SOUTH KOREA – Is the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) salary cap for foreign players hurting the growing league? More than a few scouts think so.

The Korean League, in an effort to keep player payroll cost down, have instituted a US$300,000 maximum salary for all foreign players. However, foreigners who played in South Korea in 2008 are eligible for a 25 percent pay raise from their previous salaries.

Three imports who fared well in the Korean League last year, Karim Garcia (Lotte Giants), Chirst Oxspring (LG Twins) and Robert Petagine (LG Twins), will each earn US$375,000 in 2009.

The Kia Tigers signed American pitcher Rick Guttormson for the maximum US$300,000 last week. The 32-year-old right-hander played for the Yakult Swallows in the Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league the past four years. Besides registering a no-hitter in 2006 against Rakuten, Guttormson also clubbed a home run last season.

While half (eight) of the foreign players in the KBO have signed the US$300,000 contract, scouts complain it is hard to recruit good foreign players with salary cap limits.

Many scouts believe that because the level of baseball in Korea has improved significantly in recent years, low-priced foreign players do not contribute as much to the success of their respective teams. Scouts are insisting the league reconsider the salary cap so some teams do not have to change their foreign players each season.

Tags: South Korea