Lotte 9, Hanwha 8
The story for this one was Lee Dae-ho. Lotte's slugging third baseman picked up his first homer of the '08 season while going 2-5 with 5 RBI and two runs scored.
Karim Garcia also picked up his first KBO homer in the 7th inning. Garcia was 1-4 with 3 RBI and one run scored on the day.
Ma Hae-yong also went deep for Lotte.
Lotte starter Marty McCleary cruised through the first two inning of his KBO debut, but he ran into trouble in the 3rd after being staked to a 5-0 lead. The final line on McCleary was 5 innings with 2 K's, while allowing 6 hits, 2 walks and surrending 7 runs.
Hanwha starter Cheong Min-cheol was about equally as effective. Cheong only lasted 4 2/3 innings while giving up 5 runs on 8 hits with one walk.
Homeruns were also the story for Hanwha. Lee Beom-ho connected twice for Hanwha. His final line on the day was 2-4, with three RBI's and two runs scored. Kim Tae-won also went deep.
Doosan 4, Woori 1
After getting washed out yesterday, the Heroes and the Bears were finally able to fit one in today.
Gary Rath got the nod for Doosan and he pitched just well enough to keep Our Heroes off the scoreboard. He's not going to blow anyone away, but he can change speeds and work both sides of the plate as well as anyone else in the KBO. He was able to keep Woori off the scoreboard for 5 1/3 innings while giving up 8 hits and walking one. He did manage to record one strike out.
Woori didn't play any aspect of baseball particularly well. They managed to bang out 11 hits, but couldn't plate anyone until the 8th. Song Ji-man drove in their only run on a sacrifice. They also committed two errors and couldn't keep Doosan off the scoreboard. It could be a long year for Woori fans, all twelve of them.
Lee Dae-su clubbed his first homer of the season. On the day, Lee was 2-3 with two RBI, one run scored and one walk. His two run blast in the second proved to be all Doosan would need today.
Samsung 3, KIA 0
The story of this one was hits. KIA had a hard time getting any of them. Jeon Byeong-ho, Kwon Hyeok, Ahn Ji-man and Oh Seung-hwan combined to allow only two hits and 3 walks while striking out only one. A lot of lazy flies and quick grounders in this one.
Samsung was staked to a 1-0 lead on a 3rd inning homerun by Park Jin-man. Samsung busted the game open in the 9th with a pinch-hit, two RBI single by Park Seok-min.
LG 3, SK 1
Bong Jung-Geun was the story for LG. He went 7 2/3 strong innings, striking out 7 while only allowing one run on 4 hits and three walks. Even after he was lifted in the 8th, SK still couldn't mount an offensive attack. Reliever Woo Gyu-min shut the door tight during his 1 1/3 innings of work. He only allowed one hit.
SK's lone run came on a solo homerun by Park Jae-Hong in the 7th.
LG scored all three runs off of SK starter, Kim Kwang-hyeon. Kim only lasted 2 2/3 innings and was punished with 3 runs on 6 hits and one walk.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Season Preview from the Korea Times
Link.
It's essentially a fluff piece, but it's a nice primer for new fans of the KBO.
I'm also tossing in my predictions for this year, my completely biased predictions based not on stats, but on what I've observed this offseason and my limited knowledge of the teams playing. Here goes nothing!
1. SK- I like these guys to repeat.
2. Samsung- Too much money and too much talent not to be in the mix this year.
3. Lotte - I like Jerry Royster and I like their roster.
4. KIA
5. Doosan - they'll miss Rios more than they think they will.
6. LG
7. Hanwha - They'll miss Cruz's bat and I don't think Ryu Hyeon-jin will be as effective as he's been in the past.
8. Woori - Unhappy players and penny pinching management are not a good mix for a successful season.
It's essentially a fluff piece, but it's a nice primer for new fans of the KBO.
I'm also tossing in my predictions for this year, my completely biased predictions based not on stats, but on what I've observed this offseason and my limited knowledge of the teams playing. Here goes nothing!
1. SK- I like these guys to repeat.
2. Samsung- Too much money and too much talent not to be in the mix this year.
3. Lotte - I like Jerry Royster and I like their roster.
4. KIA
5. Doosan - they'll miss Rios more than they think they will.
6. LG
7. Hanwha - They'll miss Cruz's bat and I don't think Ryu Hyeon-jin will be as effective as he's been in the past.
8. Woori - Unhappy players and penny pinching management are not a good mix for a successful season.
3/29 Scores and Roundup
The Doosan/Woori game was rained out.
No make up date has been announced, but it will probably be sometime in late August or early September.
Lotte 11, Hanwha 1
Hanwha ace, Ryu Hyeon-jin, got off to a rocky start. He struggled with command for most of the game. The final line on Ryu was 5 innings(mercifully lifted at only 100 pitches, 49 for strikes), he struck out 4, but allowed 6 hits and 7(1) walks.
Lotte ace, Son Min-han, was very effective on Saturday. He managed to keep Hanwha off balance for most of the game. He lasted 6 2/3 innings while striking out two. He allowed 5 hits and only 1 BB.
The story at the plate was Lee Dae-ho's 4-5 day and the 6-7-8-9 hitters for Lotte going a combined 8-16 with 4 walks and homeruns by Kang Min-ho and Cheong Bo-Myeong.
Jerry Royster picked up his first KBO victory as manager in the 11-1 romp over Hanwha.
Karim Garcia was 0-3 with 2 walks and 1 K in his debut for Lotte. While, Doug Clark was 0-3 with 1 walk and a strike out for Hanwha.
