KBO preparing for May 1st opening day - MLB

DKTV’s Daniel Kim reports that South Korea’s KBO is moving to begin its season on May 1st.

#KBO Update – Prime minister announced today that pro sports league will be allowed to start their season w/o fans in the stands. KBO teams are now preparing to start the season on May 1. Official official announcement is expected on Mon. There were only 8 new COVID19 cases yday

— Daniel Kim 대니얼 김 (@DanielKimW) April 19, 2020

The news comes after Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun’s announcement that sports can take place without fans present. Although the KBO has not officially set May 1st as its targeted date for resumed play, an announcement was already expected sometime early this week.

The KBO would be the second major league to resume play after Taiwan’s CPBL, which has already found itself to be something of an international source of interest. The Korean league is generally regarded as having a higher level of play. ESPN has already approached the KBO about possible broadcasting rights, as the network (and all sports media for that matter) are hurting due to the lack of live content.

For the uninitiated, the KBO is made up of ten teams and has generally had a high run-scoring environment. Games are usually lively affairs, although not having fans in the stands would likely change that. The Doosan Bears of Seoul are the reigning champions, and finished as the runners-up the two seasons prior to last.

Obviously, any baseball is more than welcome right now. The KBO is a pretty good time and it will be exciting if there’s a way to stream it.

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ST. LOUIS — Miles Mikolas is sticking with the St. Louis Cardinals.

The right-hander signed a three-year, $55.75 million contract on Friday that will carry through the 2025 season.

The new deal replaces a $68 million, four-year contract signed in February 2019 that covered the 2020-23 seasons and was set to pay $15.75 million this year.

Mikolas will receive a $5 million signing bonus payable July 1 and will make $18.75 million in 2023 and $16 million in each of the following two seasons. Mikolas can earn a $250,000 bonus for winning a Cy Young Award, $50,000 for All-Star election or selection or winning a Gold Glove, $100,000 for League Championship Series MVP and $150,000 for World Series MVP.

Mikolas is scheduled to make the second opening-day start of his big league career next Thursday when the Cardinals host Toronto. Mikolas went 12-13 with a 3.29 ERA last season while helping St. Louis to the NL Central title.

“Miles stands among the top pitchers in the game today, and has continued to provide a steady presence for us both in the rotation and inside the clubhouse,” St. Louis general manager John Mozeliak said in a statement.

Mikolas is 45-40 with a 3.79 in 143 games with San Diego, Texas and St. Louis. He recently pitched six shutout innings in two appearances for the U.S. in the World Baseball Classic.