Jung Keun Bong
Encyclopedia
Bong Jung-Keun (Hangul
: 봉중근, Hanja
: 奉重根) (born July 15, 1980) is a South Korean professional baseball
player who has played in Major League Baseball
with the Atlanta Braves
and Cincinnati Reds
and is now playing in South Korea for the LG Twins
in the Korea Baseball Organization
. He bats and throws left-handed
.
, he was a highly regarded five-tool player
and control pitcher
in the Korean High School baseball league, playing as the team's 3rd batter and No.1 starter
.
In September , as a freshman at Shinil High School, Bong was named the Best Pitcher in the 50th Golden Lion Flag National High School Baseball Championship, taking 4 of the team's 5 wins. As the team's leadoff hitter
, he batted .353 with 6 hits in 17 at-bats.
In May , Bong led his team to its national title at the 52nd Blue Dragon Flag National High School Baseball Championship, going 11-for-16 with 9 RBIs as a batter and racking up 3 wins as a starting pitcher. He won batting
(.688), RBI and win
s titles, and was unanimously named the tournament MVP.
In August , Bong competed for the South Korea national junior baseball team in the World Junior Baseball Championship
held in Moncton, Canada. In the round robin phase, he went 15-for-25 with 11 RBIs and 13 runs, and hit home runs in 4 consecutive games, playing in 5 preliminary games as a center fielder
and relief pitcher
. South Korea was eliminated by USA 7–0 in the quarterfinals, but Bong additionally accumulated 3 hits and 3 RBIs in the 5th–8th classification games. He finished the tournament with a .500 batting average (18-for-36), 14 RBIs and 4 home runs, and was named the tournament MVP. He also won the home run title and was selected to the All-Star team as an outfielder
as well.
In September , Bong helped his team to capture another national title at the 51st Golden Lion Flag National High School Baseball Championship. He was named Best Pitcher, earning 4 out of the team's 5 wins as a utility pitcher. As a batter, Bong finished runner-up in batting
(.571, 8-for-14) and won the stolen bases title,
and pitched in 44 games, winning
six and losing two, and recorded his first save. With the Reds in , he pitched 15 1/3 innings, winning one game and losing one. He missed the whole season due to shoulder surgery, and the Reds outrighted him to Triple-A Louisville
after the season.
In , with the LG Twins, Bong had a 2.66 ERA
and 140 strikeout
s. He also helped Korea to the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
Bong also appeared in the 2009 World Baseball Classic against Japan as a starter, allowing 3 hits and scoring 2 strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings for a 1–0 victory.
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
: 봉중근, Hanja
Hanja
Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...
: 奉重根) (born July 15, 1980) is a South Korean professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player who has played in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
with the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
and Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
and is now playing in South Korea for the LG Twins
LG Twins
LG Twins Baseball Club is a Korea Professional Baseball team based in Seoul, South Korea. The club was known as the MBC Blue Dragons owned by the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation until , when they were taken over by the LG Group...
in the Korea Baseball Organization
Korea Baseball Organization
The Korea Baseball Organization is the governing body for the professional leagues of baseball in South Korea. KBO should not be confused with the Korea Professional Baseball League. KBO was founded in 1981 and has been governing two leagues, Korea Professional Baseball and Futures League since...
. He bats and throws left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
.
Amateur career
Bong is often considered one of the greatest hitting pitchers in Korean high school baseball history. While attending Shinil High School in SeoulSeoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, he was a highly regarded five-tool player
Five-tool player
In baseball, a five-tool player is one who excels at hitting for average, hitting for power, baserunning skills and speed, throwing ability, and fielding abilities....
and control pitcher
Control pitcher
A control pitcher is a pitcher who succeeds mostly by using accurate pitches, as opposed to a power pitcher who relies on velocity. By issuing a below average number of bases on balls he exhibits good control of his pitches...
in the Korean High School baseball league, playing as the team's 3rd batter and No.1 starter
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
.
In September , as a freshman at Shinil High School, Bong was named the Best Pitcher in the 50th Golden Lion Flag National High School Baseball Championship, taking 4 of the team's 5 wins. As the team's leadoff hitter
Leadoff hitter
In baseball, a leadoff hitter is a batter who bats first in the lineup. It can also refer to any batter who bats first in an inning.- Strategy :...
, he batted .353 with 6 hits in 17 at-bats.
In May , Bong led his team to its national title at the 52nd Blue Dragon Flag National High School Baseball Championship, going 11-for-16 with 9 RBIs as a batter and racking up 3 wins as a starting pitcher. He won batting
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
(.688), RBI and win
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
s titles, and was unanimously named the tournament MVP.
