Samsung 1, SK 0

Samsung catcher Jin Kab-yong and company get funky during the celebration.

Samsung wins the series, 4-1
W - Cha Woo-chan (2-0), L - Brian Gordon (0-1), S - Oh Seung-hwan (3)
Samsung HR - Kang Bong-gyu (1)
SK HR - None

Samsung starter Cha Woo-chan was excellent for most of the game. Cha worked fast, threw strikes and kept putting zeroes on the scoreboard. Cha tossed seven shutout innings(104 pitches, 64 strikes). Cha gave up only five hits, two walks and a hit batsman while striking out seven.

Cha got into trouble in the second inning. With one out, SK DH Ahn Chi-yong walked and first baseman Choi Dong-su doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Center fielder Kim Kang-min walked to load the bases. Cha managed to strike out both catcher Jeong Sang-ho and shortstop Park Jin-man to end the threat.

Samsung got all the offense they would need in the fourth inning on a solo homer from left fielder Kang Bong-gyu. Kang put a Brian Gordon offering into the Samsung cheering section in left field to give the Lions a 1-0 lead.

Samsung reliever Ahn Ji-man came in for the eight inning looking like this (and later, like this). He promptly gave up an infield single to SK second baseman Jeong Geun-woo on a slow roller to short. Jeong advanced to second on a sac bunt from left fielder Park Jae-sang. Ahn struck out third baseman Choi Jeong and intentionally walked Park Jeong-kwon. Samsung called on closer Oh Seung-hwan to get the final out of the eight. It took him exactly one pitch to get DH Ahn Chi-yong to pop out to shallow center.

Oh stayed in for the ninth inning and finished off the Wyverns with a 1-2-3 innings. Oh's three saves earned him the series MVP award.

Lions Squeak Past Wyverns, Win 5th Championship

Samsung beat the Wyverns in a 1-0, 2 1/2 hour sprint to the finish to capture their 5th championship in franchise history.

I'll be back tomorrow with a full write up. It's time to enjoy the victory.

Samsung 8, SK 4

Samsung leads the series, 3-1
W - Jeong In-wook (1-0), L - Kim Kwang-hyeon (0-1)
Samsung HR - Shin Myeong-cheol (1), Choi Hyeong-woo (1)
SK HR - Park Jae-sang (2)

Samsung started the scoring in the top of the first inning. First baseman Park Seok-min hit a RBI double top start the scoring. Park would later score on a single from left fielder Kang Bong-gyu to give Samsung a 2-0 lead.

Samsung starter Yoon Seong-hwan labored through 3 1/3 innings(76 pitches, 46 strikes), but was only tagged for one run. Yoon allowed four hits and two walks while striking out four. It seemed like the SK Wyverns were determined to get into the Samsung bullpen because every at bat against Yoon felt like an epic 10+ pitch at bat.

SK loaded the bases in the third inning and scored a run on a Yoon Seong-hwan wild pitch. Yoon struck out third baseman Choi Jeong and left fielder Ahn Chi-yong to end the threat.

Samsung pushed their lead to 4-1 on a two-run bomb by second baseman Shin Myeong-cheol in the fourth inning. Samsung made it 5-1 in the top of the seventh on a solo homer from right fielder Choi Hyeon-woo. SK right fielder Ahn Chi-yong didn't move an inch when he saw the ball leave the bat. He was a statue in right as the ball sailed into the stands.

SK cut the lead to 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning thanks to a three-run bomb off the bat of left fielder Park Jae-sang. SK put runners on first and third with no outs, but Samsung got out of the jam after some poor baserunning from SK's Choi Jeong and a double play ball from DH Choi Dong-su.

That would be as close as SK would get to the Lions. Samsung added two runs in the eight on HBP with the bases loaded for center fielder Bae Yeong-seop and a RBI ground out from third baseman Cho Dong-chan.

Samsung added one more insurance run in the ninth inning on a RBI single from catcher Jin Kab-yong.

SK starter Kim Kwang-hyeon struggled again. Kim only tossed three innings(65 pitches, 33 strikes) and gave up three runs. Kim gave up four hits, two walks and a hit batsman while striking out two.

Game five picks up in Seoul's Jamsil Stadium on Monday at 6 PM local time. SK will try to prevent elimination with Brian Gordon on the mound and Samsung will try to wrap up the series with Cha Woo-chan.

SK 2, Samsung 1

Samsung leads the series, 2-1

W - Song Eun-beom (1-0), L - Justin Germano (0-1), S - Eom Jeong-wook
SK HR - Park Jae-sang (1), Choi Dong-su(2)

This series is still all about the pitching and defense.

