Sports

Kim Hyun-soo joining Orioles

By Nam Hyun-wooThis file photo shows Korean outfielder Kim Hyun-soo, who left for the United States on Thursday, amid reports that he clinched atwo-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles totaling $7 million. / YonhapLeft fielder Kim Hyun-soo will become the first Korean signed to a Major League Baseball (MLB) team as a free agent, with the 27-year-old having agreed to a two-year, $7 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles, according to reports Thursday.Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun reported that Kim, who departed for Washington, D.C. early Thursday, will undergo a physical exam in Baltimore this week before signing the contract. The club is yet to confirm the deal.Other previous Korean athletes signing contracts for MLB teams reached the majors through the posting system, in which teams bid for the right to negotiate a contract with a player. Kim will likely sign as a free agent after spending nine full seasons in the KBO league to achieve international free agency.Kim, who bats left and throws right, posted .326 with a .438 on-base percentage and a .541 slug

Dec 17, 2015

Sports

Hong Myung-bo to coach Chinese club

Former South korean national football head coach Hong Myung-bo / YonhapFormer South Korean national football head coach Hong Myung-bo will steer the Hangzhou Greentown FC in the Chinese Super League, Yonhap reported.Hong has signed a two-year deal.He follows in the steps of fellow Korean coaches in top-flight Chinese clubs such as Park Tae-ha (Yanbian Changbaishan FC) and Chang Woe-ryong (Chongqing Lifan FC).Hong, a star national footballer from the 2002 World Cup, led the South Korean team to a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics, the country's first Olympic medal in football.He then led the senior national team to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. South Korea crashed out of the group stage with one draw and two losses, and Hong had to step down. 

Dec 17, 2015

Sports

"김현수, 2016년 성공 기준은 20홈런"

미국 메이저리그 공식 홈페이지 MLB닷컴이 김현수(27)의 2016년 성공 기준을 '20홈런'으로 잡았다.    MLB닷컴은 17일(이하 한국시간) "아직 구단이 공식 발표는 하지 않았지만 볼티모어가 김현수와 2년 700만 달러(약 82억5천만원)에 입단 합의했다"며 "메디컬 테스트를 통과하면 계약이 마무리된다"고 보도했다.    이어 김현수를 자세히 소개했다.    MLB닷컴은 "김현수는 볼티모어 좌익수 요원으로 분류된다"고 분석하며 "한국프로야구에서 10년 동안 타율 0.318, 출루율 406, 장타율 0.488을 기록했고 2015시즌에는 타율 0.326, 출루율 0.438, 장타율 0.541을 올리며 개인 최다인 28홈런을 쳤다"고 김현수의 개인 기록을 전했다.    MLB닷컴이 주목한 건, 김현수의 선구안이다.    이 매체는 "김현수가 올해 101개의 볼넷을 얻는 동안 삼진은 63개만 당했다"며 "대단한 선구안을 지닌 꾸준한 타자"라고 평가했다.    하지만 MLB닷컴은 김현수의 성공 기준을 출루율이 아닌 홈런에 뒀다.    MLB닷컴이 정한 성공 기준은 20홈런이다.    캠든야즈는 ESPN이 측정한 홈런 파크 팩터 1.415로 밀워키 브루어스 홈 구장 밀러 파크(1.432)에 이어 2위다.    MLB닷컴은 "볼티모어 홈구장 캠든야즈는 홈런이 많이 나오는 타자 친화적인 구장이다. 김현수의 잠재력을 터뜨리기 좋은 곳"이라고 긍정적인 면을 부각했다.    그러나 "김현수가 최근 5시즌 중 20홈런 이상을 친 건 한 차례뿐"이라고 김현수의 장타 능력에 의혹을 제기하기도 했다.    볼티모어 지역지 볼티모어 선은 "김현수가 볼티모어 주전 외야수로 뛸 것"이라고 장밋빛 전망을 했다.    볼티모어 선은 "김현수가 한국에서 가장 넓은 잠실구장을 홈으로 쓰긴 했지만, KBO리그가 최근 극심한 타고투저 현상을 보였기에 김

Dec 17, 2015

Sports

'Kim Hyun-soo signs to $7m deal with Baltimore Orioles'

Free agent outfielder Kim Hyun-soo / YonhapSouth Korean free-agent outfielder Kim Hyun-soo has reportedly signed a two-year deal worth $7 million with the Baltimore Orioles, Yonhap reported Thursday.Kim, 27, left for the United States a few days after The Baltimore Sun reported that the Orioles had offered the left-fielder a two-year deal worth $3 million to $4 million a season.The Orioles  have not made a statement about the deal, which is pending a medical review.Kim turned free agent this year after completing the equivalent of nine full seasons in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). He posted the best numbers of his Korean career for the Doosan Bears this year, with 28 home runs and 121 RBIs, along with a robust .326/.438/.541 line. 

