The South Korea player, after receiving no calls from the K-League, started his professional career in Japan with Kyoto Purple in 2000.

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The increase isn't unprecedented the major league K-rate rose by around 33% between 1951 and 1960 but it is disorienting.

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But stakeholders in the U.K.'s Premier League--20 soccer clubs--will not be happy.

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While athletes who compete regularly throughout the year with only limited events located within the U.K., such as Spanish-league soccer players, benefited from a low allocation percentage, this methodology served to disproportionately punish those athletes who competed on an infrequent basis.

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But the Merseysiders are top of Europa League Group K after they earned a 0-0 draw against Napoli on Thursday.

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If you divide individual rate by league rate, though, it comes out that he's striking out a third more hitters than average impressive, but no better than what Brett Myers did with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2005, and nothing close to what Gooden did at 19, when his K-rate was more than twice as high as the league's.

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In Group K, Romania's CFR Cluj -- who impressed in the Champions League last season -- won 2-0 at home to Danish side Copenhagen with second-half goals from Juan Culio and substitute Lacina Traore.

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