Samsung 4, KIA 3
Jose Lima's KBO career got off to a rough start on Saturday. The former 21 game winner struggled with control in the first inning. He allowed a seeing eye basehit to leadoff man, Park Han-yi and a double down the line to Shin Myeong-Cheol. Both were scored on RBI groundouts.
The final line for Lima was 5 2/3 innings with 1 K while allowing 8 hits and two walks. He was lifted in the 6th after allowing the tying run to score.
Samsung tacked on the winning run in the 8th and 9th inning hammer, Oh Seung-hwan closed the door on Lotte.
SK 5, LG 4
It took SK and LG 11 innings to decide a winner on Saturday. The tie was broken when SK's Cheong Sang-ho connected for a walk-off homerun in the bottom of the 11th.
SK Ace, Kenny Rayburn, looked anything but an ace on Saturday. He only lasted 3 innings and allowed all 4 LG runs. He allowed 5 hits and two walks while striking out 1.
No make up date has been announced, but it will probably be sometime in late August or early September.
Lotte 11, Hanwha 1
Hanwha ace, Ryu Hyeon-jin, got off to a rocky start. He struggled with command for most of the game. The final line on Ryu was 5 innings(mercifully lifted at only 100 pitches, 49 for strikes), he struck out 4, but allowed 6 hits and 7(1) walks.
Lotte ace, Son Min-han, was very effective on Saturday. He managed to keep Hanwha off balance for most of the game. He lasted 6 2/3 innings while striking out two. He allowed 5 hits and only 1 BB.
The story at the plate was Lee Dae-ho's 4-5 day and the 6-7-8-9 hitters for Lotte going a combined 8-16 with 4 walks and homeruns by Kang Min-ho and Cheong Bo-Myeong.
Jerry Royster picked up his first KBO victory as manager in the 11-1 romp over Hanwha.
Karim Garcia was 0-3 with 2 walks and 1 K in his debut for Lotte. While, Doug Clark was 0-3 with 1 walk and a strike out for Hanwha.
Samsung 4, KIA 3
Jose Lima's KBO career got off to a rough start on Saturday. The former 21 game winner struggled with control in the first inning. He allowed a seeing eye basehit to leadoff man, Park Han-yi and a double down the line to Shin Myeong-Cheol. Both were scored on RBI groundouts.
The final line for Lima was 5 2/3 innings with 1 K while allowing 8 hits and two walks. He was lifted in the 6th after allowing the tying run to score.
Samsung tacked on the winning run in the 8th and 9th inning hammer, Oh Seung-hwan closed the door on Lotte.
SK 5, LG 4
It took SK and LG 11 innings to decide a winner on Saturday. The tie was broken when SK's Cheong Sang-ho connected for a walk-off homerun in the bottom of the 11th.
SK Ace, Kenny Rayburn, looked anything but an ace on Saturday. He only lasted 3 innings and allowed all 4 LG runs. He allowed 5 hits and two walks while striking out 1.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
A Style Guide to Korean Baseball
Jerry Seinfeld once said when it comes to baseball "we're rooting for laundry." I, for one, have always been a big fan of the laundry. I grew up in Chicago. I've been a White Sox fan since I reached the age of reason(roughly 12) and I freely admit that at least some small part in my decision was due to the change in uniform. A bigger part of it was the guy who wore that jersey for the majority of his career, but that's another story for another blog.
Now, I'm living and working in Korea. Watching the KBO as much as possible. I miss MLB and I have no problem supporting the local product. I've also found myself drawn away from and to some of the laundry that runs around on the field.
Without further ado, Matt's completely unofficial uni rankings for the 2008 season.
8. Woori Heroes - Other than shady business practices, the only thing these guys will lead the league in is ugly uniforms. I hate the color scheme and I have no idea what the logo is supposed to be. At least the Hyundai Unicorns go to walk around in these.
7. Kia Tigers - If ever there was a look that needed updating, it's this one. Just not much going on. The only thing keeping them from #8 is Woori's ugly uni's and KIA's strong design on the hats. The hat is the only thing remotely intruiging about this design. The home uni's just scream "Boring!" It's nothing I haven't seen a thousand times before, but hey, at least they having a little red piping to shake things up. The bloodclot road uni's are also nothing terrific. Between the chest patch, the numbers, the numbers on the pants and the two sleeve patches, this just looks a little too busy.
6. Samsung Lions - If this were last year, I would have put my beloved Samsung Lions dead last. Last year, they were sporting a dull, antiquated design that matched the sluggish effort I watched all year. We've got last years' home uni here and road uni here. Blech. I hate pullovers. There has been a redesign this year, but the design has only marginally improved the overall look. They've gone to a button down design and a new hat. I'll take a new SL design over the old S design any day of the week. Also, bonus points for the city patch they'd usually wear.
5. LG Twins - Not an awful look, but they're not terribly exciting. Bonus points for a nice looking hat design and numbers on the hip.
4. Doosan Bears - I really dig the home uni's. The balance between the patch on the right and the numbers on the left makes for a nice design. The reason they're ranked number 4 is for the funky colors on the road uni. If only someone could talk them into matching purple pants. If they ever did that, they'd go to the top of the list.
3. Hanwha Eagles - Doosan and Hanwha probably shouldn't be this high, but I like the fact that they're willing to go with some different colors. Both teams have managed to stay away from the cookie cutter red, blue or black pattern that some teams follow. The home whites are a fairly clean design. Last year, the team was rocking patches on both shoulders! It didn't look that awful. The road oranges are definitely different. The piping(panels?) on the shoulder are a little much, but without them, I think the uni would look quite boring.