SK starter Song Eun-beom threw five shutout innings(94 pitches, 51 strikes), but was in and out of jams throughout the evening. Song gave up four hits and four walks while striking out two. Samsung could put runners on against Song, they just couldn't get the big hit they were looking for. Samsung loaded the bases in the third inning with only one out, but Song struck out first baseman Chae Tae-in and DH Choi Hyeong-woo to end the threat.

The Lions had a runner on second with two outs in the fourth. Samsung catcher Jin Kab-yong put a single into left. The runner, Kang Bong-gyu, made the turn at third and headed home. He was out by a few feet, but collided with SK catcher Jeong Sang-ho. Jeong held on to the ball and didn't seem any worse for wear once the SK training staff helped him up.

SK was able to get the big hit they were looking for. The Wyverns broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning when left fielder Park Jae-sang tagged Lions' starter Justin Germano for a solo homer. DH Choi Dong-su added another solo blast in the fifth to give the Wyverns a 2-0 advantage.

The Lions finally broke through in the eighth inning. Samsung put runners on the corners with two outs. SK brought in closer Eom Jeong-wook to end the threat. First baseman Park Seok-min put a bouncer through the left side to score a run and cut the SK lead in half. Kang Bong-gyu struck out to end the inning and the threat.

Eom stayed on for the ninth inning and tossed a scoreless ninth to end the game.

Game four starts at 2 PM on Saturday afternoon at Incheon's Munhak Stadium. SK will try to even the series with struggling ace Kim Kwang-hyeon. Kim only gave up one run against KIA in the opening game of the playoffs, but took the loss. Then, Kim struggled against Lotte in game one of the second round.

Samsung will go with Yoon Seong-hwan. Yoon went 14-5 with a 3.54 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP in 137 1/3 innings. Yoon struck out 83 and walked only 30.

Game 3 Starters

Samsung announced last night that they will use Justin Germano in game three. Germano arrived in Korea in mid-August and made only eight starts for the Lions in 2011. Germano went 5-1 in 45 1/3 innings of work with a 2.78 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. Germano struck out 29 and walked only six.

SK will use Song Eun-beom to try to get back into this series. Song spent time as a starter, middler reliever and even did a little closing in 2011. Song went 8-8 with one save and four holds. He owns a 3.43 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. Song struck out 55 and walked 45 in 78 2/3 innings.

Samsung 2, SK 1

Samsung leads the series, 2-0
W - Kwon Oh-joon (1-0), L - Park Hee-su (0-1), S - Oh Seung-hwan (2)
Samsung HR - None
SK HR - None

Pitching ruled the day again in game two of the 2011 Korean Series.

Samsung starter Jang Won-sam looked rested and refreshed for his game two start. It showed in his performance. Jang tossed 5 1/3 innings(90 pitches, 59 strikes) of scoreless baseball. Jang gave up only three hits and two walks while striking out ten.

SK starter Yoon Hee-sang was forced from the game after the first inning due to a shoulder issue. Lee Seung-ho came to relieve him and tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings. Lee was lifted in the four inning when he got into a jam with runners on first and second with two outs. SK called on Brian Gordon to get out of it and he delivered. Gordon got Samsung second baseman Shin Myeong-cheol to hit a fly to right to end the threat.

SK put runners on second and third with no outs in the top of the sixth inning. It looked like they would finally break out of their team-wide offensive slump and score a few runs. Jang got SK right fielder Park Jeong-kwon to hid a grounder to the mound. Jang froze the runner at third and calmly tossed it over to first for the first out of the inning. Jang was lifted for reliever Kwon Oh-joon. Kwon struck out both DH Ahn Chi-yong and center fielder Kim Kang-min to end the threat and get Samsung out of a huge jam.

It was Samsung's turn to put SK in a tough spot in the bottom of the sixth inning. Samsung loaded the bases with two outs. Samsung left fielder Bae Yeong-seop came to the plate and quickly fell behind 0-2. Bae fouled off a few pitches and took a close pitch for a ball before poking a base hit back through the middle. Bae's hit drove in a pair and gave Samsung a 2-0 lead. Both runners advanced on an errant throw back to the infield by center fielder Kim Kang-min. Short stop Kim Sang-su flied out to end the threat, but the damage was already done.

SK finally broke through in the eighth inning. The Wyverns put runners on first and second with no outs. SK left fielder Park Jae-sang put a base hit into center field to drive in SK's first run of the series and cut the Lions' lead in half. With runners still on first and second with no outs, Samsung called on closer Oh Seung-hwan to get them out of the jam. Oh got DH Ahn Chi-yong to pop out to the catcher and struck out Kim Kang-min. SK first baseman Choi Dong-su put a base hit into center. SK were poised to tie the game, but Samsung center fielder Lee Yeong-wook made a perfect throw to the plate to nail the runner and end the inning.

