True Stories of Korean Baseball

We get a season review of sorts from the Korea Times. This season doesn't feel nearly as miserable as last year for some reason, the writer disagrees with me. If you can't enjoy watching SK, Doosan or even Hanhwa, you just don't like baseball. Even Woori has shown flashes. Samsung and LG are just depressing teams to watch, made even more depressing by the fact that they're playing each other right now. KIA is just a trainwreck.

An article makes Yang Jun-hyeok's demotion official.

While the Dong-A Ilbo can't spell "baseball." Look at the headline.

LG 1, Samsung 0

There are some games that make you question why you're a fan. Last night was one of those games. With my beloved White Sox flying high and my fantasy team stuck in the toilet, I find myself actually getting worked up over my mediocre Lions. Slow down, Matt. It's just the KBO.

LG starting pitcher, Jeong Chan-heon(2.11 ERA, 3-2, 1.25 WHIP, this was only his 2nd start of the season) baffled Samsung for 7 innings(89 pitches, 54 strikes) while allowing only 2 hits and one walk. He struck out two. A lot of mile high popups and weak dribblers. Reliever, Jeong Jae-bok(2.21 ERA, 2-2 7 holds, 0.98 WHIP) tossed two scoreless to pick up the save.

Samsung pitching deserved better. The only LG run came on an error. If it weren't for that, we would now be in inning 502 of a 0-0 tie.

KIA 3, Lotte 2

The once mighty Giants tumble back to .500. Lotte had baserunners all night, they just couldn't break through. It seemed like every time they had a runner in scoring position, someone would pound the baseball right at a KIA fielder. Lotte banged out 11 hits and patiently waited for 6 walks. 17 baserunners in one game. A professional team should score more than 2 runs.

Lee Dae-ho(.347/.446/.569, 8 HR, 38 RBI) clubbed another homer for Lotte, while KIA's leadoff man, Lee Jong-beom(.313/.368/.396) went 3-3 with a walk and a run scored. Nothing else remotely interesting occurred in this game.

Hanhwa 5, Doosan 2

Talk about your epic meltdown. Doosan led 2-0 in the 9th, but their bullpen totally crapped the bed. After Lee Jae-woo(0.56 ERA, 3-0, 1 save, 8 holds, 0.91 WHIP) surrendered the first run in the 9th, Closer, Jeong Jae-hun(6.10 ERA, 8 saves, 1.35 WHIP), came on to nail the game down. He didn't even finish the inning. He allowed 4 runs on 3 hits and a walk. When the dust cleared, Hanhwa held a three-run lead. Hanhwa closer, Brad Thomas(3.00 ERA, 9 saves, 1.21 WHIP), recorded three quick outs in the 9th. Doosan was too stunned to mount a fake rally.

Game balls go to Doosan's Kim Dong-ju(.300/.422/.538, 9 HR, 31 RBI) Kim went 1-2 with a homer, 2 RBI, one run scored and a walk. Hanhwa's Han Sang-hun(.155/.223/.175 in 103 AB's, wow, Andy "T.Clown" Gonzalez doesn't look so bad) went 2-3 with two RBI and a walk. His two RBI came on a triple that proved to be the key hit in the inning.

SK 10, Woori 9 (11)

This game took five hours. Seriously. I was home looking for a good movie when I discovered this game was still going on. If I was watching live, I would committed suicide by swallowing my hat.

The two teams combined to use 16(!) pitchers. Let's see, two teams, 11 innings, 16 pitchers, that's a new pitcher after every 4 outs.

Kim Kwang-hyeon(2.59 ERA, 6-2, 1.38 ERA) actually started for SK, but he was clobbered and chased before the 4th inning. The final line on Kim was 3 innings(75 pitches, 49 strikes) allowing 4 runs on 7 hits and one walk. He only struck out 3.

The game was tied 7-7 at the end of regulation. It wasn't until the 11th inning that anything happened. Woori reliever, Kim Yeong-min(1st appearance and he's only 20), simply ran out of gas in the 11th. SK leadoff man, Jeong Gun-woo(.271/.337/.355) clubbed a 3-run bomb to give SK the lead. Jeong went 2-6 with 5 RBI, 1 run scored and 1 SB, earning him the Mr. Everything award for SK. Woori somehow found the energy to mount a fake rally in the bottom of the 11th. Woori's, Song Ji-man(.325/.366/.508) came off the bench to club a two-run bomb off of SK reliever, Jeong Woo-ram(2.42 ERA, 2 saves, 11 holds, 1.00 WHIP), but two runs were all they could muster.

There really weren't any ridiculous stat lines in this one from either team. Way back in the first inning Cliff Brumbaugh(.311/.431/.520, 8 HR, 34 RBI) swatted another homerun. He finished the game 2-3 with 2 RBI, 2 runs scored and 3 walks.