KBO Announced Gold Glove Winners Over the Weekend

Winners are as follows...

P - Yoon Seok-min, KIA 17-5, 2.45 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 178 K's in 172 1/3
C - Kang Min-ho, Lotte .289/.366/.480
1B - Lee Dae-ho, Lotte .357/.433/.578
2B - Ahn Chi-hong, KIA .315/.373/.431
3B - Choi Jeong, SK .310/.402/.526
SS - Lee Dae-su, Hanhwa .301/.360/.426
LF - Choi Hyeong-woo, Samsung .340/.427/.610
CF - Lee Yong-gyu, KIA .333/.427/.401

RF - Son Ah-seop, Lotte .326/.385/.507
DH - Hong Seong-heun, Lotte .306/.376/.403



Also, Lotte DH Hong Seong-heun won his second straight award for the worst suit of evening. That's Hong in front/center. Still, this pales in comparison to last year's outfit.

Samsung Lions Add Mitch Talbot

The Samsung Lions announced today that they reached an agreement for former Cleveland Indian Mitch Talbot. The 28 year-old righty will earn about $300K for coming to the defending champions of Asia.

Talbot won ten games in 2010, but he spent 2011 shuttling between Cleveland and Columbus. He compiled a 2-6 record with a 6.64 ERA and 1.85 WHIP in 12 starts with the big club.

Welcome to Korea, Mitch.

Samsung 5, Softbank 3

Samsung wins the Asia Series

W - Jang Won-sam, L - Sho Iwasaki, S - Oh Seung-hwan
Samsung HR - None
Softbank HR - None

I'm thrilled to see the KBO finally knock the NPB off their pedestal, but this Asia Series was completely underwhelming. Samsung didn't have their full pitching staff and we saw a lot of backups getting heavy playing time. The SoftBank Hawks were in a similar state with their non-Japanese players sent home and their top two pitchers are currently free agents. This year's tournement was probably the weakest from a talent perspective since it's inception. That being said, someone still had to win it and I'm very happy it was Samsung. It's been a five year wait for KBO fans and it feels really good to have it end.

SoftBank drew first blood in the first inning with a RBI double from third baseman Nobihiro Matsuda. On the previous play Samsung right fielder Park Han-yi needed to be carted off after sustaining a leg injury on a diving catch.

Samsung answered back in the top of the fifth inning with a five-run(!) rally. Samsung right fielder Jeong Hyeong-sik came into the game in the first inning when Park was taken off. Jeong came to the plate with the bases loaded and one out. He poked a single back through the middle to drive in a pair and give the Lions a 2-1 lead. Samsung pushed it to 3-1 with a ground-rule double from third baseman Park Seok-min. With two outs and runners on second and third, Samsung left fielder Kang Bong-gyu hit a sharp grounder to short. The ball ricocheted off of shortstop Munenori Kawasaki and into left field. Both runners scored on the play to give Samsung a commanding 5-1 lead.

Softbank answered back in the eighth inning. With runners on first and second with no outs, Samsung brought in closer Oh Seung-hwan to get them out of the jam. Oh promptly gave up an RBI single to SoftBank center fielder Seiichi Uchikawa to load the bases. Nobuhiro Matsuda grounded into a double play, but the runner on third managed to score to cut the lead to 5-2. Outfielder Yuya Hasegawa singled back up the middle to cut the lead to 5-3. Oh managed to get Kenji Akashi to end the inning.

The Samsung offense was quiet in the top of the ninth, so it was up to Oh to hold on to the 5-3 lead. Oh struck out the first two batters in the top of the ninth and got Munenori Kawasaki to ground out to end the game.

Samsung starter Jang Won-sam was really, really good last night. Jang threw 6 1/3 innings(100 pitches, 69 strikes) of one-run baseball. Jang gave up only five hits and one walk while striking out three. He was really effecient and did his best work on the inner part of the plate. It looked like the SoftBank Hawks didn't like getting busted inside.

Next year's series will take place in Korea at Jamsil Stadium. I, for one, think this is the silliest idea I've ever heard. The KBO needs to build a modern baseball facility before it can be allowed to host a tournement like this. Jamsil is fine, but it's not a stadium anyone would pay money to go to in November.

