Lotte Giants Baseball

For the second off-season in a row, Giants' fans bemoan their team allowing major losses to the offensive core that brought them back into semi-prominence. This year it's outfielder Kim Ju-chan signing a four-year deal with KIA and Hong Seung-hoon inking a four-year deal with Doosan after Lotte front office fails to match their demands.

Lotte Week in Review - Giants Fans Angered at Loss of Kim and Hong to Free Agency, Point to Larger Problems

BUSAN, South Korea -- It's been 20 years since the Lotte Giants last won the title, and the way the front office has run the team over the past few years, local fans are left scratching their heads as to what, if any, strategy for winning is in place.

In what's being viewed as another offseason blunder, the Giants let two of their fan-favorite players—Kim Ju-Chan and Hong Seung-hoon—sign with other clubs after half-heartedly addressing the player's demands.

Lotte fans flooded social media sites over the past two days with angry messages directed at team management, with one commentor on the Giants' Facebook group asking, "Is this the beginning of the Dark Ages?"

Following the embarrassing loss of superstar Lee Dae-ho last year to Japan, fans are angered at why, for the second year in a row, the team would allow the loss of more of the offensive power that brought them from cellar-dwellars just six years ago, to near title contenders.

The saga continues

Kim was the first to be lured away this off-season, signing a four-year contract worth 2 billion won (500 million per season) along with a 2.6 billion won signing bonus, with the KIA Tigers. The outfielder batted .294 last season with an impressive 27 doubles, five homers and 39 RBIs.

The loss of Hong was the bigger shock to fans, after Lotte once again declined to meet the demands of a star player, choosing instead to let them walk rather than keeping the core of the squad intact.

Hong signed a four-year deal worth 3.1 billion won guaranteed over four years with the Doosan Bears, after Lotte failed to meet his four-year 3.4-billion-won demand, offering him only 2.5 billion over four years.

Losing major players over financial disputes once again shows trouble at Lotte—a team that has consistently broken attendance records over the past several years.

According to the Joongang Ilbo, Yang was training the squad for the recent Asia Series when he received news of his demise.

“In the early part of the season, some players stepped up, such as [pitchers] Kim Sung-bae and Choi Dae-sung, and I thought maybe we could finish in the top four," Yang told the Joongang Ilbo.

"Then the club began to talk way too much about winning the title. So I told them, ‘Stop it. It will put pressure on the players as well. Any manager would want to win and I know that winning brings honor and wealth as well. So, as a man, I will take responsibility if I fail to win.’”

Yang also criticized the team for not adding more pitching depth, which he attributes to the downfall against SK in the semifinals.

“They said, ‘We will see what other clubs do,’” according to Yang. “And I said, ‘Why do you look at other teams? Please be a front-runner in investment.’”

Yang finished his two-year stint with the Giants compiling a 137-118-11 record after taking over the helm from Jerry Royster, who also failed to deliver a finals appearance with the club. Lotte recently signed former Nexen manager Kim Si-jin to take over the duties at for the Giants, who last won the league title in 1992.

In some good news for the club, the team did re-sign ace lefty Shane Youman to a new contract for next season worth 375 million won, though the American pitcher can't officially sign until after December 1.

Lotte Makes Offseason Moves - December 18, 2012

The Giants are going to look at little different in 2013

BUSAN, South Korea -- The Lotte Giants have signed North Vancouver, British Columbia native Scott Richmond to be their second foreign import along with lefty Shane Youman. The signing ends Lotte's three-year relationship with pitcher Ryan Sadowski.

The 33-year-old, 6'5" Canadian was a late bloomer to the show, starting his career off at age 28 but falling out of favor with the Jays after an injury in 2009, which affected his fastball, control and runners on base, according toBleacher Report.

The Blue Jays signed him out of an independent league in 2008, and he has appeared in 34 big-league games, most of them in 2009, when he started 24 games for the Jays while going 8-11 with a 5.52 ERA, according to theNational Post.

