(http://jgeoghegan.com/KarachiDawn.png)
Karachi Squelches Rumors of Move to China
Two Players Sign Extensions
by Hasan Khan, Sports Editor (Karachi Dawn)
18 August 2104
Just prior to the Atlas Group purchasing the Karachi Flyers, it was rumored that the Pakistani government was coming under intense pressure from it counterparts in Beijing to facilitate the sale of the Falcons to Chinese interests in Shanghai. It seems the Chinese Communist Party bosses are quite upset that Korea, Japan, and Singapore have franchises in the Asian Division of the Intercontinental Baseball League (IBL) whereas China does not.
The Atlas Group released the following statement today:
“We cannot comment on what discussions or inquiries there might have been between the governments of Pakistan and China. We would obviously not have been privy to those discussions. However, we can unequivocally state that the Atlas Group is totally committed to keeping the Falcons franchise right where it belongs – in Karachi. We will NOT be moving.”
In the same statement, the team announced that a new team logo is being introduced, and new uniforms will be implemented as soon as League approval is forthcoming.
On a totally separate note, two Karachi players have signed contract extensions into the future:- The future status of Closer Myeong-hwan Lee (http://www.worldbaseballassociation.com/reports/news/html/players/player_1957.html) (pictured below left) has been a serious concern for management and fans alike. Arguably the only superstar under contract, Lee had a player option to continue as a Falcon next season, and there had been no word whether or not he intended to exercise that option or go the free agency route. That concern is now a thing of the past. Lee has signed a five year contract extension through 2110 that converts his player option for next season into a guaranteed contract year. Lee will earn $6.7 million per year starting in 2106 with 2110 being a team option with a buyout of $1.7 million.
- Pitcher Shuncho Kan (http://www.worldbaseballassociation.com/reports/news/html/players/player_1953.html) (pictured below right) was eligible for free agency come the end of the season. He has been the best Falcon starter this season and has been remarkably consistent over his five-year career in Karachi. Still, the team may have substantially overpaid Kan with the granting of a three-year extension at $5.2 million per year. Kan was a fourteenth round pick in the WBA inaugural draft back in 2100.
(http://jgeoghegan.com/lee.png) - (http://jgeoghegan.com/kan.png)