Sports briefs

BASEBALL

Bears sign Bowden in
one-year, $650,000 deal

Doosan Bears, the 2015 Korean Series champion, said on Monday they signed former Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs pitcher Michael Bowden for a one-year deal worth $650,000.

The 29-year-old right-hander went 3-5 with 4.50 ERA in his 103 games in Major League Baseball. He has also played in Japan with Saitama Seibu Lions last year.

This past year, Bowden played for the triple-A teams of the Baltimore Orioles and Minnesota Twins, and went 11-5 with 2.63 ERA.

Meanwhile, SK Wyverns also announced they signed Dominican Republic infielder Hector Gomez for a one-year deal worth $650,000. The 27-year-old, who was with the Colorado Rockies and Milwaukee Brewers, marked .183 batting average, one home run and 8 RBIs in his 83 games in the MLB. In the triple-A, he had a .298 batting average, 18 home runs and 71 RBIs in 150 games

The Wyverns added that they renewed contract with two American pitchers Merrill Kelly for a one year deal worth $750,000 and Chris Seddon for $500,000 next season. Kelly went 11-10 with 4.13 ERA, while Seddon had 7-5 with 4.99 ERA.

The KT Wiz, the league’s worst team, announced it signed Colombian pitcher Sugar Ray Marimon for a one-year deal worth $600,000. The 27-year-old had one loss and 7.36 ERA in 16 games with Atlanta Braves this year.

FOOTBALL

Ji back in the national team lineup for Australia game

Chelsea Ladies FC forward Ji So-yun is back with the women’s football team for the first time in five months as Korea announced a squad for a friendly match against Australia on Nov. 29.

Coach Yoon Deok-yeo, who led Korea to the Round of 16 stage at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada in June, picked Ji and another 24 players for the friendly match that will be held in Icheon, Gyeonggi.

Ji, who is the all-time top scorer for women’s national team by having 39 goals in 78 matches, wasn’t with the national team at the EAFF East Asian Cup in China in August.

Meanwhile, players like Cho So-hyun and Shim Seo-yeon are missing due to injury, while striker Park Eun-seon was also left out.

Yoon said this friendly match is a tune-up for the regional qualifiers for the Summer Games that start in February. The Korea Football Association said the team will start training at the National Football Center in Paju, Gyeonggi, starting next Monday.

BY JOO KYUNG-DON