UPDATE: Here are the reported contract details for Oh:
Per source: Korean RP Oh Seung-hwan's deal with #STLCards worth up to $5 mil in '16 and up to $6 mil in '17 if the club exercises its option
— Jeeho Yoo (@Jeeho_1) January 12, 2016
For Oh, both figures include performance-based incentives; pretty good deal, in my opinion
— Jeeho Yoo (@Jeeho_1) January 12, 2016
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It's been a quiet offseason for the St. Louis Cardinals, and that showed on Monday when they officially announced the signing of Korean reliever Seung-Hwan Oh.
Oh is yet another Asian player to make the move to the MLB, joining Jung-Ho Kang, Byung-Ho Park and Hyun-Soo Kim over the past two years. The right-hander has spent 11 professional seasons in the Korean Baseball Organization with the Samsung Lions (nine years) and the Japan Central League with the Hanshin Tigers (two years).
Over that span, Oh has been one of the best relievers in the KBO and JPCL. He owns a record of 32-20 with a 1.81 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 357 saves and 772 strikeouts in 571 career games (646-1/3 innings). The Cardinals hope he'll provide further stability to their bullpen, which ranked third in the MLB last season with a 2.82 ERA.
Cardinals' GM John Mozeliak announces the club has signed Korean RHP Seung-hwan Oh #STLCards pic.twitter.com/KsHPOHEOaa
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) January 11, 2016
Mike Matheny: "The successes he's had at the back end of the game will give us a lot of flexibility". #STLCards pic.twitter.com/xoDCH6gnpM
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) January 11, 2016
Over the weekend rumors suggested Oh and the Cardinals were closing in on a contract, as he was expected to undergo a physical on Sunday. He obviously passed and is now a member of the Cardinals bullpen, which expects to improve in 2016 with the returns of Jordan Walden and Jonathan Broxton.
"Known by the nicknames 'Stone Buddha' and 'Final Boss,' Oh is perhaps the most celebrated Korean closer with 498 games finished over an 11-season career split between Korea and Japan," writes Zach Links of MLBTradeRumors.com.
Oh was the KBO Rookie of the Year in 2005, two-time Korean Series MVP (2005 and 2011) and five-time Relief Man award recipient (2006-08, 2011-12), according to Global Sporting Integration. The site's player profile on Oh from two years ago says his fastball averages 92-94 mph, tops out at 97 and has a "hard rising movement"; his slider ranges from 80-89 mph; and his "slow" curveball is thrown between 71-79 mph.
He's been scouted by MLB clubs in previous years, but the market for overseas relievers isn't exactly flourishing, which is why Oh signed a one-year deal with a team option for the 2017 season. The financial terms of the deal have not yet been disclosed.
"The stuff was pretty obvious," manager Mike Matheny said, via Jamal Collier of MLB.com. "Great stuff, and the numbers are there, too. Obviously still trying to compare what that looks like here. But good stuff's good stuff, and realizing the success at the back end of the game is something that gives us a lot of flexibility of how we could use him here."
"He thinks it's a dream come true," Oh's translator added. "He wanted a new environment and was looking for motivation, a new challenge. That was why he decided to join MLB at the moment."