2. Lotte Giants - Their home and road uni's are a classic design, but they're fairly similar that one team that plays in Tokyo. I think they could use a sleeve patch, but I like the overall look of the uni. The numbers on the front are a nice touch. They give the uni a more complete look.
The main reason they're this high is for this alternate that they wear. It's a color scheme that isn't often seen on the diamond in Korea. It's a razor sharp look.
1. SK Wyverns - Just a simple, classic look. The piping really makes this jersey come together. Also, they've always gone with the buttoned down look instead of the loathsome 70's and 80's pullover. It's just a clean professional look. A case could be made for adding a number to the front, but I think that might make it look cluttered. Bonus points for these. I love the fact that they have a city alternate.
Now, I'm living and working in Korea. Watching the KBO as much as possible. I miss MLB and I have no problem supporting the local product. I've also found myself drawn away from and to some of the laundry that runs around on the field.
Without further ado, Matt's completely unofficial uni rankings for the 2008 season.
8. Woori Heroes - Other than shady business practices, the only thing these guys will lead the league in is ugly uniforms. I hate the color scheme and I have no idea what the logo is supposed to be. At least the Hyundai Unicorns go to walk around in these.
7. Kia Tigers - If ever there was a look that needed updating, it's this one. Just not much going on. The only thing keeping them from #8 is Woori's ugly uni's and KIA's strong design on the hats. The hat is the only thing remotely intruiging about this design. The home uni's just scream "Boring!" It's nothing I haven't seen a thousand times before, but hey, at least they having a little red piping to shake things up. The bloodclot road uni's are also nothing terrific. Between the chest patch, the numbers, the numbers on the pants and the two sleeve patches, this just looks a little too busy.
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6. Samsung Lions - If this were last year, I would have put my beloved Samsung Lions dead last. Last year, they were sporting a dull, antiquated design that matched the sluggish effort I watched all year. We've got last years' home uni here and road uni here. Blech. I hate pullovers. There has been a redesign this year, but the design has only marginally improved the overall look. They've gone to a button down design and a new hat. I'll take a new SL design over the old S design any day of the week. Also, bonus points for the city patch they'd usually wear.
5. LG Twins - Not an awful look, but they're not terribly exciting. Bonus points for a nice looking hat design and numbers on the hip.
4. Doosan Bears - I really dig the home uni's. The balance between the patch on the right and the numbers on the left makes for a nice design. The reason they're ranked number 4 is for the funky colors on the road uni. If only someone could talk them into matching purple pants. If they ever did that, they'd go to the top of the list.
3. Hanwha Eagles - Doosan and Hanwha probably shouldn't be this high, but I like the fact that they're willing to go with some different colors. Both teams have managed to stay away from the cookie cutter red, blue or black pattern that some teams follow. The home whites are a fairly clean design. Last year, the team was rocking patches on both shoulders! It didn't look that awful. The road oranges are definitely different. The piping(panels?) on the shoulder are a little much, but without them, I think the uni would look quite boring.
2. Lotte Giants - Their home and road uni's are a classic design, but they're fairly similar that one team that plays in Tokyo. I think they could use a sleeve patch, but I like the overall look of the uni. The numbers on the front are a nice touch. They give the uni a more complete look.
The main reason they're this high is for this alternate that they wear. It's a color scheme that isn't often seen on the diamond in Korea. It's a razor sharp look.
1. SK Wyverns - Just a simple, classic look. The piping really makes this jersey come together. Also, they've always gone with the buttoned down look instead of the loathsome 70's and 80's pullover. It's just a clean professional look. A case could be made for adding a number to the front, but I think that might make it look cluttered. Bonus points for these. I love the fact that they have a city alternate.
Monday, March 17, 2008
The League of Ex-Pats: Draft Recap
Yesterday, the East Windup Chronicle Fantasy League conducted its draft. This was the largest and longest draft I've ever been a part of. The league has twenty members and the draft went for 22 rounds.
Just a quick recap of my team and where I think I currently stand in the league.
Catcher - Kenji Johjima, Seattle Mariners. I like Kenji and I wanted at least one of my guys to be of Asian decent. I worry about his lack of OBP, but I'm willing to sacrifice for some power production from my catcher. In a 20 man league, you need all the production you can get.
First base - Carlos Pena, Tampa Bay Rays. I was thrilled to get Big Carlos. I missed out on Howard and Fielder in the first round and I was hoping Texiera would be around in the 2nd, he went a few picks before mine. So, I snapped up Carlos in the 3rd round.
Second Base - Howie Kendrick, Los Angeles Angels. Another guy I was happy to get. I admit, I might've taken him a round or two early, but I was starting to get nervous after someone took a reach on Kelly Johnson. I think this is the year he puts together a full season.
Shortstop- Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies. After missing out on the thumpers in the first two rounds, I was faced with a decision at pick #27. I boiled it down to this, Justin Morneau, Tulo, Victor Martinez or Magglio. I went with the best IF available and took Pena in the 3rd round to get my thumper.
Third base- Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays - This one is starting to worry me a little. He has all the talent in the world and he's having a great spring, but will he get the AB's during the 162 games that matter? I think so, but I have no idea what Rays management is thinking. He could be a steal or a bust. Guys like him are usually busts. I'll have to watch this one closely.
Outfield -
Grady Sizemore, Cleveland Indians. I missed out on the first round thumpers and Johan Santana went right in front of me. I chose to go with the guy that could help me in the most categories and took Grady.
