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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
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Pro Pitcher Claims|His Agents Blew a Save

HOUSTON (CN) - A pro baseball pitcher sued his agents for $1 million, claiming they never even told him about a lucrative offer from the Kia Tigers of South Korea.

Ramon Colon sued Hendricks Sports Management and his former agent Jason Smart Federal Court.

Colon, 33, is a 6-foot-6-inch, 245-lb. pitcher from the Dominican Republic.

According to the complaint: "On or about May 10, 2010 Smart and Hendricks acting as Ramon Colon's agent/representative negotiated a contract with the Kia Tigers for the 2010 Korean baseball season, in which Colon played from the months of May 2010-September 2010."

In November 2010, Colon says, Smart and Hendricks began negotiating his 2011 contract with the Kia Tigers, which gave him a "qualifying offer" equal to 75 percent of his 2010 contract.

"Due to Smart and Hendricks' oversight, Colon was never notified of the Kia Tigers' qualifying offer, resulting in the termination of his offer and his rights being retained by the Kia Tigers for five (5) additional years," the complaint states.

So, Colon says, he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers for $12,500 a month, "notwithstanding the fact that if he knew of the lucrative offer from the Kia Tigers he would have signed immediately."

Colon seeks damages for breach of fiduciary duty, negligence, negligent misrepresentation and breach of contract.

He is represented by Houston attorney Patrick Zummo and Adam Kenner with Wolf Law, of Miami.

Colon pitched for the Atlanta Braves, the Detroit Tigers and the Kansas City Royals before signing with the Kia Tigers, for whom he made 21 starts, going 8-7 with a 3.91 ERA.

He appeared in 26 games in 2011 for the Dodgers' Triple AAA affiliate, the Albuquerque Isotopes, then signed a Minor League deal this year with the Kansas City Royals.

The Royals called him up in June, but he chose free agency in October.

Colon made headlines in January 2008 when he pleaded no-contest to an assault charge stemming from a locker room brawl with a teammate.

Then playing for the Detroit Tigers' Triple AAA Toledo Mud Hens, Colon accidentally hit the team's closer, Jason Karnuth, in the face when Karnuth tried to stop the fight, and broke several bones in Karnuth's face, The Associated Press reported.

A judge sentenced Colon to 200 hours community service, teaching disabled children how to play baseball.

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