In August , Bong competed for the South Korea national junior baseball team in the World Junior Baseball Championship
World Junior Baseball Championship
The IBAF AAA World Junior Championships is an under-18 international baseball competition sponsored by the International Baseball Federation , which was first held in 1981 in United States...
held in Moncton, Canada. In the round robin phase, he went 15-for-25 with 11 RBIs and 13 runs, and hit home runs in 4 consecutive games, playing in 5 preliminary games as a center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
and relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
. South Korea was eliminated by USA 7–0 in the quarterfinals, but Bong additionally accumulated 3 hits and 3 RBIs in the 5th–8th classification games. He finished the tournament with a .500 batting average (18-for-36), 14 RBIs and 4 home runs, and was named the tournament MVP. He also won the home run title and was selected to the All-Star team as an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
as well.
In September , Bong helped his team to capture another national title at the 51st Golden Lion Flag National High School Baseball Championship. He was named Best Pitcher, earning 4 out of the team's 5 wins as a utility pitcher. As a batter, Bong finished runner-up in batting
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
(.571, 8-for-14) and won the stolen bases title,
Notable international careers
| Year | Venue | Competition | Team | Individual Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | World Junior Baseball Championship World Junior Baseball Championship The IBAF AAA World Junior Championships is an under-18 international baseball competition sponsored by the International Baseball Federation , which was first held in 1981 in United States... |
5th | .500 BA (18-for-36), 4 HR, 14 RBI MVP, All-Star (OF Outfielder Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder... ), HR Home run In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process... title |
Major League Baseball career
Bong began his career with the Braves, pitching 6 innings in one game in . The next year, he was moved to the bullpenBullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
and pitched in 44 games, winning
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
six and losing two, and recorded his first save. With the Reds in , he pitched 15 1/3 innings, winning one game and losing one. He missed the whole season due to shoulder surgery, and the Reds outrighted him to Triple-A Louisville
Louisville Bats
The Louisville Bats, which play in Louisville, Kentucky, are the AAA minor league baseball affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. The team, formerly known as the Louisville RiverBats, plays in the International League...
after the season.
Korea Baseball Organization career
The Reds released him on May 12, 2006; he returned to Korea to continue his career.In , with the LG Twins, Bong had a 2.66 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
and 140 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s. He also helped Korea to the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
Bong also appeared in the 2009 World Baseball Classic against Japan as a starter, allowing 3 hits and scoring 2 strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings for a 1–0 victory.
Notable international careers
| Year | Venue | Competition | Team | Individual Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | World Baseball Classic 2006 World Baseball Classic ---------Pool B:-------------Pool C:-------------Pool D:-------------Pool 1:-----------------Pool 2:-------------Finals:-Semifinals:-Final:-Final standings:... |
 |
0–0, 0.00 ERA (3 G, 2.2 IP, 0 ER, 1 K) | |
| 2008 | Olympic Games Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing was held from August 13 to August 23. All games were played at Wukesong Baseball Field, a temporary venue constructed at the Beijing Wukesong Culture & Sports Center... |
 |
0–0, 8.31 ERA (2 G, 8.2 IP, 8 ER, 6 K) | |
| 2009 | World Baseball Classic 2009 World Baseball Classic The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the... |
 |
2–0, 0.51 ERA (4 G, 17.2 IP, 1 ER, 4 K) All-Star (P) |
|
| Guangzhou Asian Games | |
|||
Personal records
| Year | Team | G | GS | W | L | SV | H | CG | ShO | IP | H | HR | BB | K | R | ER | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATL Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997.... |
1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.0 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 7.50 | |
| 44 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 57.0 | 56 | 8 | 31 | 47 | 32 | 32 | 5.05 | ||
| CIN Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890.... |
3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15.1 | 17 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 8 | 4.70 | |
| LG LG Twins LG Twins Baseball Club is a Korea Professional Baseball team based in Seoul, South Korea. The club was known as the MBC Blue Dragons owned by the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation until , when they were taken over by the LG Group... |
24 | 22 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 111.2 | 121 | 6 | 60 | 56 | 71 | 66 | 5.32 | |
| 28 | 28 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 186.1 | 153 | 13 | 80 | 140 | 66 | 55 | 2.66 | ||
| 26 | 26 | 11 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 178.1 | 160 | 13 | 71 | 127 | 70 | 63 | 3.29 | ||
| TOTAL | 126 | 80 | 35 | 31 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 554.2 | 515 | 43 | 254 | 385 | 257 | 229 | 3.72 | |