Rangers Check in With Korean Amateur Signing http://tinyurl.com/6x87e3 August 11th, 2008 Shinsano The Korean newspaper Il Gan Sports is reporting the Texas Rangers have signed Ahn Tae-kyeong, a right handed pitcher from Busan High School. The paper reports the signing bonus is $800,000. Ahn is a third year senior at Busan and according to the newspaper throws four pitches, including a fastball that touches 93 MPH on the radar gun and a cut fastball. He stands at about 6 ft. 1 in. and typically throws at a 3/4 angle. The signing was made by Jim Colborn, who just last week was made bullpen coach of the Rangers following the firing of pitching coach Mark Connor and bullpen coach Dom Chiti. Colborn was, or perhaps still is, the Rangers Pacific Rim Scout. A former big league pitcher and pitching coach with the Dodgers and Pirates, Colborn is largely credited with the development of Ian Snell. I haven't personally scouted Ahn, and have only seen him once on TV. He started the championship game of a tournament in July. He's very polished for his age. I didn't see him throw 93, but that's going off the radar gun used on the broadcast. In June, Ahn's teammate Oh Byung-il was drafted in the first round by the Lotte Giants of the Korean Baseball Organization. Busan High School is also the alma mater of the Indians Choo Shin-soo. This of course isn't the not the first Korean signing by the Rangers. The first was Park Chan-ho, who the team signed to a $65 million contract over 5 years back in 1999. The Rangers are still one of the most popular and closely followed teams in Korea. --

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