Samsung 6, Uni-President Lions 3

W - Kwon Oh-joon, L - Ryan Glynn, S - Oh Seung-hwan
Samsung HR - Choi Hyeong-woo
Uni President HR - Kuo Chun-yu

Samsung really appeared to be trying really hard to not lose this game.

The Lions trotted out mascot Bae Yeong-su to start the game. Bae was once one of the truly dominant pitchers in the KBO, but injury has robbed Bae of most of his ability. He's able to get batters out, but he doesn't have nearly the stuff he had when he was leading Samsung to a championship in 2005. Bae tossed 5 innings(64 pitches, 45 strikes) of one-run baseball. Bae gave up five hits and struck out one.

Samsung broke a scoreless tie in the third inning with a RBI single from right fielder Park Han-yi. First baseman Chae Tae-in pushed the lead to 2-0 with a sac fly.

The Lions added an insurance run in the fourth on a RBI ground out from catcher Jin Kab-yong to push the lead to 3-0. It turns out, they would need the extra runs.

Uni-President answered back in the bottom of the fourth with a RBI single from DH Yang Song-hsien.

Uni-President tied the game in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run bomb from left fielder Kuo Chun-yu. Samsung reliever Kwon Hyeok absolutely served one up on a platter to Kuo.

For the Samsung's sake, reliever Kwon Oh-joon shut down the Uni-President Lions for the next 2 1/3 innings. Kwon struck out four and gave up absolutely nothing.

In the top of the eighth, Samsung DH Choi Hyeong-woo finally made his prescence felt in this tournament by taking a 0-1 offering from Ryan Glynn over the center field wall for a two-run homer. Samsung picked up another run in the top of the ninth when reliever Wang Ching-ming threw a wild pitch with a runner on third.

Samsung closer Oh Seung-hwan struck out two during a scoreless ninth to put Samsung into the final against the NPB's Softbank Hawks.

The final will be played at 8 PM Korean time on 10/29. Starters have yet to be announced.

Softbank 9, Samsung 0

W - Yamada, L - Lee Woo-sun
Softbank HR - None
Samsung HR - None

Erm, yeah. I knew that Samsung was in trouble when I saw that Samsung went with Lee Woo-sun as their starter. I guess Cha Woo-chan and Yoon Seong-hwan wer being saved for the final, but we couldn't do any better than this?

Samsung looked awful on the mound and worse in the field. Every ground ball found a hole and every line drive found space in the outfield. Softbank basically ran the Lions out of the park once they got on base. Softbank stole seven bases during the affair.

Lee Woo-sun was battered and yanked in the second inning. He was responsible for three of the runs allowed. 28 year old warm body Lee Dong-geol didn't fare much better. I follow the Lions as closely as any non-Korean person can, but I've never heard of this guy. He stuck around for 3 2/3 innings, but was knocked around for five more runs.

Samsung didn't do much at the plate and most of the starters were pulled before the ninth inning .

Samsung has to win against Taiwain to earn themselves a spot in the final against the same Softbank Hawks.

Samsung 10, Perth Heat 2

W - Jang Won-sam (1-0), L - Daniel Schmidt (0-1)
Samsung HR - Shin Myeong-cheol
Perth Heat HR - Allan de San Miguel

The official game recap from the Perth Heat can be found here.

This game basically unfolded the way most Lions fans thought it would. The Lions showed rust early thanks to their month long lay off, but took advantage of mistakes from the Heat and turned this game into a rout.

Samsung started the game looking very much like a team that hadn't played a competitive game in a month. The Lions looked sloppy and starter Jang Won-sam labored through the first few innings.

Perth actually took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third on a RBI double from catcher Allan de San Miguel.

Samsung answered back with a three-run rally in the bottom of the third. Lions third baseman Park Seok-min hit a two-run double and later scored on a throwing error.

The two teams traded runs again in the sixth. de San Miguel hit a solo homer for Perth's second run and Samsung right fielder Park Han-yi hit a sac fly.

The Lions put the game out of reach in the bottom of the eighth with a six-run rally that included a grand slam from Lions second baseman Shin Myeong-cheol.

Jang Won-sam looked much better after he settled down. Jang tossed six innings(85 pitches, 56 strikes) of two-run ball. Jang gave up four hits and two walks while striking out ten.