Jermaine Dye, Chicago White Sox. That's right I get to watch Yer Main Guy! all year. He's a safe pick. You're getting, at minimum, 350. OBA 450 SLG with about 25 homers. He had an .803 OPS last year and that was a bad year. I think the Sox will surprise people.
Jason Kubel, Minnesota Twins. Another boom or bust pick. This is a guy that two years ago was about to put it together. Then he got hurt and lost 1 1/2 seasons to injury. Now he's healthy and protecting two of the best young hitters in the game. Big RBI potential and big suckage potential.
Utility guy - Ryan Garko. Is there any way he doesn't bang out 30 this year? He's a DH/1B in a potent lineup. I just see him as terribly underrated right now.
Bench- Asdrubal Cabrera, Nate Mclouth and Elijah Dukes. I wanted Lastings Milledge, but I waited too long. Elijah is worth taking a flyer on and he allows me to use words like "dawg, "dayum" and "biyatch," all year long when talking about fantasy baseball. Plus my team has instant street cred. A rep goes a long way in fantasy baseball. I like Asdrubal because he's got speed, a good bat and qualifies at two positions. I was a little upset that I waited too long on Yunel Escobar, he's going to be a beast. McClouth is a one and a half category guy. He's a stolen base machine(He's been caught stealing TWICE in over 700 ABs), plus he's adequate at getting on base. He'll surprise a lot of people this year.
My pitching staff...I wish I had more depth, but I think everyone in the league is saying that right now. My ace is Yovani Gallardo. I snagged him in the 7th round with pick 134. It sounds like he's fully recovered from his knee surgery and should be good to go by mid April. I also picked up Randy Johnson. I think the Unit still has something left in the tank. He's playing for a young and hungry Dbacks team and all the reports have been positive. I'm holding my breath with these two. If both pan out, Matt's a genius. If they both bomb I'll know it soon enough that I could do something about it. I also added Boof Bonser in the 15th(pick 294!). He's dropped the weight and sounds like a man on a mission to be more than just a painfully silly name. I also added Jon Garland and John Danks. I like Danks even though no one else does. Garland has at least two fans other than myself.
My bullpen I actually like. I grabbed a top a closer in the 4th round(pick 67). I'm the proud owner of K-Rod in a contract year. Awesome. I also added Troy Percival. Everyone likes the Rays this year. I've heard projections as high as 89 wins. If they do that, Percival will be a big part of it. Does anyone else think Troy is going to pitch for a ridiculous amount of time? I just get that vibe from him. Why take a job with the Rays for just one year. I could see him winning a World Series and retiring after throwing the last pitch or I could see him sticking around for another decade. Those are the only two options. For sentimental purposes and for practical purposes, I grabbed Flash Gordon. Flash! ah! Ah! King of the Impossible! He's "Lights Out" Lidge's setup guy in Philly. He'll be closing by May. I also added a grizzled vet(Mike Timlin) and a guy with a teriffic porn name and fastball(Joey Devine).
I like my team a lot on paper, but I don't remember anything being won on paper. My team needs some tweaking, but I think I'll be in the top ten come September.
Just a quick recap of my team and where I think I currently stand in the league.
Catcher - Kenji Johjima, Seattle Mariners. I like Kenji and I wanted at least one of my guys to be of Asian decent. I worry about his lack of OBP, but I'm willing to sacrifice for some power production from my catcher. In a 20 man league, you need all the production you can get.
First base - Carlos Pena, Tampa Bay Rays. I was thrilled to get Big Carlos. I missed out on Howard and Fielder in the first round and I was hoping Texiera would be around in the 2nd, he went a few picks before mine. So, I snapped up Carlos in the 3rd round.
Second Base - Howie Kendrick, Los Angeles Angels. Another guy I was happy to get. I admit, I might've taken him a round or two early, but I was starting to get nervous after someone took a reach on Kelly Johnson. I think this is the year he puts together a full season.
Shortstop- Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies. After missing out on the thumpers in the first two rounds, I was faced with a decision at pick #27. I boiled it down to this, Justin Morneau, Tulo, Victor Martinez or Magglio. I went with the best IF available and took Pena in the 3rd round to get my thumper.
Third base- Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays - This one is starting to worry me a little. He has all the talent in the world and he's having a great spring, but will he get the AB's during the 162 games that matter? I think so, but I have no idea what Rays management is thinking. He could be a steal or a bust. Guys like him are usually busts. I'll have to watch this one closely.
Outfield -
Grady Sizemore, Cleveland Indians. I missed out on the first round thumpers and Johan Santana went right in front of me. I chose to go with the guy that could help me in the most categories and took Grady.
Jermaine Dye, Chicago White Sox. That's right I get to watch Yer Main Guy! all year. He's a safe pick. You're getting, at minimum, 350. OBA 450 SLG with about 25 homers. He had an .803 OPS last year and that was a bad year. I think the Sox will surprise people.
Jason Kubel, Minnesota Twins. Another boom or bust pick. This is a guy that two years ago was about to put it together. Then he got hurt and lost 1 1/2 seasons to injury. Now he's healthy and protecting two of the best young hitters in the game. Big RBI potential and big suckage potential.
Utility guy - Ryan Garko. Is there any way he doesn't bang out 30 this year? He's a DH/1B in a potent lineup. I just see him as terribly underrated right now.
