Former MLB slugger Darin Ruf has decided to return to the Korea Baseball Organization’s Samsung Lions, per a club announcement. Dan Kurtz of MyKBO.net passed along the news, which arrived via Naver Sports (Korean language link).
Ruf, who’s now 32 years of age, will receive $1.4MM in guaranteed money and can also pick up $300K in potential incentives. Evidently, he was unable to find more appealing opportunities with a MLB outfit. That’s hardly surprising given then tough market facing most lumbering power hitters of Ruf’s ilk.
It’s a nice consolation prize for the five-year MLB veteran, who has thrived in the hitter-friendly KBO since heading there in advance of the 2017 season. Last year, he delivered a healthy .330/.424/.605 slash with 33 long balls. He placed third in the league in OPS, lagging only Park Byung-ho and Kim Jae-hwan. It’s always interesting to peruse the KBO leaderboards to see the eye-popping numbers some familiar names are posting in Korea’s top league.
The fact that so many mlb scrubs go there and do well shows that besides the Tanaka’s and darvish’s (when healthy) who are few and far between the pitching there isn’t mlb quality at all
Well neither of them came from that league…
Was about to say the same thing.
To me Japanese pitching for the most part is mediocre compared to mlb
With the exception of a few I agree, but the article is about the Korean league.
Nothing in the article is about anything Japanese.
Were talking about Korean Baseball not Japan. You sound pretty ignorant not being able to decipher the difference.
He’s, turning Japanese I think he’s turning Japanese he really thinks so!
You should’ve watched the Japan-MLB all star series a few weeks ago. You’d have a much different opinion. We only get a very small sample here because most of their stars stay put in Japan. Their pitching is really pretty impressive.
Duh dada na na na na
Wow…you’re dumb
With the exception of Joey Votto and Freddie Freeman it’s pretty amazing that no players from Guam do well in the MLB.
This has me cracking up
And the Ohtani’s and the Matsui’s and the Ichiro’s. Please stop it.
hey, they all look the same, don’ they?
Gonna have to change your name dude – this stain ain’t coming off.
Yawn. MLB trade rumors, not KBO. Might as well keep us informed on Ron Gant’s morning workout routine if we’re covering all former MLB players.
I’m sorry this didn’t get you going. Really I am
They cover a great many things (including former MLB players in other leagues) in baseball, not just trade rumors, and have for years.
I’m aware of this. And I have no issue w/ the “trade rumor” thing. That argument is dumb. I come here for all kinds of MLB news, not just trade rumors. The emphasis is on the MLB part of the name. But, if you guys want to read about Darin Ruf signing a KBO deal, then who am I to stop you. Carry on.
Some of us root for Darin Ruf so it’s relevant. And this is actual news as opposed to unconfirmed reports from Bryce Harper’s septic tank guy on how much cheese steak tolerance he’s working on. I would also be interested in Gant’s workout.
I’d personally rather hear about Harper’s septic tank guy than a player who hasn’t played in the bigs in two years and most likely never will again. This guy was barely newsworthy as an MLB player. I Phil for you if you still root for Darin, that’s Ruf (had to).
What makes you think you’re the only audience. Get off your high horse.
I do not think I’m the only audience. It’s called voicing an opinion, which has merit on a forum such as this one. I do apologize for the comment, however, since I know these guys bust their butts trying to deliver good content. I’ve worked in publishing, web-publishing specifically and know the challenges. So, again, sorry Jeff. Now, if I could figure a way off this damn horse.
No need to apologize. Opinions are welcome. I just might respond with my own!
If you must know, the word on the street is that there were trace elements of deep dish crust and some street tacos from LA. No wizz in sight. Long live Darin’s MLB platoon splits!
We’ll stop covering it when the two-way KBO/MLB pipeline stops being a thing. (Bold prediction: it won’t.)
But wait … is Ron Gant eyeing a comeback?
Braves are looking for another outfielder, right?
I get it Jeff. And I do read some of the KBO stuff with interest. I guess I consider Darin Ruf old news. My apologies for my grumpiness and skepticism this morning. My comment was made pre-coffee. Last I checked Ron Gant was a news anchor in Atlanta. Looks to be in better than shape than Sandoval though.
Darn, was hoping Gant was going to attempt a Palmeiro-esque comeback. I assume he’s still cut, ha.
Yeah wonder why this site talks about former mlbers having success overseas. It’s weird cause nobody ever went overseas, found success, and came back. Nope miles mikolas Eric Thames and all the other players over the years who went mlb overseas to mlb never happened.
Technically its not a post about a former MLB player – its about a free agent that has signed with a Korean club and is no longer an option for MLB clubs who happens to be a former MLB player. Sounds like he was looking for MLB contract which only further justifies the article ( not that it needs justification from any of us readers). Your complaint would be on more solid ground if the article had no connection to current MLB rosters ( if he was traded from 1 Korean team to another for example)
Technically and even more technically this article is not so much about a major league slugger but a part-time slugger of the minor leagues.
It takes less time for you to scroll past than it does for you to comment, and then come back to reply to everyone.
So, don’t read it.
Tyler Wilson leading the KBO in ERA. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him come back here in a year or two.
KBO and NPB are two different worlds. Plenty of MLB hitters fail in Japan.
years ago, I went to a Phillies game and Ruf was in RF that day. And some little kid was just screaming his name the entire game. “Darin! Ruf! Ruf! RUFFF! Darin!” It got really old, although I think that finally his dad bought him a pretzel or something so he would stop yelping.
this was also a game where there was a napkin in RF the whole time – it blew in from the stands and was on the grass. and no one picked up. No one. Not Ruf, not Puig, no one. Like, why wouldn’t you pick up the damn napkin on your way out to man your position?
With this napkin, and this kid screaming RUF at the top of his lungs, this is really my only good memory of Ruf. I wish him luck.
None of this matters, but I’m telling this story just to inject some humor.
You dont mess with jobus napkin.
Solid post.
I used to root for the free range hot dog wrappers blowing around the field at Candlestick Park.
I watched a squirrel storm onto the field against the Twins at Progressive Field (shall always be known as the Jake). This squirrel literally ran the entire basepaths. Got onto the field, ran up to 1st base, made the turn, ran to 2nd, made the turn, ran to 3rd and tried to exit behind home plate. Then headed back to 3rd, then to 1st. Then leaped up into the seats.
The game literally had a several minute long Squirrel Delay.
Google “Tom Hamilton Squirrel Call” and you can watch the video and hear his play-by-play.
Slugger?
Happy to see this and very happy for Darin. I hope he keeps making that money.
Ruffing it up in Korea.
Let’s get that bread Darin!
Ruff’s a good guy…I wish him well..I remember one hr he hit in Clearwater over the Tiki Hut in left..nice memory
I used to own a stadium give away t shirt from the Reading Phillies in 2012 that said Babe Ruf on it with a shadow image of him “slugging” a ball. He hit 38 homers in AA Reading that year. I met him a few times. Very nice guy. Glad to see him doing well there.
he will hit well for a season or two then seek the brewers for a signing…they have good kbo ties lol