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On Saturday, Korean slugger Seung-Yeop Lee took his first step toward Major League Baseball, and according to a Korean source, he might soon be walking in Anaheim's direction.

Lee, 27, officially became a free agent Saturday and has drawn the interest of scouts for 10 big-league clubs.

 

The source said the Angels might be the front-runner and that it wouldn't be a surprise if Lee signed a contract with Anaheim within the next month.

 

Angels GM Bill Stoneman was unavailable for comment on Saturday night.

 

Lee has been represented by John Kim of SFX in Korea. On Saturday, Southern California-based Arn Tellem confirmed that Lee will be a Tellem client in the United States.

 

"I can't talk about teams," Tellem said. "But we are representing him. Call back Monday."

 

Lee, a first baseman known in Korea as the "Lion King," hit 56 home runs in 2003 to break Japanese legend Sadaharu Oh's Asian single-season home run mark of 55 and smash the Korean record of 54, which he set in 1999 (135-game season). He has hit over 300 home runs in nine seasons in Korea.

 

The Angels would likely have no problem accommodating him on the field if they so desired.

 

Anaheim released its full-time designated hitter, Brad Fullmer, last month, in a move designed to give regular right-fielder Tim Salmon more at-bats at DH.

 

The Angels also have not yet indicated plans for their regular first baseman, Scott Spiezio, who is a free agent.

 

Lee is not a complete stranger to the big leagues: He worked out with the Chicago Cubs in Spring Training in 2002 and with the Florida Marlins in their 2003 spring camp.

 

On Saturday, another source familiar with the situation said, "He wants to play in the American League, where he can have the option of being a designated hitter, and everyone in Korea has been reporting Anaheim as a strong possibility."

 

One Korean newspaper, Dong-A Ilbo reported that Lee also seeks a city with a strong Korean population, which the Los Angeles area has.

 

Lee comes to the United States with a lofty reputation.

 

According to the Dong-A Ilbo, Lee's manager on the Samsung Lions, Ung-Ryong Kim, said, "He is able to do as much as Japanese hitter Hideki Matusi did."

 

Matsui, who was known as "Godzilla" after 10 star-studded years in Japan, came over to the New York Yankees in 2003 and will likely be the winner of the American League Rookie of the Year award after posting a .287 batting average with 16 home runs and 106 RBIs.

 

The newspaper said Lee is looking to command between $1.5 and $2 million per year.

 

Doug Miller is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or its clubs.

 

 

Very reasonable price..... :whistle

And here's his pic for all those who forgot or never saw him:

 

(MLB.com)

 

Unfortunately from the sound of that article, he won't be a Marlin.

I hope that Beinfest, if we lose Lee, can pull an Urbina and sign him.

If we get him or opening day 1b will probably be "Lee"

Thank god he doesn't look like hideki matsui,lol.

If we get him we don't get vlad and we sign luis?

With those glasses on he has an interesting resemblance to Miguel Cabrera.

But chinese people have b!tch hair,most of them,lo.

But chinese people have b!tch hair,most of them,lo.

what are you talking about?

I would love to have Lee, But i think the Marlins are going to try out Derek Lee for another season. Well he won the gold glove, he had 30+ homeruns and Had alot of RBI's. My opinion is that we will keep Derek Lee for this season.

With those glasses on he has an interesting resemblance to Miguel Cabrera.

That's what I was thinking.

 

But chinese people have b!tch hair,most of them,lo.

 

That's great!

 

Except for the fact he's Korean. :banghead

With those glasses on he has an interesting resemblance to Miguel Cabrera.

That's what I was thinking.

 

But chinese people have b!tch hair,most of them,lo.

That's great!

 

Except for the fact he's Korean. :banghead Same sh!t he still has b!tch hair,lol.

Same sh!t he still has b!tch hair,lol.

It's not nearly the same thing.

If the bidding war gets too rich, I dont think the Marlins will go after the Korean Lee. There is though, our own Lee and another Korean possibility - Seop-Choi of the Cubs. The Cubs are apparently interested in D Lee, and maybe we can deal him for Seop-Choi and Juan Cruz - that would be a pretty damn good deal in my opinion.

Choi wasn't so impressive,imo,then again he barely played,he had a .218 batting average,not good.

If the bidding war gets too rich, I dont think the Marlins will go after the Korean Lee. There is though, our own Lee and another Korean possibility - Seop-Choi of the Cubs. The Cubs are apparently interested in D Lee, and maybe we can deal him for Seop-Choi and Juan Cruz - that would be a pretty damn good deal in my opinion.

The Korean Lee will cost about 1/4 of D-Lee.

 

But your trade proposal intrigues me.

If the bidding war gets too rich, I dont think the Marlins will go after the Korean Lee. There is though, our own Lee and another Korean possibility - Seop-Choi of the Cubs. The Cubs are apparently interested in D Lee, and maybe we can deal him for Seop-Choi and Juan Cruz - that would be a pretty damn good deal in my opinion.

I would make that deal just to get Cruz. Also the marlins could get both Choi and Lee.

If the bidding war gets too rich, I dont think the Marlins will go after the Korean Lee.? There is though, our own Lee and another Korean possibility - Seop-Choi of the Cubs.? The Cubs are apparently interested in D Lee, and maybe we can deal him for Seop-Choi and Juan Cruz - that would be a pretty damn good deal in my opinion.

Don't get me wrong, I love Juan Cruz. But A) I think the Cubs are scared of dealing with us and B) Where would we put him? He is a great prospect but we already have 6 starters and I don't the FO will take another one.

Don't get me wrong, I love Juan Cruz. But A) I think the Cubs are scared of dealing with us and B) Where would we put him? He is a great prospect but we already have 6 starters and I don't the FO will take another one.

It would allow you to deal Redman.

You can deal Redman now.

You can deal Redman now.

As true as that is, if you do, you have 5 men in the rotation, one of them the uncertain AJ Burnett.

The cubs would make the deal. They are stacked with pitching and they need a 1st baseman.

You are talking about a 5th starter.

 

 

Redman's value has never been higher...if you are going to deal him, now is the time.

 

 

I would prefer to get a pitcher off the scrap heap for my fifth starter if i can get some quality players/prospects for Redman.

The cubs would make the deal. They are stacked with pitching and they need a 1st baseman.

dont the Cubs still have Randall Simon and arent they trying to reisgn Karros?

 

and Cruz is a little too erratic for my liking...

As for Redman, I don't think he's going anywhere. You can't get a lefty that can pitch 200+ innings with a 3.75 ERA these days for 3 million. He's a big bargain. One of our starters is likely to get injured, because it always happens to every staff. You will need six starters with one of those guys like Pavano/Redman being long relievers, and you slide them in when one of the other starters is out. It would be foolish to get rid of Redman, especially for his price. There are other ways to cut cost. ( I am working on that too, and it is possible)

 

Oh and Ramp, Cruz throws 97 mph with movement.. lots of movement, but doesn't have what it takes to win. He's scared to death and scared to pitch, especially with the game on the line. He's not erratic though. He just won't make it. Especially as a starter. I think the best thing for Cruz, would be for him to be used like Dotel, since he is basically a duplicate of Dotel. Setup and Closing will be in Cruz's future. The Cubs also wouldn't trade Cruz for Lowell, suupposively. What makes anybody think they will deal him for Lee?