Report: Jays sign Korean league K leader Liz

[CPT]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/re ... eader-liz/

Came here to see if anyone was talking about this. Kind of big news in Korean baseball, since the first preseason games were today, and they were expecting him to come back this year. Now that I think about it, I remember there being some injury issues that were supposed to cause him to miss part of the season.

He also made news last season when he hit a batter, causing him to be helped off the field, but proceeded to strike out the next three batters to end the inning, doing a little fist pump when coming off the mound. Opposing fans took offense, and one made a racist comic based on the situation, a play on KKK. Unfortunately, that was not the only instance of racism in the Korean league last season, but that's another story.

It's only a minor league deal, but it's a pretty good low risk high reward move. Especially when compared to what Baltimore gave Yoon Suk-min, who was not close to as good as Liz in the KBO last year. He actually started his career in Baltimore, but was not very good.

He's a strikeout machine who throws some serious smoke. He's hit 162 (100.7 mph) before, and I see him regularly throw 155+ (96 mph). He has some control issues though, walking and hitting more batters than he should. Those may never get worked out, since he's already 30. He did seem much better in 2013 than 2012, for what it's worth.

I'm a fan of the rival to his old team, but I was never really worried when he was pitching, so that's probably not a good sign.

Will be interested to see if he sees any time with the big league club.

[Santoki]

He'll be rehabbing a knee injury until at least mid-season.

Btw, where in Seoul are you and who do you support?

[RINSE]

AL East, you're on notice.

[LBJSeizedMyID]

Radhames Liz -- there's a name I haven't heard in a few years! Remember when he was one of the games future brightest stars?!

[Schad]

Radhames Liz -- there's a name I haven't heard in a few years! Remember when he was one of the games future brightest stars?!

Yeah. Electric stuff, mechanics that went to pieces in the blink of an eye. Might make for a pretty decent bullpen arm, though.

[CPT]

He'll be rehabbing a knee injury until at least mid-season.

Btw, where in Seoul are you and who do you support?

I live in Haebangchon, and I'm a Doosan Bears fan.

Do/did you live in Seoul/Korea? Who's your team?

[youreachiteach]

I was in Daejeon so I was a Hanhwa fan.

[Santoki]

First year I was in Incheon so I was an SK fan. Second year I lived behind Yonsei.

I haven't followed the Korean league since I left a few years ago though.

[CPT]

Ha, I spent a lot of time living and working in that area. Yeonhui-dong, what what.

Incheon is my favourite stadium. Been to all of them except the non-full time ones (Pohang, Gunsan). Kia is opening a new stadium this year, will have to take a trip down to check that out.

[Graham's Cracker]

Is this the guy that became a pitcher/ballplayer quite late in life? Could be thinking of someone else.

[youreachiteach]

Cool, I used to work near Yonseideh too at an ECC in like 2000. In fact, I used to play pick-up basketball there on the way home from work and then buy a dollar lemon soju during festival month!

Ahhh...those were the days.

Thanks for the memories!

[youreachiteach]

Liz was the Orioles new young star who imploded down the stretch....but he has electric stuff.

[youreachiteach]

I was actually living in younhee2dong..fun place.

[Santoki]

Crazy. I lived in Yeonhuidong and played pick up ball on that same court. Worked for chungdahm.

[youreachiteach]

Yeah, those were nice courts. I loved that area...so many things to do and see, so much nightlife.
After that, I lived in Daejeon and worked for Woo Song deh (university) and then Andong deh (in Andong). I finally worked for Hyundai Heavy Industires in Ulsan....all in all I was there 11 years.

I miss Korea a lot. Sometimes, no matter where I am, I go into the nearest Korean place just to try and speak the Language. I still take my money with two hands! I left to make more money for my family but it is my second home. I actually even miss the subway voice in Seoul and the birdcall when the stop is read out!.

[Santoki]

Wow, that's a long time. I only spent two years there but it still does feel like a second home. That might also be because I met my wife there (who was also teaching) and because she's Korean-American, I now have family there. I actually went for 3 weeks this past December to visit them. Spent a week back in Seoul visiting friends as well. Can't see us getting back out there any time soon now, but ya, it'll always be a second home.

[Hoopstarr]

Racism against a Korean player?
Oh, right.

[youreachiteach]

That's nice. I met my wife there too...but she's Filipino and also a teacher. We both speak Korean and code switch between English, Korean and Tagalog. Very confusing for our kids, who are now studying Mandarin and Malay! Yeah, it's a great place and pretty safe, as countries go. Thanks for the chat.

[Graham's Cracker]

Bumping this thread since Liz is making his 2014 debut with New Hampshire today.

[youreachiteach]

cool hope he does well.