Bench- Asdrubal Cabrera, Nate Mclouth and Elijah Dukes. I wanted Lastings Milledge, but I waited too long. Elijah is worth taking a flyer on and he allows me to use words like "dawg, "dayum" and "biyatch," all year long when talking about fantasy baseball. Plus my team has instant street cred. A rep goes a long way in fantasy baseball. I like Asdrubal because he's got speed, a good bat and qualifies at two positions. I was a little upset that I waited too long on Yunel Escobar, he's going to be a beast. McClouth is a one and a half category guy. He's a stolen base machine(He's been caught stealing TWICE in over 700 ABs), plus he's adequate at getting on base. He'll surprise a lot of people this year.
My pitching staff...I wish I had more depth, but I think everyone in the league is saying that right now. My ace is Yovani Gallardo. I snagged him in the 7th round with pick 134. It sounds like he's fully recovered from his knee surgery and should be good to go by mid April. I also picked up Randy Johnson. I think the Unit still has something left in the tank. He's playing for a young and hungry Dbacks team and all the reports have been positive. I'm holding my breath with these two. If both pan out, Matt's a genius. If they both bomb I'll know it soon enough that I could do something about it. I also added Boof Bonser in the 15th(pick 294!). He's dropped the weight and sounds like a man on a mission to be more than just a painfully silly name. I also added Jon Garland and John Danks. I like Danks even though no one else does. Garland has at least two fans other than myself.
My bullpen I actually like. I grabbed a top a closer in the 4th round(pick 67). I'm the proud owner of K-Rod in a contract year. Awesome. I also added Troy Percival. Everyone likes the Rays this year. I've heard projections as high as 89 wins. If they do that, Percival will be a big part of it. Does anyone else think Troy is going to pitch for a ridiculous amount of time? I just get that vibe from him. Why take a job with the Rays for just one year. I could see him winning a World Series and retiring after throwing the last pitch or I could see him sticking around for another decade. Those are the only two options. For sentimental purposes and for practical purposes, I grabbed Flash Gordon. Flash! ah! Ah! King of the Impossible! He's "Lights Out" Lidge's setup guy in Philly. He'll be closing by May. I also added a grizzled vet(Mike Timlin) and a guy with a teriffic porn name and fastball(Joey Devine).
I like my team a lot on paper, but I don't remember anything being won on paper. My team needs some tweaking, but I think I'll be in the top ten come September.
Korea Tops Taiwan, on to Beijing
Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Game 7
Korea 4, Taiwan 3
This game was essentially a formality. Both teams had their spots in the Olympics already secured. The only thing at stake was regional pride.
Before the game started both teams shook hands on the field. It was a lot like the Scots meeting the Irish in Braveheart. There wasn't any animosity like there is for a meeting between Korea and Japan or Taiwan and China. It felt like two neighbors meeting to play a game and that's exactly what happened. It was nice to see sportsmanship during an international contest.
At the plate...
The key to Korea's offense was Taiwan's pourous defense. In the first inning, third baseman Lin Yi-chuan, made two errors that lead to a Korean rally. Lin seemed to be barely aware that a baseball game was ocurring in front of him.
Lee Seung-yeop continued his hot streak, going 2-3 with a double.
On the mound...
19 year old, Kim Kwang-hyun showed a lot of guts. He got off to a rocky start. Taiwan was able to strike for two runs in the first, but Kim was able to settle down and hang on to get the W. He worked into and out of trouble for most of the game. Taiwan was excellent at getting runners on, but unable to plate them. The final line for Kim was 5 innings, 6 K's while allowing 3 runs(all earned) and 5 hits.
Korea 4, Taiwan 3
This game was essentially a formality. Both teams had their spots in the Olympics already secured. The only thing at stake was regional pride.
Before the game started both teams shook hands on the field. It was a lot like the Scots meeting the Irish in Braveheart. There wasn't any animosity like there is for a meeting between Korea and Japan or Taiwan and China. It felt like two neighbors meeting to play a game and that's exactly what happened. It was nice to see sportsmanship during an international contest.
At the plate...
The key to Korea's offense was Taiwan's pourous defense. In the first inning, third baseman Lin Yi-chuan, made two errors that lead to a Korean rally. Lin seemed to be barely aware that a baseball game was ocurring in front of him.
Lee Seung-yeop continued his hot streak, going 2-3 with a double.
On the mound...
19 year old, Kim Kwang-hyun showed a lot of guts. He got off to a rocky start. Taiwan was able to strike for two runs in the first, but Kim was able to settle down and hang on to get the W. He worked into and out of trouble for most of the game. Taiwan was excellent at getting runners on, but unable to plate them. The final line for Kim was 5 innings, 6 K's while allowing 3 runs(all earned) and 5 hits.
9th Inning Rally Falls Short, Korea Loses to Canada
Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Game Six
Canada 4, South Korea 3
I honestly can't find a link anywhere to this one. Not even a box score. This link to the Taipei Times is the best I can do.
The story was essentially this, Ryu Hyeon-jin didn't look very sharp. He was roughed up for three in the first inning.
Canada was able to keep the big bats in check. Lee Seung-yeop and Lee Dae-ho were a combined 1-7 with no RBI on the day. Down 4-1, the Korean team did mount a comeback in the 9th with a 2-run rally, but ultimately fell short. With the W, Canada clinched a trip to Beijing in the summer.
Canada 4, South Korea 3
I honestly can't find a link anywhere to this one. Not even a box score. This link to the Taipei Times is the best I can do.
The story was essentially this, Ryu Hyeon-jin didn't look very sharp. He was roughed up for three in the first inning.
Canada was able to keep the big bats in check. Lee Seung-yeop and Lee Dae-ho were a combined 1-7 with no RBI on the day. Down 4-1, the Korean team did mount a comeback in the 9th with a 2-run rally, but ultimately fell short. With the W, Canada clinched a trip to Beijing in the summer.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Korea Clinches A Spot In the Olympics!!!
Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Game 5
South Korea 12, Germany 1
With the victory, Korea has clinched a spot in the Olympics. It looks like Taiwan and Canada will claim the other two.
At the plate....
Lee Seung-yeop has absolutely torched international pitching this spring. He went 2-3 with 3 more RBI against an overmatched German squad. Lee Yong-gyu went 3-4 with 3 runs scored and has been a major catalyst for the Koreans throughout the tournament.
On the mound....
Son Min-han was awesome again. He went 6 strong innings in this one, giving up only one run and striking out 6. There isn't much to report on the bullpen. Woo Gyu-min worked a 1-2-3 7th to secure the slaughter.
South Korea 12, Germany 1
With the victory, Korea has clinched a spot in the Olympics. It looks like Taiwan and Canada will claim the other two.
At the plate....
Lee Seung-yeop has absolutely torched international pitching this spring. He went 2-3 with 3 more RBI against an overmatched German squad. Lee Yong-gyu went 3-4 with 3 runs scored and has been a major catalyst for the Koreans throughout the tournament.
On the mound....
Son Min-han was awesome again. He went 6 strong innings in this one, giving up only one run and striking out 6. There isn't much to report on the bullpen. Woo Gyu-min worked a 1-2-3 7th to secure the slaughter.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Per KoreaBeat....
If this happened in the US it would likely be the scandal of the year.
Former KBO star, Lee Ho-seong was found floating in the Han River in Seoul this morning. He was wanted on suspicion of murdering a woman he was dating and her 3 daughters.
He was a member of the Haitai Tigers(Now KIA) for twelve years. He helped the Tigers to 4 Korean Series Championships during his twelve years with the Tigers.
He's been retired since after the 2001 season and has been dogged by shady business practices since then. Hat tip to the Joonang Daily. "Lee retired after the 2001 season, opening a wedding business in Gwangju that failed in 2003. He also planned an off-track betting business that never took off. In 2005 he was arrested on charges of investment fraud. Two months later, he was released on bail, but was dodging debt collectors. He was still facing fraud charges when he died."
Let's review. Baseball player? Check. Criminal? Check. Murderer? Check. And finally, coward. Big check.
If this happened in the US it would likely be the scandal of the year.
Former KBO star, Lee Ho-seong was found floating in the Han River in Seoul this morning. He was wanted on suspicion of murdering a woman he was dating and her 3 daughters.
He was a member of the Haitai Tigers(Now KIA) for twelve years. He helped the Tigers to 4 Korean Series Championships during his twelve years with the Tigers.
He's been retired since after the 2001 season and has been dogged by shady business practices since then. Hat tip to the Joonang Daily. "Lee retired after the 2001 season, opening a wedding business in Gwangju that failed in 2003. He also planned an off-track betting business that never took off. In 2005 he was arrested on charges of investment fraud. Two months later, he was released on bail, but was dodging debt collectors. He was still facing fraud charges when he died."
Let's review. Baseball player? Check. Criminal? Check. Murderer? Check. And finally, coward. Big check.
The Hits Keep On Comin'! Korea Clobbers Spain
Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Game 4
South Korea 14, Spain 5
Honestly, given the way the Korean team has played, I thought this would be another 10 run slaughter. The biggest suprise of this game was that Spain managed five runs of a Korean pitching staff that has been especially stingy. Korea had allowed only 3 runs in the previous three games heading into this match up.
At the plate....
This was your typical "Get Away Day" lineup heading into today's off day. Most of the regulars either sat this one out or played limited roles. The most memorable instance(for me) of this in Major League Baseball was Jerry Manuel with the Chicago White Sox in 2003. The day before the Sox had an off day it always seemed like Manuel went out of his way to find the worst lineup combination possible.
2nd baseman, Ko Yong-min continued to batter international pitching. He went 3-4 with 4 RBI and 2 runs scored. While Kim Ju-Chan filled in at first for Lee Seung-yeop and went 4-4 with 1 RBI and 3 runs scored. Speaking of Lee, he made a pinch hit cameo in the 8th inning and belted a 2 run bomb. In the tournement, Lee has gone 7-12 with 2 homers and 9(!) RBI.
On the mound....
Not much to mention here. Kim Sun-woo got the start. He worked 4 strong innings before getting into trouble in the 5th. It is worth noting that Spain managed to bang out 11 hits.
It sounds like things got a little chippy in the Canada/Taiwan matchup. For a recap check out Jackson Broder at the Taipei Times.
The game also featured a guy named Stubby Clapp. I'm convinced Jackson made up the name just to see if anyone was reading.
South Korea 14, Spain 5
Honestly, given the way the Korean team has played, I thought this would be another 10 run slaughter. The biggest suprise of this game was that Spain managed five runs of a Korean pitching staff that has been especially stingy. Korea had allowed only 3 runs in the previous three games heading into this match up.
At the plate....
This was your typical "Get Away Day" lineup heading into today's off day. Most of the regulars either sat this one out or played limited roles. The most memorable instance(for me) of this in Major League Baseball was Jerry Manuel with the Chicago White Sox in 2003. The day before the Sox had an off day it always seemed like Manuel went out of his way to find the worst lineup combination possible.
2nd baseman, Ko Yong-min continued to batter international pitching. He went 3-4 with 4 RBI and 2 runs scored. While Kim Ju-Chan filled in at first for Lee Seung-yeop and went 4-4 with 1 RBI and 3 runs scored. Speaking of Lee, he made a pinch hit cameo in the 8th inning and belted a 2 run bomb. In the tournement, Lee has gone 7-12 with 2 homers and 9(!) RBI.
