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Doosan Bears dismiss its chief player Kim Dong-ju

Posted November. 21, 2014 08:15,   

한국어

Korea’s pro baseball team Doosan Bears and Kim Dong-ju, 38, have decided to part ways. Doosan said on Thursday that it would not sign on Kim Dong-ju for 2015. “Although we proposed to Kim to serve as a coach, Kim was set on continuing his athlete’s career and we accepted that,” the baseball team said.

Doosan will exclude Kim from the list of players scheduled for signing on for 2015 to be submitted to the Korea Baseball Organization and follow processes to dismiss Kim. As a result, Kim is now a free agent who can sign on with all teams. To play in the 2015 season, however, he needs to sign a new contract by Jan. 31, 2015.

Since his joining the Doosan Bears in 1998 upon graduation from Korea University, Kim had posted 0.309 batting average, 273 home runs and RBI of 1,097 over 1,625 matches for the past 16 years, staking his place as the ace batter of Doosan. However, he had remained in the Futures League (lower tier) from the mid- season of last season due to disputes with the coaching staff.