seo went 3-4 with an 8.13 ERA in limited appearances for the Rays last season, but managed to pitch reasonably well for their Triple-A affiliate Durham Bulls, going 9-4 with a 3.69 ERA.