Well, since it is the offseason now, and with all the roster moves we are anticipating, I just wanted to remind everyone about those two Korean players who practiced with us last Spring Training. At the moment, I cannot remember their names, but I am particularly interested in seeing how they shape up, if they do at all, in the Marlins' future. We are going to have to lose Lee. Maybe we lose Encarnacion too. We have to keep Lowell, Pudge, AJ. These Korean players offer us an alternative for Encarnacion, or at the very least a 4th/5th OF. Comments?

one of their names is Lee by the way....

 

anyway Id gladly take one or both at a cheap rate

Just a quick cut and paste from LAST SPRING:

 

Around the Horn: Two Korean stars are training with the Marlins, a left-handed-hitting first baseman named Seung-Yeop Lee, a four-time Korean League MVP who plays with the Samsung Lions, and a right-handed-hitting left fielder, Jong-Soo Shim, who had 46 home runs and 119 RBIs last season with the splendidly named Hyundai Unicorns. Shim was especially impressive Tuesday, blasting a long home run in the intrasquad game. "Great short stroke," Marlins manager Jeff Torborg said. Both players, who were invited guests of the Marlins, are under contract to Korean League teams and will return to their country on March 9. However, Lee becomes a free agent after the coming season and Shim has made it known that he would like to play in the U.S. one day. ...

And another quickie:

 

Lion King Breaks 39-Year-Old Single-Season Home Run Record in Asia

Thursday October 2, 10:38 am ET

Korean Slugger Seung-Yeop Lee Bashes 56th Home Run of the Season To Pass Sadaharu Oh's Asian Record

 

 

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The following press release is being issued by SFX Sports Group:

WHO: Seung-Yeop Lee of the Samsung Lions (Korean Baseball Organization)

 

WHAT: Known as the "Lion King," and already considered an icon

throughout Korea, Seung-Yeop Lee stroked his 56th home run of the

season, breaking Sadaharu Oh's single season home run mark of 55,

and passing the Korean record of 54, which he set in 1999 (135-

game season). With fans anxiously awaiting the chance to snag the

record-setting home run blast with fishing nets in hand, Lee

bashed a deep home run to center field in his first at bat of the

final game of the season (7:04 p.m. Korean time).

 

Lee, winner of 4 consecutive Korean Baseball Organization MVP

Awards and six consecutive Gold Gloves, is set to become a free

agent at the end of the season, enabling major league teams to bid

on his services.

 

Lee hopes to become the second slugger to come over from Asia and

first from Korea, to have success at the plate, following in the

footsteps of potential Rookie of the Year, Hideki Matsui, who has

driven in 106 runs. The Asian market has already proven to be a

talent hot-bed with stars such as Ichiro, Matsui, Hideo Nomo, and

many others making their mark in the majors. Lee plans to be the

first Korean power-hitter to do so.

 

Lee has already faced major league pitching as he was the first

professional player in KBO's history (Korean Baseball

Organization) to be invited to MLB spring training in 2002 with

the Chicago Cubs. In 2003, he participated in spring training

with the Florida Marlins.

 

Earlier this season, he became the youngest professional baseball

player ever to hit 300 home runs, reaching the mark before the

likes of Hank Aaron, Sadaharu Oh, and Alex Rodriguez.

 

The left-handed first baseman bashed 47 home runs and drove in 126

while hitting .323 for the Samsung Lions in 2002 (132 games), and

finished this season batting .301 with 56 home runs and 144 RBIs.

 

WHEN: October 2, 2003

i remember reading somewhere that one of the Korean players (maybe both) said that he/they liked the Marlins organization and wouldn't mind at all playing for them. That was before we even had fired Torborg!

 

I wonder if anyone could scrounge up that quote anywhere?

Your wish is my command, from MLB archive:

 

"..."It's fun," said Shim of his experience with the Marlins. "The players have been very kind to Lee and me.

 

"It's been pretty nice. It's pretty fun. It's been a good experience for us. I really enjoyed it."

 

Lee played for a couple of weeks during Spring Training with the Cubs in Arizona last year. Through interpreter John Kim, he said that he has enjoyed learning how teams are run differently, but he had a little more fun his second time around.

 

"The feeling here is good," Lee said. "The weather, the overall atmosphere. Everyone was real friendly and warm. The Cubs were friendly too, but here was a little different aura."

 

Shim and Lee leave Florida on Monday bound for home as the Korean League exhibition season begins Friday.

 

"It was a pleasure to have them here," Marlins CEO and managing general partner Jeffrey Loria said. "It's good for international baseball. It's good for international relations. It was good for both teams and they can play. Exclamation point. It was a pleasure having them and we'd do it again."

 

Lee and Shim are known as the Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris of the Korean League. Lee has won four MVPs and six Gold Gloves playing for the Samsung Lions. He ranked first in the league last season with 47 homers and 126 RBIs.

 

Shim won his first Gold Glove with the Hyundai Unicorns in 2002 and finished second in the league with 46 home runs and 119 RBIs.

 

"They're very sound fundamentally," Marlins manager Jeff Torborg said. "They're real good players. Both of them are exceptional defensive players. Obviously they've got good bats."

 

Lee batted .200 (2-for-10) with two homers and three RBIs in 10 games. Shim batted .308 (4-for-13) with three RBIs and a towering home run that had Mets manager Art Howe wondering if it ever came down.

 

With every hit and home run, Shim and Lee were front-page news in Korea. A group of about 20 Korean media representatives followed and recorded their every movement in Florida.

 

The two players first worked out with the Marlins on Feb. 23 and immediately impressed Torborg. He said that there is no doubt that they could play in the big leagues.

 

"I just see these kids come in and work," said Torborg, who thanked both players after Sunday's 5-2 win for the way they played. "They have fun with the guys. It's been a real nice experience for our guys, too."

 

Shim has been learning English over the last couple of years and both players hope to eventually play in the Majors. Lee, known as "The Lion King" in Korea, is under contract through 2003 and then he will be a free agent. Shim has two more years on his deal with the Unicorns before he can consider a career in the Majors.

 

Despite some minor language barriers, Shim and Lee blended right into the Marlins' clubhouse. Although they were not around for very long, the two Koreans had an effect on their big league teammates.

 

"We're going to miss those kids," Torborg said. "They have really been super in this clubhouse. They were like part of our team."

I hope we can sign one or both of them and have at least one start. They could have a Matsui or Ichiro impact.