Free Agent News Grab Bag

The KBO has 17 free agents this year. A full list can be found here.

KIA ace Yoon Seok-min wants to make the move to MLB and he wants to hire Scott Boras as his agent.

Free agent/Giants slugger Lee Dae-ho says he'll stay with Lotte if he stays in Korea. He's still weighing options between Lotte, Japan and searching for a deal in the US.

Lee Seung-yeop sounds like he's ready to make his return to the KBO next year. Lee left for Japan after setting the single-season homerun record in Asia. He struggled with injuries recently and spent last season with the Orix Buffaloes. Actually, he spent most of the year not playing for Orix. He's been linked with a return to Samsung for a few months.

Former Hanhwa Eagles slugger Kim Tae-gyun will also return to Korea next season. In 2010, Kim hit 21 homers in his first season in Japan, but only hit one in 31 games last year for the Chiba Lotte Marines. He's been linked with a return to Hanhwa.

Park Chan-ho will also be returning to Korea next year. He's been linked with the Hanhwa Eagles for a long, long time.

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.

Samsung 2, SK 0

Samsung leads the series, 1-0

W - Cha Woo-chan (1-0), L - Goh Hyo-joon (0-1), S - Oh Seung-hwan (1)
Samsung HR - None
SK HR - None

The Lions didn't look like they were off for two weeks. The Lions played last night's game more like it was an elimination game than the opening game of the series.

Doug Mathis got the start and was fairly effective for the short time he was in the game. Mathis tossed four shutout innings(59 pitches, 36 strikes) before giving way to the Samsung bullpen. Mathis gave up four hits and two walks while striking out three.

Samsung ace(by default) Cha Woo-chan relieved Mathis and added three shutout innings(36 pitches, 25 strikes). Cha gave didn't allow a baserunner while striking out five of the nine batters he faced. Dude was locked in.

Samsung broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth when second baseman Shin Myeong-cheol stepped up to the plate with runners on first and second with no outs. Shin absolutely stung a double into left/center to drive in both runners and give Samsung all the offense they would need.

Samsung loaded the bases with one out, but managed to get out of it. SK second baseman Jeong Geun-woo dropped a pop up right on the edge of the infield. He managed to locate the ball and get it back into the infield in time to get the runner coming home from third...barely. Jeong later redeemed himself by making a highlight reel catch on the final out of the inning. He made an over the shoulder catch on a ball that was headed for no man's land in right field. He never broke stride while running and looked up at the perfect time.

Samsung did run into a jam in the eighth inning, but Samsung called on closer Oh Seung-hwan to get them out of the jam and he delivered.

Oh stuck around for the ninth and recorded a perfect inning for the save.

SK starter Goh Hyo-joon was really mediocre last night. He probably would have been tagged for more runs if he wasn't pulled after 3 2/3 innings.

Samsung used an interesting strategy after their two week lay off. They used their starters for short periods of time instead of expecting them to be fully stretched out and able to go deep into games. It wouldn't be a huge shock to see them follow the same strategy in game two and beyond.

Game two is Wednesday night at 6 PM Daegu time. Samsung will try to go two games up on the Wyverns with Jang Won-sam on the mound. Jang battled various injuries all year and finished up 8-8 with a 4.15 ERA and 1.53 WHIP. Jang struck out 68 and walked 37 in 115 innings. SK will counter with journeyman starter Yoon Hee-sang. Yoon was last seen in game four of the second round. Yoon tossed five innings of one-run baseball. He gave up six hits and one walk while striking out six. Yoon has emerged as one of the better stories of the post season as he put together solid efforts against both KIA and Lotte.

Game One Starters Announced...

...and they're surprising.

SK will send Goh Hyo-joon to the mound. Goh went 5-8 in 105 2/3 innings of work. Goh ended the year with a 4.05 ERA and 1.48 WHIP. He struck out 89, but walked 69.

Samsung will start their 2011 playoff campaign with Doug Mathis. Doug only threw 64 2/3 innings because he joined the team in late July. Mathis went 5-2 with a 2.52 ERA and 1.45 WHIP. He struck out 32, but walked 34.