Oh Seung-hwan stayed in for the ninth and struck out the side to end the game.

The series moves to Incheon's Munhak Stadium for game three. The game is scheduled for Thursday at 6 PM local time. Starters have yet to be announced. SK will have to choose between Song Eun-beom and Kim Kwang-hyeon. Samsung will either go with Yoon Seong-hwan or Justin Germano. An update will be provided as soon as starters are announced.

SK Completes Sweep, Wins Korean Series

SK 4, Samsung 2
W - Jeon Byeong-doo, L - Jang Won-sam, S - Kim Kwang-hyeon
SK HR - None Samsung HR - None
SK wins the series, 4-0



SK outplayed Samsung in every facet of the game during this series. Samsung didn't beat themselves, they simply got beat by a better team. SK broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning. SK loaded the bases with one out and scored their first run when Samsung starter Jang Won-sam walked catcher Park Kyeong-wan. The next batter, outfielder/first baseman Park Jeong-kwon, laced a double down the right field line to plate a pair of runs and push the SK lead to 3-0.

SK added another insurance run in the sixth inning on an RBI single from Park Kyeong-wan and the countdown started. Twelve outs. Nine. Six. Three. Samsung picked up a couple of runs and mounted a couple fake rallies in the eighth and ninth innings, but they never really threatened SK's lead.



SK ace Kim Kwang-hyeon recorded the final five outs. Four of the five outs came via the strikeout. Even with the K's, Kim wasn't very sharp, but I couldn't imagine another SK pitcher recording the final outs. As long as Kim was available, he was going to end this game.

Park Jeong-kwon was named MVP of the series. Park finished 5-14 with a walk, two doubles, a homer, six RBIs and three runs scored. I probably would have voted for Choi Jeong, but I can't complain about the award going to Park.

I was really surprised by how subdued the celebration was. The KIA Tigers were drunk before the winning run crossed the plate at the end of last year's series, but that was a little different. That series went seven games and was decided by a walk-off homer. This was a very business-like sweep that had an air of inevitibility. We also didn't get our yearly playoff dustup. I feel a little cheated. I look forward to these normally unflappable ballplayers getting their feathers ruffled or your random coach flying off the handle or the token pissed off foreign dude. Ah, well. I hope this means we're due for a doozy next year.

SK One Win Away from Championship, Samsung Offers Little Resistance

SK 4, Samsung 2
W - Lee Seung-ho, L - Bae Yeong-su, S - Lee Seung-ho
SK HR - None Samsung HR - None
SK leads the series, 3-0

I realized after game one that Samsung would probably get swept. The series with Doosan took too much out of them to be able to handle a series with SK. Honestly, I've come to terms with it. SK is clearly the better team, even with out two weeks of rest. My only regret is that we'll be likely be robbed of the yearly benchclearing dustup that ensues between the Korean Series teams. It usually happens around game four or game five. Everyone is stressed. Someone gets drilled and takes it a little too personally. The benches empty. Some angry words or maybe even a shove takes place followed by some general milling around. It's happened every year like clockwork. I'm a little sad that Samsung will get swept before they have the chance to continue the tradition. I was expecting big things out of Park Seok-min. He's had a rough year and I'm sure he'd chase a pitcher into the outfield if given a chance.

SK tagged Samsung starter Bae Yeong-su for a couple of runs in the first inning. With runners on first and third with no outs, first baseman Lee Ho-joon drove in a run with an RBI groundout. Samsung still had only one out recorded when SK loaded the bases. The Wyverns scored a second run when DH Park Jae-hyeon drew a walk. The Lions were really lucky that things didn't get worse.

Samsung picked up a run in the bottom of the first on a sac fly from left fielder Choi Hyeong-woo. I suppose I should be thankful for small miracles.

SK added some insurance when outfielder/first baseman Park Jeong-kwon crushed a double off of Samsung reliever Jeong Hyeon-wook with a runner on first base. The runner was able to scamper all the way home. Park advance to third and score on a Choi Jeong sac fly to push the SK lead to 4-1.

The Lions made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth. The Lions loaded the bases with only one out. SK reliever Song Eun-beom threw a wild pitch to gift the Lions a run and cut the lead to 4-2. SK called on reliever Lee Seung-ho to end the threat. Lee stuck out both pinch hitter Jin Kab-yong and third baseman Cho Dong-chan to end the game and earn the save. SK has two pitchers named Lee Seung-ho. It makes things absolutely maddening to recap sometimes. One wears #20 and is usually the closer. The other wears #37 and is lucky to still have a job.

The series continues tonight at 6 PM Daegu time. Samsung's Jang Won-sam will face SK's Gary Glover. Glover went 6-8 with a 5.66 ERA and 1.55 WHIP over 105 innings. Glover struck out 85 and walked 50 in his second season with SK.

