Cubs Ink Korean Prospect

18-year old righty Kim Jin-yeong, said to throw fastball 92 MPH.

over 2 years ago Rezze21 27 comments 0 recs |

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Uh, well, 92 MPH isn't exactly a ringing endorsement.

But, hey, I’m always happy to hear about the Cubs recruiting efforts in the Pacific Rim. Keep the talent comin’ in.

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by daver on Feb 17, 2010 1:43 PM CST reply actions

Considering he's only 18

and a product of the Korean developmental system, 92 is probably not bad at all.

That’s not to disparage the Korean system, but I would just venture a guess that the US or Latin American systems would have that same kid throwing a ball a few MPH’s quicker.

by jerry morales rules on Feb 17, 2010 2:07 PM CST up reply actions

That's true.

He is really young and, as always, it’s all about command and control.

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by daver on Feb 17, 2010 2:10 PM CST up reply actions

I said something on the Pirates blog a few days ago

the crux being ‘trusting your scouts’. For the first time I remember, with the Cubs, I do.

by tim815 on Feb 17, 2010 7:53 PM CST up reply actions

It's Real Estate

Location, Location, Location.

"On offense, your most precious possessions are your 27 outs" - Earl Weaver

by RiskyBusiness on Feb 17, 2010 2:18 PM CST up reply actions

Man I posted this 2 minutes later

I deleted it since I saw yours as soon as I hit post. That is what I get for being a slower typist.

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim

by Doggie Stalker on Feb 17, 2010 1:44 PM CST reply actions

Kudos to you for following proper posting etiquette.

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by daver on Feb 17, 2010 1:52 PM CST up reply actions

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Feb 17, 2010 2:01 PM CST up reply actions

Mmm, I'll take one of the Snickers.

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by daver on Feb 17, 2010 2:08 PM CST up reply actions

Chocolate yum.

The rest does not look so appetizing.

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim

by Doggie Stalker on Feb 17, 2010 2:28 PM CST up reply actions

I have no idea if the prospect

is any good but its nice to see Ricketts spending a little $ on the farm

by CalCalender on Feb 17, 2010 1:54 PM CST reply actions

i have to say

of all the things i complain about with the Cubs organization…

their dedication and foresight into developing the korean market is a strength that makes me extremely proud to be a Cubs fan

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by DartmouthCubsFan on Feb 17, 2010 2:51 PM CST reply actions

I think this is just a first step...

… in really beefing up the organization from bottom to top.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Feb 17, 2010 3:39 PM CST up reply actions

i hope so

though to Jim and Oneri’s credit this step was taken a while back.

The Cubs were one of the first to plant their roots in Korea and have been one of the few teams to really make it a staple of their international player development

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by DartmouthCubsFan on Feb 17, 2010 3:52 PM CST up reply actions

Credit due to Steve Wilson, too.

He was one of the scouts that did a lot of work over there.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Feb 17, 2010 3:57 PM CST up reply actions

He's the Pacific Rim Coordinator

And he’s made us a major player in the Far East.

He’s a great story too. He went to Taiwan to pitch after his major league career ended and fell in love with a local girl and got married and settled down in Taiwan. A few years ago, the Cubs discovered they had a former player living in Taiwan and since they didn’t have a full-time Asian scout, asked him if he wanted to do it. He’s really ran with the job. He’s done incredible work scouting Taiwan and Korea and has built up a good network of “bird dog” scouts in the two countries.

by Josh Timmers on Feb 17, 2010 5:41 PM CST up reply actions

i might catch heat for this,

but if we get one world series start from hak-ju lee, dae-eun rhee, kim jin yeong, or any of the others from our korean contingent, i’ll be all for retiring steve wilson’s uniform number. yes, i am serious.

by tim815 on Feb 18, 2010 7:26 AM CST up reply actions

Or at least giving him a statue or something.

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by daver on Feb 18, 2010 8:22 AM CST up reply actions

absolutely

and great story as recited by Josh below

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by DartmouthCubsFan on Feb 17, 2010 9:12 PM CST up reply actions

Standard operating procedure, iirc,

is to have him play for a season in the overseas ‘Academy’ in Austrailia. Then the next year come to Arizona?

I really enjoy this angle of the biz/game. I learn so much.

by tim815 on Feb 17, 2010 8:10 PM CST reply actions

That's probably right

by Josh Timmers on Feb 18, 2010 12:05 AM CST up reply actions

It would be nice if all these investments in Korea started to acrrue divident

Meanwhile the Cubs are way behind the eight-ball in the Dominican, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and even Mexico. Or in other words where a crapload of really good baseball players come from !!!!

Hendry needs to show some results from his differentiated strategy of going the Asian-Pacific route.

The Blackhawks and the Stanley Cup in 2010.

by BLou on Feb 17, 2010 9:40 PM CST reply actions

Well Rhee and Lee are both great prospects.

IIRC, Rhee has battled injuries but still has great potential. And we all know about Lee. I really can’t explain more than that though, since I am not Josh or Toonster.

Some men learn through what they read. Some men learn through what they're told. Some men have to piss on the railroad tracks. And some men keep on pissin'.

by Ryno Runner on Feb 17, 2010 10:53 PM CST up reply actions