SK 8, Lotte 4

SK wins the series, 3-2
W - Brian Gordon (1-1), L - Song Seung-joon (1-1), S - Jeong Woo-ram (1)
SK HR - Park Jeong-kwon 2(3)
Lotte HR - None

We've got a 2010 Korean Series rematch, but this time the SK Wyverns come in as the underdog and the Samsung Lions are the favorite.

SK went with struggling ace Kim Kwang-hyeon as the starter for this game and he didn't last long. Kim gave up a triple to left fielder Kim Ju-chan to start the game. Kim scored on a double from center fielder Jeon Joon-woo to give Lotte a 1-0 lead. Kim finished the first inning, but he wasn't brought back for the second. He simply hasn't looked the same since the 2010 post season.

Lotte's lead lasted until the fourth inning and it was the last lead they would see in the 2011 season. SK first baseman Park Jeong-kwon hit a two-run bomb to put SK on top.

SK added two more runs in the fifth to push the lead to 4-1. Lotte turned to starter Jang Won-joon to provide some relief. He didn't have nearly the same success he had in Game Four. Jang faced three batters and all three stung him for base hits. Lim Hoon, Jeong Geun-woo and Park Jae-sang all singled off of Jang. Park's single drove in a run to make the score 3-1. Chris Bootcheck was brought in and he promptly uncorked a wild pitch to allow Jeong Geun-woo to score from second to make the lead 4-1.

In the sixth, Park Jeong-kwon hit his second two-run homer of the day to make the lead 6-1 and the rout was on.

Lotte rallied for three in the bottom of the sixth to make the game close. DH Hong Seong-heun hit an off-the-wall double to plate the first run of the rally and catcher Kang Min-ho hit another off-the-wall double to drive in a pair.

SK piled on with two more runs in the eighth to give us our final. With runners on second and third with no outs, DH Ahn Chi-hong singled to right for the first run of the inning. Center fielder Kim Kang-min then hit a double to push the lead to 8-4. SK still had runners on second and third with no outs, but Lotte managed to get out of the jam without any more damage.

The SK bullpen(and starting staff) really stepped up after Kim's early exit. Brian Gordon threw 3 2/3 innings(49 pitches, 32 strikes) of scoreless relief. Gordon gave up only three hits while striking out three.

SK reliever Jeong Woo-ram recorded the final nine outs for the save. He struck out one and didn't give up anything.

For Lotte, it was nothing but headaches after starter Song Seung-joon was pulled in the fifth inning. Song threw 4 2/3 innings(67 pitches, 42 strikes) and gave up two runs. Song surrendered only four hits(three stayed in the park) and struck out one.

Whichever buttons manager Yang pushed after Song's exit were the wrong ones. Jang Won-joon and Chris Bootcheck both struggled in relief of Song. They didn't get much help in the field. Lotte was only charged with one error, but there were numerous mental errors in the field that helped SK pile on the runs. It was like all of the ghosts of seasons past came back to haunt them. Bobbled balls, fielders juuuuuuuust missing grounders, wild pitches.

SK will head to the Korean Series to face Samsung while Lotte will get to go home early.

The series will start in Daegu at 6 PM local time on Tuesday. Starters haven't been announced, but SK will likely use Song Eun-beom against either Yoon Seong-hwan or Cha Woo-chan. Samsung could go either way with their starter in game one. Samsung will likely save its non-Korean pitchers for either emergency relief work or for use later in the series as a starter.

9/29 Roundup and News

My Daily takes a look at KIA giving reliever Han Ki-joo a starting assignment. "Hey! I've got an idea! Let's give the guy who missed almost two full years a job that's going to put MORE stress on his arm! GIVE ME A RAISE!"

Someone at Osen wants to compare Hanhwa great Guh Dae-seong to Denny Bautista because they can both start, relieve and close.

Someone at Osen also thinks that Lotte manager Yang Seung-ho should be the team's MVP. This person must have been in a coma for April and May.

Osen does redeem themselves by giving us a preview of the possible winners of the KBO's Gold Glove at shortstop. A trio of smaller guys are the frontrunners for the award this year. Osen likes Samsung's Kim Sang-su, Hanhwa's Lee Dae-su and KIA's Kim Seon-bin. If I had to, I'd probably rank them 1. Lee, 2. Kim Sang-su and 3. Kim Seon-bin, but post-season performances often weigh heavy in the minds of voters.