On the mound....
Not much to mention here. Kim Sun-woo got the start. He worked 4 strong innings before getting into trouble in the 5th. It is worth noting that Spain managed to bang out 11 hits.
It sounds like things got a little chippy in the Canada/Taiwan matchup. For a recap check out Jackson Broder at the Taipei Times.
The game also featured a guy named Stubby Clapp. I'm convinced Jackson made up the name just to see if anyone was reading.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Korea Shuts Down Mexico
Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Game 3
South Korea 6, Mexico 1
Hat tip to the East Windup Chronicle. I guess the Korea Times and the Korea Herald couldn't be bothered to post a recap. I guess they were too busy putting the finishes touches on an 82 article series about foreigners doing something, somewhere.
At the plate....
The story was more of the same for Korea. Drawing walks, hitting the ball well, ho-hum. Seriously, these guys look as sharp as I've seen them in the last two years. They're playing as a team. Everything starts at the top. The top two hitters in the lineup, usually Lee Yong-gyu, Ko Yong-min and Lee Jung-wook have been getting on base and the thumpers(Lee Seung-yeop and Lee Dae-ho) have been plating them. Lee Yong-gyu reached base four times. Lee Seung-yeop and Lee Dae-ho drove in two runs apiece.
On the mound....
Starter Kim Kwang-hyun looked poised and ready. He was appeared a bit flustered after allowing a homer to Miguel Ojeda, but he quickly regained his composure and continued mowing down batters. The final line on Kim was 6 innings with 5 K's and no walks. The homerun he allowed was the only run he surrendered.
South Korea 6, Mexico 1
Hat tip to the East Windup Chronicle. I guess the Korea Times and the Korea Herald couldn't be bothered to post a recap. I guess they were too busy putting the finishes touches on an 82 article series about foreigners doing something, somewhere.
At the plate....
The story was more of the same for Korea. Drawing walks, hitting the ball well, ho-hum. Seriously, these guys look as sharp as I've seen them in the last two years. They're playing as a team. Everything starts at the top. The top two hitters in the lineup, usually Lee Yong-gyu, Ko Yong-min and Lee Jung-wook have been getting on base and the thumpers(Lee Seung-yeop and Lee Dae-ho) have been plating them. Lee Yong-gyu reached base four times. Lee Seung-yeop and Lee Dae-ho drove in two runs apiece.
On the mound....
Starter Kim Kwang-hyun looked poised and ready. He was appeared a bit flustered after allowing a homer to Miguel Ojeda, but he quickly regained his composure and continued mowing down batters. The final line on Kim was 6 innings with 5 K's and no walks. The homerun he allowed was the only run he surrendered.
Koreans Rout Aussies
Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Game 2
South Korea 16, Australia 2
At the plate....
I honestly didn't think I'd see a game get called in the 7th due to a 10-run slaughter rule, especially this game, but it happened. The story for this was the eight walks issued by Australian pitching and Lee Seung-yeop. Lee finished the day 3-3 with a double, a homer and 4 RBI's. Lee Dae-ho also had a big day with 2 hits and 3 RBI.
On the mound....
Ryu Hyun-jin was the lucky starter today. Ryu wasn't terribly sharp, but it didn't matter as he had plenty of support. Ryu only lasted 4 2/3 and he allowed 2 runs, both earned. Early on it looked like Ryu wasn't going to last very long. He allowed an RBI double in the first, but was able to settle down and keep Australia off the board until he was lifted in the 5th with a 14 run lead.
The sad fact is, 16-2 makes this game sound close. Australia could not keep a focused Korean team off the scoreboard and they were incapable of slugging it out. This Korean team is starting to look like a team on a mission....that or the level of play isn't nearly as high as some thought it would be.
South Korea 16, Australia 2
At the plate....
I honestly didn't think I'd see a game get called in the 7th due to a 10-run slaughter rule, especially this game, but it happened. The story for this was the eight walks issued by Australian pitching and Lee Seung-yeop. Lee finished the day 3-3 with a double, a homer and 4 RBI's. Lee Dae-ho also had a big day with 2 hits and 3 RBI.
On the mound....
Ryu Hyun-jin was the lucky starter today. Ryu wasn't terribly sharp, but it didn't matter as he had plenty of support. Ryu only lasted 4 2/3 and he allowed 2 runs, both earned. Early on it looked like Ryu wasn't going to last very long. He allowed an RBI double in the first, but was able to settle down and keep Australia off the board until he was lifted in the 5th with a 14 run lead.
The sad fact is, 16-2 makes this game sound close. Australia could not keep a focused Korean team off the scoreboard and they were incapable of slugging it out. This Korean team is starting to look like a team on a mission....that or the level of play isn't nearly as high as some thought it would be.
Son Min Han Too Much For South Africa
Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Game 1
South Korea 5, South Africa 0
The story at the plate was.....
The Korean team was able to get to South African starter, Robert Verschuren early and often. Lee Seung Yeop was able to deliver an RBI double in the first and Korea struck again in the 3rd with two more runs in the 3rd inning on back-to-back doubles by Kim Dong-ju and Lee Dae-ho.
The story on the mound was....
Son Min-han. The Lotte ace was able to throw 6 strong innings of one hit baseball with 6 strikeouts. He kept the South Africans in check until he was lifted before the seventh. Kim Sun-woo and Woo Kyu-min were able to finish off the combined shut out.
South Korea 5, South Africa 0
The story at the plate was.....
