Former Padres/Dodgers/Mariners right-hander Joe Wieland has agreed to a one-year, $1MM contract with the Korea Baseball Organization’s Kia Tigers, the team announced (hat tip: MyKBO.net’s Dan Kurtz, on Twitter). Meanwhile, another former big league righty, Justin Hancock, has agreed to a one-year contract with Japan’s Nippon Ham Fighters, tweets Robert Murray of The Athletic. Hancock’s deal contains an option for a second season.
Wieland, perhaps best known for being one of three players traded from the Padres to the Dodgers in the infamous Matt Kemp trade back in 2014 (along with Zach Eflin and Yasmani Grandal), is signing on for his third year pitching professionally in Asia. The 28-year-old spent the 2017-18 campaigns pitching for the Yokohama Bay Stars in Japan, where he worked to a combined 3.80 ERA with just under eight strikeouts and three walks per nine innings pitched. Wieland will now head to Korea for another solid payday (at least relative to what he’d receive on a minor league contract with the bulk of his season spent at the Triple-A ranks).
As for Hancock, the 28-year-old made his MLB debut with the Cubs in 2018 and notched a 1.46 ERA in 12 1/3 innings, although his 11-to-9 K/BB ratio in that brief time was far less palatable. The righty has upped his strikeout rate in the minors in each of the past two seasons following a full-time move to the bullpen. Hancock was one of three players non-tendered by the Cubs prior to last week’s deadline.
Not sure why but I like the use of backslashes here: “Former Padres/Dodgers/Mariners…”
Also, just wanna say a quick thanks for giving updates on now-former MLBers. The baseball fan in me LOVES seeing how these guys pursue their baseball dreams abroad.
As an aside: have you guys (MLBTR Staff) discussed a more international-style coverage of baseball happenings? I ask because the baseball culture outside the US is fascinating. I’d like to see a weekly roundup of sorts, giving readers updates on the goings-on abroad. To be honest, I’ve always wanted to write a submission piece to MLBTR based on this.
Or maybe it’d work better as an independent blog.
Check out YakyuDB, CPBL stats.com for that. I wanted to make that sort of blog, i need authors though.
It’s nice to see an interest in this. Often times, Americans forget how rich the baseball cultures are overseas.
Yeah, I try to get interesting stuff like https://www.quotev.com/story/10157436/Baseball-articles . they should be a great addition to a blog for KBO/NPB/CPBL
Hey, seriously: Thank you for this link. I just bookmarked it and I’ll totally check it out. 🙂
Thanks for the kind words, I really appreciate good reviews. Any questions or comments just reply here
My son is the closer for the Softbank Hawks. Yes, yakyudb.com is a good source, although the guy who runs it got married and it’s not as punctual as it used to be. Japantimes.com sport section is also a good site to keep up as well.
English. Kyodonews.net sport section also is a good source.
Then I have a treat for you: inside scoop not reported
Robert Murray of The Athletic reports Jabari Blash has an agreement to sign with the Rakuten Golden Eagles.
He was released by Angels after hitting .103 in 45 PA 2018 — Spent most of 2018 at Triple-A Salt Lake excelled to: .317/.431/.700 29 home runs in 83 games!!!
Thank you, xabial! I hope Jabari finds immense success in Japan. Their fans are incredible.
Padres\Dodgers\Mariners
I prefer these.
I think a team should have gave Hancock more of a change out of the bullpen as a low risk….but overseas they are considered AAA…so may help vaule if he comes back.
I don’t agree with the analogy that Japan baseball is actually AAA grade. The recent series in Japan is a good starting point for the argument. Now if you want to talk Korean baseball, that is completely different. As far as NPB goes, I would say with confidence that a team such as the Hawks could play any MLB team and have as good a chance of winning as anyone. Many MLB players have gone over there thinking it was going to be some cakewalk and returned home in utter disappointment.
KBO equivalent to an extremely hitter friendly PCL? Just to clarify for everyone