Samsung Bullpen Implodes, SK Takes Game 1

SK 9, Samsung 5
W - Jeong Woo-ram, L - Kwon Hyeok
SK HR - Park Jeong-kwon Samsung HR - Kang Bong-gyu, Park Seok-min
SK leads the series 1-0

SK picked up a couple early runs thanks to a few dink hits and some intelligent base running. SK starter Kim Kwang-hyeon looked unhittable for the first four innings and he racked up eight K's in the first three innings. Kim ran into some trouble in the fifth inning. Kim loaded the bases and gave up a sac fly to Lee Yeong-wook to plate Samsung's first run. The Lions picked up another run on a passed ball and actually took the lead when Park Han-yi poked a single through the middle. I really can't believe Samsung actually held a lead in this game.



The sad part is they held the lead for all of ten minutes. Samsung's entire pitching staff appeared to forget how to throw strikes. Tim Redding gave up a lead off walk. Then, Kwon Hyeok gave up a walk. Kwon Oh-joon came in and actually looked competent until he gave up an infield single to Choi Jeong to load the bases. Former closer Oh Seung-hwan strode out from the bullpen for the first time in months and he...struggled. First, he walked pinch hitter Park Jae-hong to tie the game and then he gave up a base hit to DH Park Jae-hyeon to drive in a pair of runs.

SK piled on the Samsung bullpen in the sixth inning when SK rallied for four runs and took a 9-4 lead. The knockout punch came when Lee Woo-sun gave up a two-run homer to Park Jeong-kwon. It was about this time that I flipped over to the Discovery Channel to watch an episode of Mythbusters. I made a wise decision.

The Korean Series continues tomorrow at 2 PM Seoul time. Samsung will try to even the series with Cha Woo-chan, while SK will send out Lee Seung-ho. I don't really get why SK is going with Lee over Japanese national Ken Kadokura. Lee spent most of 2010 in the bullpen as SK's de facto closer. Lee has a 6-4 record with 20 saves and 5 holds over 89 2/3 innings. Lee is the owner of a 4.22 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. I guess I just don't understand baseball. We'll see what happens tomorrow at two.

Korean Series, Game 6

SK 5, Doosan 2
SK wins the series 4 games to 2

For the last seven years SK fans have had to ask themselves the same question. "When?" When are we finally going to get the championship that has evaded us for seven long years? Are we cursed? The seven year championship draught that SK fans labored through is evidence enough that the team was somehow cursed. Everyone who has ever watched baseball knows that the only reason teams don't win championships is because of strange voodoo curses and not because of poor play and inept management. The most famous example, of course, is the Chicago Cubs. The ancient magicks have been working their vile mojo on the Cubs or almost 100 years with no end in sight. Cubs fans believe the only way to end the curse is to show up everyday and hope that the losing stops. Forget getting better players or running the franchise well. The best way to stop a curse is to keep watching. Wyverns fans were starting to wonder, "Will we suffer the same fate as the drunken buffoons in Chicago?" Will our favorite franchise become a punchline for generations of Koreans?

Until this offseason, there was little hope. Lee Man Soo was hired away from his duties as White Sox bullpen catcher and joined the Wyverns as a "bench coach." Bench coach is just code for "Curse Destroyer." Lee's warm smile and outgoing personality was the difference this year for SK. Without his happy face there is little doubt that the team ERA wouldn't have been anywhere near its league best 3.24.

After the final outs were recorded and the team celebrated, I swear the crowd was chanting "Reverse the Curse," in Korean. It might have sounded like "Chekang SK," but the feelings were clear. SK fans could finally lead normal lives. They could stop worrying about how they were going to fail and start thinking about how they can succeed. It truly is a great day to be Wyverns fan.

The hero: MVP, Kim Jae-Hyun. He was the man for SK throughout this series and he came up big again in the deciding game 6. His solo homerun in the third inning proved to be the winning run.

The goat: The Doosan offense. After winning the first two games, Doosan combined to score 3 runs over the next 4 games.

The game was over when: SK reliever Chung Dae-Hyun struck out Lee Jung-Wook for the final out. Lee represented the tying run and two runners were in scoring position.

Next game: In the spring, but check this blog frequently. I'm going to do team-by-team analysis, as well as covering any player movement and a few feature columns on team history. The hot stove will be roaring in a few weeks.

Korean Series, Games Four and Five

Game Four: SK 4, Doosan 0
Game Five: SK 4, Doosan 0
SK takes a 3-2 series lead

After watching Danny Rios dominate for 9 innings in game one, I assumed we'd be getting more of the same in Game 4. I couldn't have been more wrong. The normally unhittable Doosan ace was anything but on Thursday. He was pounded for 9 hits and 3 runs over 5 innings. Rios struggled through the first three innings before giving up back-to-back homers to Cho Dong-Hwa and Kim Jae-Hyun in the fourth.