Dec 17, 2015

'Kim Hyun-soo signs to $7m deal with Baltimore Orioles'

Sports

IT'S GOOD FOR YOUR GAME

Two turns with swish in the middleToo many golfers are frozen to the ball in their backswings and fail to turn their backs to the target, but not Hall of Famer Juli Inkster, pictured below. Notice that her belt buckle is pointing well behind the ball in her backswing, which means she not only turned her chest correctly, but her hips as well.The backswing is the first turn in the golf swing, then there's a swish through impact followed by the second turn up into the finish. Here's a closer look at the process.Inkster’s lower body has turned away from the target in response to the pull of her long, one-piece takeaway, but she hasn't allowed this action to cause her hips to sway, a problem for many amateurs. Juli’s lower body has finished its backswing motion and will remain in this position while her upper body continues to turn against it, cranking up her coil until, at the top of her swing, the majority of her weight has shifted to her right side. Her left knee has been pul

Dec 16, 2015

Sports

New club resuscitates ailing Korean rugby

Hyundai Glovis rugby team general manager Han Yong-bin, left, and team captain Lee Byoung-joon, center, hold the team uniform during the club’s foundation ceremony at the company’s headquarters in southern Seoul, Tuesday. To Lee’s right is coach Jung Sam-yong. / YonhapBy Nam Hyun-wooAutomobile giant Hyundai Motor’s newest sporting move in rugby is drawing expectations as to whether it can breathe new life into Korea’s ailing rugby.The conglomerate’s logistics affiliate, Hyundai Glovis, announced Tuesday the establishment of a rugby team, which will be the third semi-professional team to play in the country’s rugby league.The team will be based at the Namdong Asiad Rugby Field in Incheon and join the four-team league starting in the upcoming spring season. The club has already signed nine players and three coaching staff and plans to expand its squad up to 30 under the leadership of former national team coach Jung Sam-young.The new team brings a huge impact to the rugby community in Korea.Unlike Japan where the sport enjoys significant po

Dec 16, 2015

New club resuscitates ailing Korean rugby

Sports

How to hit a great shot every time

By Kim Jeong-kyooGrip your club with the “V” on your left hand pointing to the right of the right shoulder, and your right-hand V pointing vertically. This promotes draws, or prevents slices. Critically, you need to grip your club mostly with the last two or three fingers of your left hand. That promotes a full wrist hinge on the backswing.A strong right-hand-powered grip allows your left hand to turn faster through your shot. You’ll hit straight shots or soft draws. The toe of your club will pass the heel when your club catches your ball. This allows you to impart a great right-to-left spin on your ball.Your right-hand V pointing toward your left chin, eye or ear allows you to hinge your wrists correctly. You will swing your arms up as if you’re hammering a nail, creating more power and speed. The most natural and strongest way for your wrists to hinge is straight up and down. More importantly, this allows you to swing your club on plane. Experiment with whatever right-hand grip position helps you hinge your club as if you’re using a mini-hammer.Once yo

Dec 16, 2015

Sports

Third S. Korean joins Chinese football club Yanbian

A first-division Chinese football club will have three South Korean attackers on their squad next season.Jeju United said they've agreed to deal midfielder Yoon Bitgaram to Yanbian Changbaishan FC, which earned a promotion to the top-flight Chinese Super League for next year. The two sides agreed not to disclose further financial details of the transfer.Yoon, 25, is the third South Korean attacker on Yanbian, coached by South Korean Park Tae-ha. Forward Ha Tae-goon has been with Yanbian for one season, while midfielder Kim Seung-dae signed with them last week.All three players have won the K League's Rookie of the Year award: Ha in 2007, Yoon in 2010 and Kim in 2014.Yoon, a former South Korean international, leaves the domestic league having netted 29 goals in 196 matches for three different clubs.Yanbian were supposed to be relegated from the second-division China League One to the third-tier China League Two last year, but when one of the second-tier clubs, Shaanxi Wuzhou, had to be dissolved due to financial problems, Yanbian were allowed to stay in the League One.Given the reprie