The Korean team was able to get to South African starter, Robert Verschuren early and often. Lee Seung Yeop was able to deliver an RBI double in the first and Korea struck again in the 3rd with two more runs in the 3rd inning on back-to-back doubles by Kim Dong-ju and Lee Dae-ho.
The story on the mound was....
Son Min-han. The Lotte ace was able to throw 6 strong innings of one hit baseball with 6 strikeouts. He kept the South Africans in check until he was lifted before the seventh. Kim Sun-woo and Woo Kyu-min were able to finish off the combined shut out.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
What Can You Get For 6 Billion Won, Anyway?
Chosun Ilbo posted this a few days ago. KoreaBeat provided the English translation. I wanted to sit down and look at these numbers a bit before I did a write up.
My beloved Samsung Lions spent over 6 billion won on player salaries. What exactly did that buy them?
I took Samsung's 6.2 billion won payroll and divided it by wins+(ties*1/2). The KBO counted a tie as half a win in the standings, I figured that would work for my purposes as well.
Samsung(6.2 billion) = 97.3 million per win
Hanhwa (4.6 billion) = 68.3 million per win
Kia (3.5 billion) = 69.75 million per win
Doosan (2.8 billion) = 40.58 million per win
SK (4.02 billion) = 53.2 million per win
Lotte (3.75 billion) = 66.4 million per win
LG (4.085 billion) = 66.97 million per win
Hyundai (4.1 billion) = 73.1 million per win
At current conversion rates, 1 American dollar is equal to about 947 Korean won. So, Samsung's 97.3 million won per win is equal to about $102,745 American. Just for a comparison, the salary cap of the Northern League, an independent American baseball league, is $105,000.
What jumps out at me is that SK and Doosan made it to the Korean Series and had the lowest player costs in the league. Lesson learned, cash doesn't always equal victory.
What's really going to be interesting is where Woori(formerly Hyundai) ends up in terms of payroll. It sounds like they could have a payroll around 2 billion won before the start of the season. Even if they win 50 games this year(looking likely), that's still going to be about 40 million per W. They'll be spending almost half what they spent last year for an equally crummy team. I guess it's better to be bad and cheap than bad and expensive.
My beloved Samsung Lions spent over 6 billion won on player salaries. What exactly did that buy them?
I took Samsung's 6.2 billion won payroll and divided it by wins+(ties*1/2). The KBO counted a tie as half a win in the standings, I figured that would work for my purposes as well.
Samsung(6.2 billion) = 97.3 million per win
Hanhwa (4.6 billion) = 68.3 million per win
Kia (3.5 billion) = 69.75 million per win
Doosan (2.8 billion) = 40.58 million per win
SK (4.02 billion) = 53.2 million per win
Lotte (3.75 billion) = 66.4 million per win
LG (4.085 billion) = 66.97 million per win
Hyundai (4.1 billion) = 73.1 million per win
At current conversion rates, 1 American dollar is equal to about 947 Korean won. So, Samsung's 97.3 million won per win is equal to about $102,745 American. Just for a comparison, the salary cap of the Northern League, an independent American baseball league, is $105,000.
What jumps out at me is that SK and Doosan made it to the Korean Series and had the lowest player costs in the league. Lesson learned, cash doesn't always equal victory.
What's really going to be interesting is where Woori(formerly Hyundai) ends up in terms of payroll. It sounds like they could have a payroll around 2 billion won before the start of the season. Even if they win 50 games this year(looking likely), that's still going to be about 40 million per W. They'll be spending almost half what they spent last year for an equally crummy team. I guess it's better to be bad and cheap than bad and expensive.
Nothing Says, "Buy This," Like Hitting .412
Naver has just posted a bunch of old Korean advertisements in their photo archives. This one caught my eye. A little digging has revealed that the ballplayer in the ad is Baek In-chun. Baek hit .412(!) in the inaugural season of the KBO. In 1982 they only played 80 games in a season, but his record still stands today.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Schedules Announced! Something to Look Forward to, Officially
The schedule is up on the KBO home page and on the team pages.
Here are a couple links to team schedules(English provided when available)...
Samsung Lions
Doosan Bears
SK Wyverns
KIA Tigers
Lotte Giants
Hanwha Eagles
LG Twins
Also, the draft order for the East Windup Chronicle Fantasy League has been announced. Yours truly is picking 14th out of 20. The top 14 teams go on to next years keeper league, while the bottom 6 are dropped.
Here are a couple links to team schedules(English provided when available)...
Samsung Lions
Doosan Bears
SK Wyverns
KIA Tigers
Lotte Giants
Hanwha Eagles
LG Twins
Also, the draft order for the East Windup Chronicle Fantasy League has been announced. Yours truly is picking 14th out of 20. The top 14 teams go on to next years keeper league, while the bottom 6 are dropped.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Season Preview from the Korea Times
Linky
The article is mostly positive and mostly accurate. The only point of contention for me is that the writer thinks the Woori Heroes won't be competing for last place. The more I read about their training conditions and cutting of player salaries, the more I think they could be epically bad.
Also, the KBO has announced it's going to do away with ties. Every game will have a decision this year. This is a decision I applaud. No more ties in baseball.
Opening day is only 4 weeks away!
The article is mostly positive and mostly accurate. The only point of contention for me is that the writer thinks the Woori Heroes won't be competing for last place. The more I read about their training conditions and cutting of player salaries, the more I think they could be epically bad.
Also, the KBO has announced it's going to do away with ties. Every game will have a decision this year. This is a decision I applaud. No more ties in baseball.
Opening day is only 4 weeks away!
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