TODAY: According to reports out of South Korea, the LG Twins have pulled out of the contract, due to an issue following Almonte’s physical.
DECEMBER 5: The LG Twins of the Korea Baseball Organization have announced a one-year contract with outfielder Abraham Almonte. (Hat tip to reporter Sung Min Kim.) Almonte will receive $400K in salary, a $100K signing bonus, and up to $300K in incentive bonuses.
The 33-year-old Almonte is a veteran of the last 10 Major League seasons, suiting up with seven different teams at the MLB level and also spending some time in the minors with the Brewers’ and Yankees’ farm systems. Of Almonte’s 455 career games in the Show, 187 were played with Cleveland from 2015-17, and his next highest total was 70 games with the Padres over parts of three seasons.
Almonte consistently found work as a backup or part-time outfielder during his journeyman career, due more to his ability to play all three outfield positions than his bat. While the switch-hitter has a few flashes at the plate, Almonte hit a modest .235/.302/.374 over 1363 Major League plate appearances. He entered the 2022 season on a minor league deal with the Brewers, but didn’t reach the majors until after he was dealt to the Red Sox in July.
Heading overseas for the first time in his pro career, Almonte now joins the Twins. Each KBO League team has up to three roster spots dedicated to non-Korean players, and international players can only sign for a $1MM maximum. An international player’s first KBO contract can also be only one year in length.
I thought he might be earning his pension already yet I discover he is only 3rd year arbitration eligible. Hahahaha Wow.
HONEST ABE TO THE KBO HOT STOVE COOKIN
They did the right decision.
Yeah, teams have really kind of screwed him over… when he’s up he plays a lot bur he’s never been able to accrue time on the bench or DL haha… good for him probably making $500K+ more than he would in AAA somewhere!
He’ll now be known in Korea as Almonte Joy
007, He’ll probably like the mounds out there better.
No, he won’t! Deal called off!
You’re not getting many snickers
Thanks for catching it Manny!! I should give you 100 Grand!
Nah, he missed his Payday.
Thank you LG Twins, now Bloom can’t re-sign him and we won’t have to see him completely miss balls in CF at Fenway
You sure about that?
The monkey paw just curled
Be cool to get paid to experience another country and culture for a year or two.
Maybe so but I would prefer Japan .
100%
They must have realized that 223lbs he allegedly weighs isn’t muscle.
All we can hope for now is that Bloom and Almonte have lost eachothers numbers
223 they probably could have worked with Rsox…Maybe whipped him into shape by the season…But when he tipped the scales at 270 they probably recoiled very fast…
Mariners 2014 opening day CF hitting out of the 2 hole.
Lloyd McClendon loved him
Only a brisk 9 seasons ago!
I was there. I’m old
Hey I’m still stuck in the days of prime Ichiro days myself SODO..
Sheesh I can’t form a coherent sentence today…***”stuck in the days of prime Ichiro myself”
LG Twins gonna pivot and sign Correa
Craven, no need to ask if you have perused the Beet videos on Youtube right?? …There is a rare one where he goes on Howard with his Sister and Mom and it is awesome!
What are you talking about that’s obviously me in my pfp fam 🙂
Beet could never handle that cold soooonnnn!!!!
CUPPA DEGREES OUT HERE IN ALASKA
We appreciate you fighting the good fight out there my friend!
Almonte… sexiest walkup song in baseball, Ookay’s “Thief”
Good movie “Thief.”
@bravesfan
absolutely!!
the build up is interesting then the sax comes in like “yooooooooouuuuuuuu. love. this.”
it’s a delicious song
His breath that bad?
Wonder why he failed the physical
He farts too much.
Saw him play in Worcester last September. Large dude .
(Visiting my brother)
Tsutsugo played RF for Buffalo as well.
Here in Korea, Almonte (and the LG Twins) got slammed for him being caught using PED years ago. Korean fans are very strict about that (although the writers gave a ‘roider’ the MVP award a few years ago). Plus, the official announcement was made days before the deal was canceled. Chances are that Almonte did not fail the physical; the team was probably just trying to save face.