Dec 14, 2015

Sports

매킬로이 약혼반지 7억원…첫 약혼 때보다 2배 이상

c    매킬로이는 지난주 미국프로골프협회 직원인 에리카 스톨과 약혼한 것으로 알려졌다.    데일리 메일 등 영국 신문들은 "11일 영국 북아일랜드의 벨파스트에서 열린 자선 행사에 매킬로이와 함께 참석한 스톨의 손에 약혼반지가 빛나고 있었다"고 보도했다.    이 다이아몬드 약혼반지의 가격은 어느 정도가 될까. 2013년 12월 테니스 선수인 캐럴라인 보즈니아키(덴마크)와 약혼했던 매킬로이가 그때보다 더 좋은 반지를 선물했을까.    북아일랜드 신문 벨파스트 텔레그래프가 이런 궁금증을 파헤쳤다.    벨파스트 텔레그래프는 "보석 전문가들에게 문의한 결과 이번 약혼 선물로 쓰인 반지의 가격은 대략 60만 유로(약 7억7천만원)에 이를 것으로 예상된다"고 보도했다.    원형 다이아몬드로 장식된 이 반지는 특히 보즈니아키가 잠시 손에 끼웠던 약혼반지보다 최소한 두 배 이상 비쌀 것으로 분석됐다.    보석 전문가인 시머스 페이는 이 신문과 인터뷰에서 "보즈니아키에게 선물했던 다이아몬드 반지는 4캐럿 정도 되며 가격으로 따지자면 25만 유로(약 3억2천만원) 정도 될 것"이라고 설명했다.    이 전문가는 "그러나 스톨에게 준 약혼반지는 '오벌 컷'이라 더 비싸고 5캐럿 정도 되기 때문에 60만 유로의 가치를 인정받을 수 있다"고 덧붙였다.    매킬로이는 2013년 12월31일 호주 시드니에서 보즈니아키와 약혼한 사실을 발표해 '세기의 스포츠 커플'로 주목을 받았으나 2014년 5월 파혼했다. 이후 최근 1년간 스톨과 만남을 이어가다가 지난주 약혼했다.    매킬로이가 스톨과 처음 인연을 맺은 것은 2012년 10월 미국 일리노이주 시카고에서 열린 라이더컵 때였다.    당시 유럽 대표로 출전한 매킬로이는 경기 시작 시간을 잘못 알고 있었고 이를 알아챈 스톨이 매킬로이 측 관계자에게 이런 사실을 알려줬다는 것이다. 이때는 매킬로이가 보즈니아키와 교

Dec 14, 2015

Sports

No place certain for Korean teams in Asian Champions League

By John Duerden The team manager of South Korea football champion Jeonbuk Motors was smiling. He had just been talking to head coach Choi Kang-hee on the telephone to tell the boss about what had happened in the draw for the group stage of the 2016 Asian Champions League.Choi was delighted to learn that he would be locking horns with Jiangsu Sainty of China, Binh Duong of Vietnam and one yet to be confirmed club.It could have been much worse. Jeonbuk avoided holder Guangzhou Evergrande and instead received the weakest of China’s entrants and a team from southeast Asia that should be defeated comfortably.This does not mean the four-time K-League champion is assured of a place in the round of 16 but if it fails, there can be no complaints, which is why Choi was saying “thank you, thank you” on the phone.Jeonbuk is the Korean team with the biggest desire to succeed in Asia, having been denied a place in the 2015 Champions League semi-final by a last-minute Gamba Osaka goal. It was the one bitter moment in a successful year.FC Seoul faces some familiar opposition i

Dec 13, 2015

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Sports

Son Heung-min ready to 'give everything and more' in every match

Ex-KBO MVP Kim Do-yeong headlines Asian Games baseball roster

Where does Korea sit in 2026 FIFA World Cup kit design rankings?

New Twins pitcher Rios eager to build on strong KBO debut

Korean defender Kim Tae-hyeon sidelined with ankle injury

Read more

Kim Hyun-soo joining Orioles

Hong Myung-bo to coach Chinese club

"김현수, 2016년 성공 기준은 20홈런"

'Kim Hyun-soo signs to $7m deal with Baltimore Orioles'

IT'S GOOD FOR YOUR GAME

New club resuscitates ailing Korean rugby

How to hit a great shot every time

Third S. Korean joins Chinese football club Yanbian

매킬로이 약혼반지 7억원…첫 약혼 때보다 2배 이상

No place certain for Korean teams in Asian Champions League

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