19 year old rookie, Kim Kwang Hyun, looked more like the ace that Rios was supposed to be. Kim used a plus fastball and 12-6 curve to keep Doosan off the scoreboard for 7 2/3 innings. Kim had a no hitter through five. When it was all said and done, Kim finished with 9 punchouts while only allowing one hit.

In Game 5, the bullpen was the problem for Doosan. Doosan started foreign sensation Matt Randle and SK sent 17 game winner, Kenny Rayborn to the hill. They matched each other pitch for pitch and left the game in the hands of the bullpen after six scoreless innings each.

It wasn't until the 8th inning that things got interesting...

SK Outfielder, Cho Dong-Hwa, lead off the inning with an infield single and reached 2nd base on a Doosan error. Kim Jae-Hyun came up next and slapped a pitch off the right field wall for a triple, scoring the first run. SK cleanup hitter, Lee Ho-Jun, slugged a double to put the Wyverns up 2-0. Another double by pinch hitter, Kim Kang Min, made the game 3-0 and a wild pitch would score Kim to make the game 4-0.

Game 6 is Monday at 6pm, Korea time. Jae Byong-Yong(11-8, 2.84 ERA) takes the ball for SK, while Doosan reliever, Im Tae-Hun(7-3, 2.40 ERA, 20 holds) tries to force a game seven.

Korean Series, Game Three

SK 9, Doosan 1
Bears lead the series 2-1

Doosan and SK were battling more than each other last night. They also had to battle a torrential downpour. I've seen games canceled in Daegu for a couple drops, but last night the KBO chose to soldier on and endure the cold temperatures and driving rain all night. SK struck first, putting up 2 runs on a Kim Chae Yun double and a Park Jae Hong infield single.

The game fell apart in the 6th inning for Doosan. 3 errors in the inning helped SK to sustain a 7 run rally. Things also got a little chippy in the sixth when a Lee Hye Chun pitch found its way to Kim Chae Yun's buttocks. Benches cleared, some bad words and general shoving were exchanged, but cooler heads prevailed and only the Doosan pitcher was ejected.

The Hero: SK starter, Mike Romano. He held Doosan to only one run through six innings. He allowed only 5 runners to reach base. He had good command of all his pitches and never made any big mistakes.

The Goat: Doosan Shortstop, Lee Dae Soo. He committed 3 errors in the fifth inning, helping SK to score 7 runs and put the game out of reach. The rain didn't appear to be a factor. Lee's concentration did. He appeared to take his eye off the ball and the first thing we learn in little league is to always keep your eye on the ball. It was like watching the fat kid in gym class playing dodgeball. He's hoping and praying that the ball won't find its way to him, but it always seems to. The ball found Lee three times in the fifth and all three times he gave SK extra outs.

Goat Honorable mention: Doosan pitcher, Lee Hye Chun. After tossing a wild pitch to allow SK to score 2 more runs and take a 9 run lead, he decided to go headhunting. He plunked the next batter, Kim Chae Yun. Kim didn't appreciate the free base and some shouting and shoving insued. Lee got the gate.

The game was over when: Lee Dae Soo started flopping all over himself and tossing balls towards the fans. His three errors weren't really the difference, but it was still a one run game before the disastrous 6th inning.

The next game is Friday a 6pm. Danny Rios looks to give Doosan its 3rd win, while Kim Kwang Hyeon(3-7, 3.62 ERA in 77 innings) tries to even the series for SK.

Korean Series, Game 2

Doosan 6, SK 3
Doosan takes a 2-0 series lead

Doosan is a fun baseball team to watch right now. These grown men are playing like children. Every time they record three outs, everyone is standing up in the dugout giving high fives. Last night a Doosan player executed a perfect sac bunt to advance runners to 2nd and 3rd with one out. He sprinted back to the dugout to celebrate with his teammates. Every time a Doosan player hits a homerun, they bounce around like it was a walkoff. Its also starting to irritate the SK players.

There has been a total of five hit batsmen in the first two games. I'm not sure if its intentional or not, but it almost boiled over in the 6th inning when starter Chae Byong Yong forgot to tip his cap after plunking Kim Dong Joo. Also, Doosan first baseman, An Kyung Hyun left the game in the 2nd inning after being hit by a pitch. X-rays showed a broken hand and he'll be out for the rest of the series.

The hero: Doosan infielder, Lee Dae Soo. He only went 1-4, but his hit was a 2-run single that broke a 3-3 tie and put Doosan in the lead for good.