His career highlight in the MLB was in April 2009, finishing the month with a 3-0 record and a 2.70 ERA while striking out 20 en route to winning the American League Rookie of the Month award.

He missed all of 2010 with a shoulder injury. Then, this past season, he made three relief appearances giving up two runs on five hits in three innings for the Jays.

Richmond has a career 9-14 record with 139 strikeouts.

Scouting Report

Richmond proved he belonged by throwing a heavy low-90s fastball and two tough breaking pitches. His slider works best when he locates it low and in to LHs, where it gets plenty of swings and misses. Scott's curveball is a big 12-to-6 pitch that he'll try and drop in for strikes. Richmond's fourth pitch is a change-up.

Fastball (89-93), Slider (83-86), Curve (75-78), Changeup (83)

60feet6in.com

Team Leaders

Avg: Sohn Ah-seop .332

Home Runs: Kim Dae-woo 4

RBIs: Park Jong-yoon 31

ERA: Oxspring 3.55

Wins: Oxspring 7

K's: Oxspring 73

Next Home Game

June 24, 25, 26

2012 Roster

1 - Lee Sung-hwa OF

2 - Cho Sung-hwan 2B

3 - Jung Bo-Myung IF

5 - Park Jin-hwan IF

7 - Moon Gyu-Hyeon IF

8 - Jeon Joon-Woo OF

11 - Lee Jung-min P

12 - Kim Joo-Chan CF

13 - Hwang Jae-Gyun IF

14 - Kang Young-Sik P

15 - Yang Jong-min IF

16 - Park Joon-suh IF

17 - Go Won-joon P

18 - Kim Dae-woo P

19 - Lim Kyung-Wan P

20 - Huh Joon-hyuk P

21- Song Seung-Jun P

22 - Jang Sung-Woo C

23 - Jung-hoon IF

25 - Oh Jang-hoon IF

27 - Kim Myung-sung P

28 - Jang Won-Jun P

29 - Ha Joon-ho P

31 - Son Ah-Seop OF

34 - Lee Yong-hoon P

35 - Lee Myung-woo P

36 - Park Jong-Yoon IF

37 - Hwang Sung-woong P

38 - Kim Geun-ho P

39 - Lee Wang-gi P

41 - Bryan Corey P

43 - Kim Il-Yeop P

45 - Bae Jang-Ho P

46 - Hong Jae-young P

47 - Kang Min-Ho C

48 - Jin Myung-ho P

49 - Hong Sung-Heon LF

50 - Lee Hyun-joon P

52 - Lee Jae-Gon P

53 - Kim Soo-Wan P

55 - Kim Sa-yool P

56 - Hur Joon-hyuk P

58 - Oh Seung-taek IF

61 - Son Min-Han P

66 - Hur Il IF

67 - Baek Sae-woong IF

94 - Ryan Sadowski P

97 - Shane Youman P

Manager

80 Kim Si-jin

Inside the Giants by Ryan Sadowski

Sajik Stadium

Built 1985

Capacity 28,500

Ticket Prices
(subject to change)

Skybox - 500,000 won (15 seats)
Section R (Pink) - 25,000 won adult, 15,000 won children
Section P (Purple) - 15,000 won adult, 10,000 won children
Section S and A (Red and Orange) - 10,000 won adult, 5,000 won children
Section B (Yellow) - 8,000 won adult, 4,000 won children
Bleachers (Blue) - 7,000 won adult, 3,000 won children
Couples Section (Dark Blue) - 50,000 won (2 tickets)
Family Section (Light Green) - 15,000 won per person (up to 5 tickets)
Exciting Zone (Dark Green) - 25,000 won

Group Discounts Available (50 or more tickets minimum)
Skybox: Airconditioned, 8 pyung, 3 sofas, 1 table, 3 chairs, 15 people
For more info. 051.590.9000
Internet Ticketing (In Korean Only)

Getting There

Lotte Giants Baseball

Blogs

Friends

Useful Links

Popular Today