OnlyBucs

He was signed to a 4 year deal with an option for a 5th.   Will 2018 still be considered the 4th year, assuming can get into the country?   If he comes back for the 2018 season it would essentially be a one year suspension, which is probably a good penalty.  He would then have a year to show the Pirates whether they want to pick up the option.  I wonder if he could play this winter somewhere to get himself back in baseball shape.

444F474B4E4F541117605941484F4F0E434F200 wrote: Good question about his contract. I just assumed that this year wouldn't count?



I wonder if the Pirates would let him play in another league and if it's allowed. I'm sure the Pirates don't want him sitting around and want him to play. They also don't want him to get hurt.


I don't think this year counts. We retain his MLB rights for two years after he starts playing in America.

1532391A570 wrote:

He lost the appeal, he's still on probation for the next two years and unless something changes with that, I doubt he gets a visa.


Agreed. The problem Kang is facing is that the US Gov/State Department requires he disclose his criminal situation on his visa application, so they are well aware of what is going on with his legal situation. If it were a matter of one hardass consular official denying his visa because he didn't think he was a good person, the decision would have long since been appealed and overturned. Kang opted to make a futile appeal of his already very leniant sentence in South Korea because something about the sentence itself is what is causing his visa to be denied. There is clearly some sort of zero exceptions state department policy at play here. If it were a matter of just trying to pull in a favor or him needing help to get the visa that would have been done long ago. He's not going to get a visa until whatever that 'no exceptions' requirement is has been satisfied, but what exactly that is seems to be unknown by everyone.



Kang was sentenced to 8 months in jail with a two year suspended sentence and the jail time becoming unnecessary if he doesn't violate the terms of the suspended sentence in those two years, effectively putting him on probation. By granting him a visa, the US would be directly undermining Korean law because there would be no means of enforcing the terms of his probation in another country. Obviously I have no idea what is going on, but that's my guess - in which case he won't be back until 2019 at best.

425E5345454F360 wrote:

He lost the appeal, he's still on probation for the next two years and unless something changes with that, I doubt he gets a visa.


Agreed.  The problem Kang is facing is that the US Gov/State Department requires he disclose his criminal situation on his visa application, so they are well aware of what is going on with his legal situation. If it were a matter of one hardass consular official denying his visa because he didn't think he was a good person, the decision would have long since been appealed and overturned.  Kang opted to make a futile appeal of his already very leniant sentence in South Korea because something about the sentence itself is what is causing his visa to be denied.  There is clearly some sort of zero exceptions state department policy at play here.  If it were a matter of just trying to pull in a favor or him needing help to get the visa that would have been done long ago.  He's not going to get a visa until whatever that 'no exceptions' requirement is has been satisfied, but what exactly that is seems to be unknown by everyone. 



Kang was sentenced to 8 months in jail with a two year suspended sentence and the jail time becoming unnecessary if he doesn't violate the terms of the suspended sentence in those two years, effectively putting him on probation.  By granting him a visa, the US would be directly undermining Korean law because there would be no means of enforcing the terms of his probation in another country.  Obviously I have no idea what is going on, but that's my guess - in which case he won't be back until 2019 at best.


Agree with this. I can't imagine the Pirates making any plans that include Kang.

I don't think we will ever see Kang in a Pirate uniform again. I don't expect that he will get a visa for next season as well.

We should go after the Astros 3b prospect Colin Moran. He looks to be ready for the show and also is a lefty. Is blocked by the young Alex Bergman.



Freese is starting to go south .We need a 3b .

Kangs contract is so incredibly team friendly if he does come back that there's no need to sit around and not acquire a new 3rd baseman. 



Kang is contracted like a utility player.   I believe he will be back but it's irrelevant from a contact standpoint.  He won't be eating up payroll either way and that's always the most important thing for us

Neal Huntington: 'Hard to envision' scenario where Jung Ho Kang joins Pirates in 2017

At this point, Huntington told the Post-Gazette, the front office must proceed with its roster decisions with the understanding Kang is not a certain to be available for the remainder of his contract, which extends through next season and includes a club option for 2019.


The article also mentions that he is on MLB's restricted list. Since most (all?) international leagues honor MLB status, he probably can't play anywhere until this is resolved.



It's time to move on.

I too feel the same way. Kang will never be in a Bucs uniform again. He really messed up on a potentially good career. And to think Pirates ownership just figured out he will not make it over to US to play this season. Wow, what a bunch of hidden pride and marketing nonsense...Talk about being an organization that operates on fact vs fiction...



Beat'em Bucs

Red Sox DFA Pablo Sandoval. Wouldn't mind if the Bucs took a look.