The goat: SK pitcher, Chae Byong Yong. Chae came undone after Kim Dong Joo approached the mound after being plunked in the 6th inning. Chae gave up Lee's 2 run single and an RBI double to Chae Song Byong.

Honorable mention for goat: goes to the Doosan front office for accusing SK of installing a camera in a "hole" to steal signs. The offending "hole" wound up being a drainage grate.

The game was over when: The SK outfield fell asleep and allowed a run to score on Chae Song Byong's double. A good throw and Lee Dae Soo would have been out by twenty feet. He scored without sliding.

The next game is set for 10/25 at 6pm. Kim Myung Jae(4-7, 5.05 ERA, 1 save) takes the mound for Doosan while Mike Romano(12-4, 3.69 ERA) is scheduled for SK.

Korean Series, Game 1

Doosan 2, SK 0
Doosan takes a 1-0 series lead

Danny Rios was the story last night. He kept SK off balance all night. He was an out machine. It felt like he could get a groundball or a lazy pop up whenever he wanted. During his complete game shutout, he surrendered only 4 hits while striking out only 2. I don't recall seeing a hard hit ball all night. Every inning was the same. 3 poor at bats and then Danny would be high fiving his teammates. What really struck me about Rios wasn't his stuff. It was his confidence. He had the look of a pitcher that knew he was going to keep the opposing team off the scoreboard all night.

SK starter, Kenny Rayburn, did his best to keep the game close, but he didn't get much help at the plate or in the field. Rayburn worked 6 strong innings, walking 4, striking out4, giving up 5 hits and allowing 2 runs, both earned.

SK looked like a team that hadn't thought about baseball in a month. Maybe the three week layoff affected them, maybe it didn't. Either way, they couldn't get anything going against Rios.

The hero: Danny Rios. He executed his game plan from the first inning to the ninth. We'll see him again in game 4.

The goat: Kenny Rayburn. Not so much for his performance, but for this. The strikezone on Monday appeared to be called both ways.

The game was over when: Danny Rios came out for the 9th. The only way SK would have had a chance is if Rios was taken out. He wasn't and he continued to get the same easy grounders and lazy popups that he got in the first.

Game two is tonight at 6pm. Matt Lander takes the hill for Doosan while Jae Byong Yong(11-8, 2.84 ERA) rumbles to the bump for SK.

Round 2, Game Three

Bears 6, Eagles 0
Doosan wins the series 3-0

This was by far the most watchable game of this series. It wasn't a ridiculous blowout. It wasn't a 4 1/2 hour marathon. It was actually a closely contested ballgame...four about 7 innings.

Doosan was able to take the crowd out of the game early. The Bears put up a three-spot in the first due to ineffective pitching and some miserable fielding. Ryu Hyun Jin got the start and didn't make it out of the 2nd inning. He labored through the first and got a quick hook in the 2nd. Gone was the ace that carved up the Samsung Lions for 6 2/3 innings in game one of round one. Ryu looked fatigued from the first pitch and his pitches didn't have the movement that they had in round one. He looked like he was out of gas, but that doesn't mean he deserved to be pulled in the 2nd inning. He was the victim of the players around him failing to record outs to get him out of the inning. Of the three runs he allowed, only one was earned.

The Hanwha manager called on Cedric Bowers. Bowers was what you might call effectively wild. He lasted 6 innings(throwing 114 pitches, so Korean managers can leave their guys in for more than five batters), but he was clearly out of gas when Doosan started to get to him.

The hero: Doosan leadoff man, Lee Chong Wook. He was the catalyst for an offense that scored 23 runs during the 3 game series. He went 6 for 11 during the series with 7 RBIs and 4 runs scored. Starting pitcher, Kim Myung Choi was suprisingly effective. Few balls were hit hard and everything seemed to find the glove of a Doosan fielder. He held the lead and got ahead on most batters. This was probably his finest start of the year. Final line, 6 2/3 innings, only 3 hits, 1 walk and 3 strikeouts. It was a Paul Byrd performance. He looks like he should be battered around, but before you knew it, it was the 7th inning and your team only had three hits.

The goat: The Hanwha catcher, Shin Kyong Hyun. Passed balls and wild pitches absolutely killed Hanwha in this series. The catcher cost them five runs in 3 games, that's just inexcusable.

Hanwha could book its team golf outing when: Ryu Hyun Jin struggled in the first inning. The crowd was taken out of the game for the first five innings and the advantage swung to Doosan. If not for some excellent relief work from Bowers, this game would have gotten out of hand quickly. Hanwha was able to keep all three games close, but had trouble getting and could never hold a lead.

The next game is on 10/19. For some reason, Hanwha is playing the Kia Tigers at 2pm on the 19th. Starting pitchers haven't been announced yet.

