Mets introduce Korean hurler

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01/10/2005 5:48 PM ET
Mets introduce Korean hurler
Left-hander Koo attends Mets minicamp in Port St. Lucie
By Kevin T. Czerwinski / MLB.com

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Dae Sung Koo had little left to prove pitching in the highly competitive environs of Korea and Japan.

So, at 35 and with more than a little life remaining in his left arm, he will embark on his first season in the Major Leagues. The Mets, who outmaneuvered the Yankees for Koo's services, introduced their new reliever Monday before taking the field for their minicamp at Tradition Field.

Koo, who signed a one-year deal with an option for 2006 on Saturday, spent the past four seasons -- the last three as a starter -- with Orix of the Japanese Pacific League. He went 6-10 with a 4.32 ERA in 18 games in 2004. Overall, he was 24-34 in Japan with 10 saves and a 3.88 ERA in 110 games.

"I believe that I accomplished all that I could in terms of my record and career in Japan and Korea, and now I want to come to the United States and pitch at a high level," Koo said. "If they call me to start, I will be ready to be a starter. If they want me as a reliever, I am ready, as I am a team player."

The signing ended more than a month of negotiations that started in early December with the Yankees. Koo's odyssey began, he says, on Dec. 5, when he visited the Bombers in Tampa and had a meeting with several executives, including senior vice president of baseball operations Mark Newman. According to the Koo camp, the two sides agreed to terms and he was set to fly to New York to meet with Yankees general manager Brian Cashman.

But talk of the Randy Johnson deal surfaced and Koo said that his situation was put on the back burner until that was resolved. He told the Yankees he'd like to have had his situation cleared up by Jan. 3, and when he didn't get word from the Bronx, he turned to the Mets, who had also expressed interested.

"I told him he also had offers from the Mets and Padres," said Douglas Cho, Koo's agent. "He gave me authorization to talk with the Mets. They had shown a previous interest [after the 2000 Olympics], so we saw it as an opportunity to play with the Mets."

Koo says he gave Cashman one last chance as December drew to a close, but when the situation didn't get resolved Koo told the Yankees he was going in another direction. The veteran hurler couldn't stress strongly enough, though, that he bore no ill will towards the Yanks and was in complete understanding of why things transpired the way they did.

"We feel this is a significant international signing for us," said Mets senior vice president of baseball operations Jim Duquette. "He is a superstar-type of player in Korea and has pitched in the big leagues in Japan. He's a guy we had our eyes on as early as 2000, and we tried to work out an agreement before he was sold to Orix.

"He'll be very helpful. He has some deception, a fastball, a slider and a forkball. And he has versatility."

Kevin Czerwinski is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


Dae Sung Koo (left) celebrates as South Korea clinched the bronze medal in the 2000 Olympics. (Eric Gay/AP)