KIA 8, Doosan 1
W - Han Ki-joo (1-3), L - Choi Hyeon-jin (0-1)
KIA HR - Na Ji-wan (18)
Doosan HR - None

KIA reliever Han Ki-joo made his first career start and looked solid. Han tossed five innings(87 pitches, 56 strikes) of one-run baseball. Han gave up seven hits and three walks while striking out three.

KIA DH Na Ji-wan hit a grand slam in the first inning as the Tigers routed the lowly Bears. KIA left fielder Yoo Jae-won also chipped in with a two-run double.

Nexen 5, LG 0
W - Kang Yoon-guh (3-0), Radhames Liz (10-13)
Nexen HR - Kim Min-woo (6)
LG HR - None

Nexen starter Kang Yoon-guh continued his run of solid pitching. Kang threw five shutout innings(83 pitches, 49 strikes) last night. Kang only allowed two hits and two walks while striking out two. Kang started his career two years ago as a 19-year old reliever. He's been converted to a starter and looks like a competent KBO starter. He's only given up 18 baserunners in 17 innings this year, but walks might be a problem. He's allowed nine of them already.

Nexen third baseman Kim Min-woo broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning with a two-run homer and the Nexen offense picked up a few more insurance runs in the late innings to earn the W. Doosan went out of their way to help the Heroes by committing four errors.

Samsung 3, SK 3
Samsung HR - None
SK HR - Jeong Sang-ho (11)

Samsung jumped out to an early 3-0 lead thanks to a three-run rally in the fourth inning. Most of the damage came on a two-run single from third baseman Cho Dong-chan.

SK cut the lead to 3-2 in the fifth inning with a two-run homer from catcher Jeong Sang-ho. The Wyverns tied the game at three in the seventh inning on a RBI sac fly from first baseman Park Jin-man.

Tied was how the game would remain.

Lost in this game was a solid effort from Justin Germano. Germano threw six innings(76 pitches, 51 strikes) of two-run baseball. Germano gave up four hits and one walk while striking out seven.

Thanks to the tie, the Lotte Giants remain a full game up on the SK Wyverns for second place.

9/8 Roundup and News

Ryu Hyeon-jin's return from injury is dissected.

NC Soft will announce the result of the open tryouts they've held recently.

Samsung closer Oh Seung-hwan doesn't think a closer should win MVP.

The Fukuoka Softbank Hawks have been scouting Dustin Nippert and Ben Jukich.

LG 4, Doosan 2
W - Lim Chan-gyu (9-3), L - Jeong Jae-hoon (2-6), S - Song Shin-yeong (17)
LG HR - Park Yong-taek (14), Jeong Seong-hoon (9)
Doosan HR - None

Doosan broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the seventh inning when second baseman Oh Jae-won clubbed an off-the-wall double with a runner on first. The runner was able to sprint all the way to the plate to give the Bears a 2-1 advantage.

The Twins answered right back in the top of the eighth with a three-run bomb from third baseman Jeong Seong-hoon. Closer Song Shin-yeong threw a perfect ninth for the save.

LG starter Ben Jukich tossed 7 2/3 innings(93 pitches, 63 strikes) of two-run baseball. Jukich gave up seven hits, one walk and one hit batsman while striking out three.

Doosan starter Kim Sang-hyeon went seven innings(83 pitches, 60 strikes) and surrendered one run. Kim was responsible for only three hits and one walk while striking out four.

Hanhwa 4, Nexen 1
W - Ryu Hyeon-jin (9-7), L - Shim Su-chang (2-10), S - Denny Bautista (7)
Hanhwa HR - Kang Dong-woo (12)
Nexen HR - None

Hanhwa ace Ryu Hyeon-jin made only his second start since returning from injury. The K Monster missed almost all of August with an injury. Ryu tossed six innings(72 pitches, 45 strikes) of one-run(unearned) baseball. Ryu allowed only two hits while striking out six.

Hanhwa basically pieced together enough of an offense to get Ryu his ninth win. Right fielder Goh Dong-jin went 2-3 with a double and a run scored.

Hanhwa closer Denny Bautista struck out two during a perfect ninth for the save.

Lotte 2, SK 2 (12)
Lotte HR - Son Ah-seop (13)
SK HR - Kim Kang-min (6)

Lotte right fielder Son Ah-seop hit a two-run bomb in the first inning to give the Giants an early lead.