The Championship series starts on 10/22. Starting pitchers haven't been announced, but my guess is its Danny Rios going for Doosan and Kenny Rayburn for SK. Doosan! SK! Rios! Rayburn! The battle for the championship and the right to face Asia's best in November. Live on KBS!

Round 2, Game Two

Bears 9, Eagles 5
Doosan takes a 2-0 series lead

This game started around 6pm and ended around 10:30. It was an epic of Gaussian proportions. This was also the first game that featured a lead change. The previous 4 playoff games had one team taking control and keeping it for the entire game. This was only the 2nd game that you could say had a level of drama to it and it wound up being a 9-5 depantsing. Here's hoping Game 3 and the Championship series are more viewer friendly.

Wildest play of the night: in the 3rd inning, TWO runs were scored on a dropped 3rd strike. This highlight will probably be shown for the entire next season. THe ball got away from the Hanwha catcher. The play at home was reasonably close, but the throw from the catcher bounced in front of the pitcher and skipped away. The batter was able to round all the bases and make it home. He never stopped running. Hard. It was just a great heads up play.

Korean Playoff Fact: The team that makes the FEWEST pitching changes wins. For some reason, managers in the KBO like to play more matchups with their pitching staffs and have an exceptionally shorter hook with starters. This doesn't not lead to victory. So far, the team that makes the fewest changes is a perfect 5/5. This should seem obvious. The team that makes the fewest changes usually has better pitching and therefore a better chance to win the game. The problem is starters are getting yanked far too early and the bullpens are blowing up, not the starters. Typically, in American ball, if the starter gives up a couple early runs, no big deal. Managers usually stick with the starter for a few more innings, just to avoid burning through the bullpen. Well, in Korea, the rosters are a bit larger(Hanwha, for example, has 29 pitchers on its roster, but only 9 or 10 are active) allowing for more pitchers and a tendency for managers to tinker more.

The Hero: The top 1/3 of the Doosan batting order. Lee Chung Wook, Kim Hyun Su and Ko Yong Min combined to go 7 for 13 with 5 RBI, 2 runs sopred and two homeruns.

The Goat: The Hanwha manager. While Chong Min Chol wasn't great, he didn't deserve to get yanked in the 3rd. Had he stuck with his #2 starter for more than 2 1/3 innings, his bullpen might have performed better.

Hanwha could packs its bags for Daejon, down 2-0 when: The Hanwha bullpen coughed up 4 runs in the last 3 innings. It was a one run game and the bullpen couldn't keep Doosan off the scoreboard in a critical game.

Next game: October 17 at 6pm. The series moves from Seoul to Daejon. Ace Ryu Hyun Jin(17-7, 2.94 ERA) takes the mound for Hanwha, while Kim Myong Jae(4-7, 5.05 ERA) rumbles to the bump for Doosan in the possibly decisive Game Three. Hanwha! Doosan! Ryu! Kim! Catch the KBO on KBS!

Round 2, Game 1

Bears 8, Eagles 0
Doosan takes 1-0 series lead.

Doosan beat Hanwha in every facet of the game. Doosan pitched better, they hit better and they caught the ball better. Doosan ace, Danny Rios, was spectacular. He went 8 strong innings, only striking out one, but he kept the Hanwha batters off balance all day. It took Rios only 91 pitches to carve up Hanwha for 8 innings. He scattered 6 hits and allowed a walk, but was in complete control all game long.

Danny Rios is a 34 year old former Yankees and Royals farmhand. He had a few cups of coffee in the big leagues, but never anything that could be called a career. He is nearing the end of his finest season in pro ball with Doosan. Rios finished the year with a league best 22-5 record and a leagues best 2.07 ERA while averaging over 7 innings a start. Rios is a "power pitcher," but he doesn't post high strikeout totals("only" 147). He's been an out machine all year. He's essentially become the Korean version of Jon Garland, except more effective against Korean bats than Garland has been against American bats. He boasts a plus fastball with movement, but what makes him effective is his ability to change speeds to keep the hitters off balance here. There's some speculation that Rios might leave for Japan next year. I'm not sure how well he'd do there. As long as he can change speeds effectively on hitters, I think he could succeed anywhere.

Hanwha was able to keep the game close for a while. They were trailing only 2-0 in the 6th but in the 7th and 8th innings the floodgates opened. It was a hit parade in both innings. Doosan managed to score 8 runs without hitting a homerun. Doosan has the most patient lineup in the KBO. These guys are the Oakland A's of the KBO. They are very good at not making outs. The stand out was Lee Dae Su. He went 4-4 with a triple, a run scored and two RBIs.

The hero: Danny Rios. He was a buzzsaw.

