masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgOrioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette has issued the following statement regarding 17-year-old Korean pitcher Seong-Min Kim:

“On behalf of the Orioles organization, I offer a sincere apology to the Korea Baseball Organization and the Korea Baseball Association for the club’s unintentional breach of protocol in failing to tender a status check in the process of signing Seong-Min Kim. The Orioles respect Major League Baseball’s recruiting policies and the…Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette has issued the following statement regarding 17-year-old Korean pitcher Seong-Min Kim:

“On behalf of the Orioles organization, I offer a sincere apology to the Korea Baseball Organization and the Korea Baseball Association for the club’s unintentional breach of protocol in failing to tender a status check in the process of signing Seong-Min Kim. The Orioles respect Major League Baseball’s recruiting policies and the governing bodies and people that contribute to the growth of baseball around the world.”

The Orioles fully expect Kim to be at Twins Lakes Park. He’ll be part of the organization in 2012, no matter how long this controversy drags. That’s my statement.