ID :
31582
Fri, 11/21/2008 - 23:31
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/31582
The shortlink copeid
Baseball row over cash-for-player deal ends in blow to Samsung
By Sam Kim
SEOUL, Nov. 21 (Yonhap) -- A top baseball pitcher was nearly traded from his financially besieged club to the cash-abundant Samsung Lions in a lucrative cash-for-player deal, but now must return.
Ending a weeklong fracas that stirred up South Korea's hot stove league, the head
of baseball's ruling body said Friday that left-hander Jang Won-sam must go back
to the Heroes.
Jang, a 25-year-old Beijing gold medalist who posted 12 wins and eight losses
this year to become the mainstay of the Heroes, was traded earlier this month for
a 3 billion won (US$2 million) cash package slung together with an obscure Lions
pitcher.
Rival clubs were up in arms, calling the trade an unsanctioned money deal that
sidestepped regulations, and threatened to boycott future matches against the
Lions. The rule, only verbally agreed upon between the Korean Baseball
Organization and the Heroes, was aimed at precluding established teams from
buying out up-and-coming players.
The Heroes, who played their first season this year but staggered after their
main corporate sponsor Woori Tobacco backed off, defended themselves, saying they
needed the money to stay afloat financially.
The Lions claimed the other clubs were simply clamoring for the deal to be nixed
because they had failed in their own attempts to acquire Jang.
After a weeklong deliberation that prompted the media to decry his ambiguous
stance, KBO chief Shing Sang-woo concluded Friday Jang should put back on the
Heroes uniform.
"The working staff at the KBO told me that I should not allow franchises to sell
their players to manage their clubs," Shin said at a news conference, adding he
still understood his veto would compound the financial trouble hounding the
Heroes.
"But I have concluded that the Heroes reneged on their pledge" not to trade
players mainly for money, Shin said.
The Lions said they have decided to accept Shin's decision. The Heroes said they
were mulling their next steps, playing down speculation that the erosion of the
deal would leave the team incapacitated starting next season.
The Lions are financed by Samsung Group, South Korea's biggest conglomerate,
which also runs professional teams in volleyball and football.
SEOUL, Nov. 21 (Yonhap) -- A top baseball pitcher was nearly traded from his financially besieged club to the cash-abundant Samsung Lions in a lucrative cash-for-player deal, but now must return.
Ending a weeklong fracas that stirred up South Korea's hot stove league, the head
of baseball's ruling body said Friday that left-hander Jang Won-sam must go back
to the Heroes.
Jang, a 25-year-old Beijing gold medalist who posted 12 wins and eight losses
this year to become the mainstay of the Heroes, was traded earlier this month for
a 3 billion won (US$2 million) cash package slung together with an obscure Lions
pitcher.
Rival clubs were up in arms, calling the trade an unsanctioned money deal that
sidestepped regulations, and threatened to boycott future matches against the
Lions. The rule, only verbally agreed upon between the Korean Baseball
Organization and the Heroes, was aimed at precluding established teams from
buying out up-and-coming players.
The Heroes, who played their first season this year but staggered after their
main corporate sponsor Woori Tobacco backed off, defended themselves, saying they
needed the money to stay afloat financially.
The Lions claimed the other clubs were simply clamoring for the deal to be nixed
because they had failed in their own attempts to acquire Jang.
After a weeklong deliberation that prompted the media to decry his ambiguous
stance, KBO chief Shing Sang-woo concluded Friday Jang should put back on the
Heroes uniform.
"The working staff at the KBO told me that I should not allow franchises to sell
their players to manage their clubs," Shin said at a news conference, adding he
still understood his veto would compound the financial trouble hounding the
Heroes.
"But I have concluded that the Heroes reneged on their pledge" not to trade
players mainly for money, Shin said.
The Lions said they have decided to accept Shin's decision. The Heroes said they
were mulling their next steps, playing down speculation that the erosion of the
deal would leave the team incapacitated starting next season.
The Lions are financed by Samsung Group, South Korea's biggest conglomerate,
which also runs professional teams in volleyball and football.