The goat: The Hanwha bullpen. Hanwha did not spell relief on Sunday. It looked like they were throwing BP for the last 3 innings.

Hanwha could start planning for game two when: Doosan started slapping around the Hanwha bullpen. If this keeps up, it could be a short series.

Game two is Monday at 6pm Seoul time. Chong Min Chol(12-5, 2.90 ERA) takes the rubber for Hanwha and foreign ringer Matt Lander(12-8, 3.12 ERA) is scheduled for Doosan.

Round 1, Game 3

Eagles 5, Lions 3
Eagles win the series 2-1

This game was almost over before it started. Lions' starter, Brian Mazone, was chased from the game after only 2/3 of an inning. His final line was 3 hits, 1 walk and 2 earned runs. Everything over the plate was hit hard and every thing off the plate was ignored. Lions' manager, Sun Dong-Yol, took him out before the game was out of hand. The Eagles started Cedric Bowers, a pitcher who had been in and out of the starting rotation all season. He was about as effective as Mazone was, but Samsung was unable to inflict as much damage on the scoreboard as the Eagles could.

This game was your typical 4-hour Korean grindfest. You could fall asleep for an hour and not miss anything in this one. The two teams combined to use 12 pitchers. 8 of them used by Samsung. This game was slow and fairly dull for a playoff game. Play was stopped so much that there was never any flow to the game. It felt like a big, ugly mess, but it wasn't without its highlights.

Samsung had to battle all night to keep the game close. The same problems that plagued Samsung during the regular season came back to haunt them in the playoffs. The Lions are excellent at getting runners on 1st and 2nd with less than two outs, but terrible at actually plating them. Samsung did make a game out of it and even managed a great fake rally in the 9th. I had the feeling during this one that Samsung was always an inning away from the bullpen opening the floodgates. It never really flooded, but a pair of solo homers made the Lions more than a little soggy.

In the 6th inning, Hanwha turned to game one star, Ryu Hyon-Jin, to close the door on Samsung. After looking dominant in game one, he looked very mediocre in game three. He had trouble finding the plate and left a few pitches up in the zone. Samsung was more than willing to let him off the hook and he was able to escape with only allowing one run in 3 1/3 innings of work.

The hero: Lee Bum-Ho of Hanwha. He hit .556 in the series, including the nail-in-the-coffin homerun in game 3 off Oh Seung-Hwan.

The goat: Brian Mazone. He looked awful.

Hanwha could pack its bags for Seoul and Samsung could pack its bags for home when: Lee Bum-Ho hit his 7th inning homerun to put Hanwha up 4-2. It took all the air out of the Lions fans in attendance.

The playoffs head to Seoul where the rested and ready Doosan Bears will face the Hanwha Eagles in a best of 5 series. Game 1 is set for 10/14 at 2pm Korean time.

Round 1, Game 2

Lions 6, Eagles 0

Last night was essentially the exact opposite of game 1. The Lions bats came to life, homering twice and scoring a runner from second on a basehit for the first time in a week. 5 Lions pitchers combined to scatter 3 hits. The Eagles only had one runner reach 2nd base all night. I think it was more inept hitting than effective pitching, but what it really came down to was tat the Lions executed and the Eagles didn't.

The crowd was into the game before the first pitch was thrown. Hanwha fans came in from Daejon for what could have been the clinching game, but around 8:30 most had either left or were looking at their watches drying to decide if they should catch the 9:03 express train or wait for the 9:32. The Samsung fans came out in force as the cheering section was as loud and as large as I've ever seen it. The stadium was about 90% full. If I had to guess the size of the crowd, I'd say about 5500 people showed up.

The funniest moment of the night came when a group of young people advertising for a Korean baseball movie(The Scout, hitting theatres in Korea on 11/15) lost control of their banner in centerfield. These guys were about as uncoordinated as possible when it came to waving their massive banner. The also had different number claps. Every time their Fearless Leader would call for a different clap, that's exactly what happened. Everyone would clap differently. Su-Jin summed it up best, "I think these guys need practice."

Keys to the game: Samsung kept Hanwha's big bats in check for most of the game. Jacob Cruz and Kim Tae Gyun were a combined 1-6 with two walks. If these two aren't driving in runs, usually doesn't do much.

This game wasn't without questionable managing from Samsung. For example, removing an effective Chon Byung Ho after only three innings, replacing a pitcher in the middle of an at bat(while he was ahead in the count) and allowing ace closer Oh Seung Hwan to work the 9th of a blowout. Fans shouldn't complain after a 6-0 victory, but I was really scratching my head at some of the decisions made.

Game 3 is in Daejon on Friday. One team goes on, the other goes home. Hanwha! Samsung! Cruz! Yong! Tomorrow on MBC! KBO fever! Catch it.