Tag: Ha-Seong Kim

That’s Amaury News and Commentary–Ex MLB Pitcher Chan Ho Park investing in the Athletics 

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Former MLB pitcher Chan Ho Park (left) hugs San Diego Padres Ha Seong Kim after throwing out the first pitch on opening day between the Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul South Korea on Wed Mar 20, 2025. Park with K Pop star Suga (Min Yoon-gi) are investing in the Athletics move to Las Vegas (AP News file photo)

Ex MLB Pitcher Chan Ho Park investing in the Athletics

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Former Major League Baseball pitcher Chan Ho Park and Suga (Min Yoon-gi), a member of the famous K-Pop group BTS, are investing in a private equity fund led by Park’s firm, Team61. The investors are joining a group of investors backing the Athletics at a $2 billion evaluation in their bid to relocate to Las Vegas, according to multiple reports.

The private fund, valued at approximately $70 million, plans to acquire 2-3 percent of newly issued Athletics shares to support the team’s effort for a new stadium in Las Vegas. Joining Suga and Park in the investment fund are other notable figures, including Lee Man-deuk of Samchully Co. and Mike Joo, COO of Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s investment banking division.

Suga, who recently completed his mandatory military service and is known for his philanthropic efforts—including a ₩5 billion (approximately $3.6 million) donation to Severance Hospital in Seoul—is expected to bring cultural cachet and global branding power to the A’s as they prepare for their Las Vegas debut.

Suga has traveled the world with the popular Korean group K-Pop, including the last few years at the Oakland Coliseum for concerts. Chan Ho Park pitched for 17 seasons in the MLB, winning 124 games and accumulating 1,715 strikeouts.

Park was the first Korean pitcher in the major leagues, beginning his career with the Dodgers from 1994 to 2001, then pitching for the Padres, Mets, Phillies, Yankees, and Pirates. He aims to enhance the Athletics’ involvement in Asian baseball, an influence that could benefit the team as they prepare to enter their new era in Las Vegas.

The two most popular sports in Korea are baseball and football(soccer). Baseball is the most attended spectator sport. The KBO League is a major draw as the top league in baseball, boasting high attendance and a strong following.

An interesting move for the A’s as they attempt to gain influence and eventually recruit talent for their system within the Asian baseball market. Currently, the Dodgers have the top two Japanese stars in MLB, leading the way in Japan with the two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani and pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame

While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Does season ticket sell outs signal success in Sacramento for A’s or just a honeymoon?; AI says Clemente most popular Hispanic player of all time; plus more news

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Lawrence Butler of the Athletics conducts an interview at the Sawyer Hotel in downtown Sacramento on Mon Jan 6, 2025 regarding the A’s upcoming 2025 season in Sacramento (still from ABC 10 KXTV Sacramento)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 The Athletics selling out season tickets at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento does that signal that this relocation by the A’s was a successful idea or this is just a honeymoon in Sacramento and the A’s will eventually struggle in the standing like they had in past seasons?

#2 According to AI the most popular MLB Hispanic player of all time is former Pittsburgh Pirate Roberto Clemente who began his career in 1955 and in his second year in 1956 hit .311. After 1956 he hit above .300 in seven different seasons. He was defined as a pure hitter who drove in runs as well as being able to scores runs as well.

#3 According insiders three MLB teams were taken off Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki’s desired list the New York Yankees and Mets and the Texas Rangers. Sources are saying that Sasaki is down to three clubs the Toronto Blue Jays, the Los Angeles Dodgers, or the San Diego Padres. The San Francisco Giants have backed out of pursuing Sasaki. Sasaki is under 25 years old and is classified as a amateur and his salary will be limited from $5.1 million to $7.5 million per year. He will be regarded as a rookie phenom and could conger up endorsements that could add more to his finances depending how he performs in his MLB debut.

#4 Sasaki is another big signing possibility that has passed up the Giants. The Giants over the last two seasons missed signing in 2024 the likes of Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge, and Shohei Ohtani. For 2025 the Giants so far have missed out on the following free agent signings Juan Soto, Ha Seong Kim, and Corbin Burnes. They managed to sign Willy Adames and Justin Verlander. The Giants last Thursday avoided going to arbitration with LaMonte Wade Jr, and relivers Camilo Doval and Tyler Rogers. Are there a number of big name free agents avoiding San Francisco for specific reasons based on how the team has been a revolving door for managers, general managers, and team president changes and how CEO Larry Baer and team managing partner Greg Johnson who have final say have not been able to sign high profile players?

#5 The Seattle Mariners agreed to a one year deal with infielder Donovan Solano for $3.5 million. Also Solano could earn up to $1 million for plate appearances that ramp up to $200,00 for at bats totaling 300, 350, 400, 450, and 500. Solano hit .286, eight home runs, and 35 RBIs in 96 games with the San Diego Padres.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: The Asian Connection MLB Open 2024 Season in South Korea

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San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee is bringing a lot of excitement to the Giants for the 2024 season at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP News photo)

The Asian Connection -MLB Open 2024 Season in South Korea

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

For the first time, Major League Baseball’s regular season will open its 2024 season in Seoul, South Korea, as the Los Angeles Dodgers will face during a two-game series on March 20 and 21, where each team will play once as the home team. “There are a lot of baseball fans in Seoul, and it’s a beautiful city, so the MLB proposed that it would like to hold the opening games here, and of course, we agreed,” Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, 63, said in an interview with Bloomberg TV.

The series will be played at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, the home of the Kiwoom Heroes of the KBO. It was also the host site of first-round games in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. The domed stadium was built in 2015 and has a capacity of 16,744

Although only 4% of all Major League players are Asian, fans in Seoul, South Korea, are hoping to see Dodgers players like Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, both from Japan as well as San Diego Padres Yu Darvish, from Japan and also a nice homecoming for South Korean Ha-Seong Kim.

Chan Ho Park, the pitcher, was the first South Korean former professional baseball player to play in the major leagues and was the first South Korean player to be named an MLB All-Star. But there is little doubt that the most significant baseball star that fans want to see, Shohei Ohtani, has become the most well-known international figure of American Major League Baseball; Ohtani has excellent global traction.

Talking about this two-game season opener in South Korea, Commissioner Rob Manfred, “We’re going to get off quick. We’re opening in Korea, and it’ll be Ohtani’s first game (with the Dodgers),” he said, before adding with a smile, “every once in a while, you get lucky in terms of the way things shake out.”

Baseball is the most popular professional sport in South Korea, with around 6.4 million spectators during the KBO (Korean Baseball Organization) in 2022.

American missionaries introduced baseball to Korea in the 19th century. South Korea played baseball under Japanese colonial rule under the Joseon name. Lee Young-min hit South Korea’s first-ever home run in 1921.

Local interest: Are there any South Korean players in the Bay Area? Last December, the San Francisco Giants signed signed 25 year old South Korean star outfielder Jung Hoo Lee.

ESPN will carry the Dodgers-Padres two-game opener of the 2024 MLB season from South Korea. “Why do people sing Take Me Out to The Ballgame when they’re already there? -Alex Rodríguez.