Che was 15-2 in 197 innings pitched in 1999, with 154 strikeouts and just 19 walks in 129 innings. Before signing with Boston he had been projected to be one of the top picks in the Korean pro draft, held earlier this month. Che is merely the latest in a number of Korean prospects the Sox have signed. Chul Oh, yet another Korean import, is set to begin his first pro season at Fort Myers this month. We've signed a number of players there.
Baseball is a little more established on the amateur level.
They have strong-bodied players, and they're determined. Ray Poitevint, the Red Sox' executive director of international relations, heads the club's scouting effort there, with help from Lee Sigman, Mark Garcia and Kyle Chung. The Sox have, in fact, diverted some of their scouting and developmental resources from the amateur draft to the international front. We have to aggressively look for talent all over the world. The draft alone isn't enough to keep your system well-stocked.