1:06pm: Scott will receive a $250K base salary in addition to a $50K signing bonus, according to Korean media outlet Yonhap (hat tip: MyKBO.net's Dan Kurtz on Twitter).
11:38am: Luke Scott has signed a one-year deal with the SK Wyverns of the Korea Baseball Organization, according to Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish. Scott is represented by PSI Management.
The 35-year-old Scott batted .241/.326/.415 with nine homers in 291 plate appearances for the Rays last season. He spent time on the disabled list for the fifth straight season in 2013, missing time due to a strained lower back and a calf strain.
Scott's numbers over the past three seasons are roughly league average — .231/.303/.421 (100 OPS+) — but he was a force for the Astros and Orioles in the five previous years. From 2006-10, Scott batted .272/.357/.512 with 103 homers in 2233 plate appearances.
Justin Anthony
How much Yen?
johnbrooks
Its South Korean won. Anyway he’s getting $300,000 officially. Though many teams pay them more under the table.
Ley_Z 2
This Cotillo kid is going international
Commander_Nate
The coolest franchise name in sports.
disadvantage 2
I’ve always been partial to the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, but only because when I first heard the name, I thought there was a baseball team call the “Ham Fighters”, which is just pure awesome.
essmeier
I’m in the Ham Fighters camp. At the low end, of course, are the Carp. There’s just nothing cool about carp.
davengmusic
Mike Carp begs to differ
0vercast
Did you forget about the Lehigh Valley Ironpigs?
MaineBaseball
Watch him hit 40 home runs.
jed_hoyer
he signed in korea not japan. korea uses the won.
Daniel 21
But do they want to win?
disadvantage 2
Man, these South Korea bidding wars for players like Luke Scott are getting out of control.
Ganesh Sarma
Would’ve loved to see Luke back with the O’s. Surprised he’s heading to Korea, you’d figure a Major League team would pay $500,000 for him.
johnbrooks
Its a bad kept secret that many KBO teams disregard the $300,000 cap limit as they convinced Jorge Cantu to play in Korea over Japan. He’s making more $$ than what there reporting, they just dont report it.
daniel 19
Luke is not going to Korea for $300K. I am guessing he got at least $1M although $300K is the ceiling set by KBL. The media there is saying that no team follows this rule alledgely.
Kadoc
KBO. KBL is the basketball league.
MJensen
Good for Luke. Probably would have been in the minors all season in the US.
johnbrooks
Evan as bad as he seemed, he still had a 108 OPS+ last year, he would’ve found a MLB job. I’m actually shocked a NPB team didn’t pick him up.