SK cut the lead in half in the fourth inning when shortstop Park Jin-man doubled, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a RBI groundout from catcher Jeong Sang-ho.

SK tied the game in the fifth on a solo homer from center fielder Kim Kang-min.

The two teams basically watched the other team make lots and lots of outs until the final outs of the 12th inning were recorded.

Lotte starter Goh Won-joon showed a lot of heart by pitching out of a big jam in the first inning. SK loaded the bases with no outs and failed to score. Goh threw two strikeouts and got a grounder to end the inning. Goh tossed seven innings(105 pitches, 67 strikes) of two-run ball. Goh surrendered only four hits and two walks while striking out six.

SK starter Lee Yeong-wook tossed seven innings(104 pitches, 71 strikes) of two-run ball. Lee allowed five hits, one walk and one hit batsman while striking out five.

Samsung 7, KIA 3
W - Yoon Seong-hwan (11-5), L - Yoon Seok-min (15-5)
Samsung HR - Choi Hyeong-woo (26)
KIA HR - Choi Hee-seop(9)

Both teams started this game with a bang. Samsung slugger Choi Hyeong-woo blasted a two-run bomb in the top of the first, while KIA first baseman Choi Hee-seop hit a three-run bomb in the bottom of the inning.

Samsung took the lead right back in the top of the second inning. With runners on the corners and one out, shortstop Kim Sang-su hit a RBI ground out to the right side to tie the game at three. Right fielder Park Han-yi hit a RBI single to give Samsung a 4-3 lead.

Samsung rallied for three more runs in the ninth inning so that KIA would know they were beaten.

Samsung's Choi Hyeong-woo finished 2-4 with a walk, two RBIs and a run scored. Shortstop Kim Sang-su went 2-5 with two RBIs.

KIA ace Yoon Seok-min is showing signs of wearing down. He's already logged a career high in innings pitched and it looks like the heavy workload has taken a toll on his arm. Yoon threw seven innings(107 pitches, 74 strikes), but was battered for four runs. Yoon allowed nine hits and three walks while striking out seven.

9/7 Roundup and News

Naver Sports offers an analysis of the top four teams in the KBO.

They also breakdown the issues surrounding the LG Twins.

They look back at the career of recently deceased former player/coach Jang Hyo-jo.

They also discuss whether or not Hanhwa should renew Karim Garcia.

Samsung 4, Hanhwa 1
W -Justin Germano (3-1), L - Kim Hyeok-min (5-11), S - Oh Seung-hwan (39)
Samsung HR - Park Seok-min (14)
Hanhwa HR - None

Justin Germano tossed 5 1/3 innings(73 pitches, 54 strikes) of one-run baseball. Germano gave up seven hits and one walk while striking out two. Luckily for Germano, the Samsung bullpen managed not to blow the game and he earned his third KBO win. Relievers Ahn Ji-man and Kwon Hyeok earned holds while Lions closer Oh Seung-hwan nailed down his 39th save. Oh struck out two during his scoreless ninth inning.

At the plate for the Lions, well, third baseman Park Seok-min went 2-3 with a walk and a solo homer to ice the game. DH Choi Hyung-woo went 1-3 with a double, a sac fly, one RBI and a run scored.

Hanhwa first baseman Jang Seong-ho went 3-3 with one lonely RBI.

SK 1, Nexen 0
W - Yoon Hee-sang (1-1), Moon Seong-hyeon (4-10), S - Jeong Dae-hyeon (15)
SK HR - Park Jae-sang (4)
Nexen HR - None

SK left fielder Park Jae-sang clubbed a solo homer in the first inning and that was all the scoring this game would see. Park finished 2-3 with a stolen base in addition to his solo bomb.

SK starter Yoon Hee-sang tossed 5 1/3 innings(69 pitches, 47 strikes) of scoreless baseball. Yoon allowed only three hits and one walk while striking out three.

Nexen starter Moon Seong-hyeon threw seven innings(102 pitches, 59 strikes) of one-run ball. Moon gave up four hits and four walks while striking out four.

Doosan 5, LG 2
W - Kim Seung-hui (2-1), L - Lee Sang-yeol (0-6), S - Fernando Nieve (2)
Doosan HR - Kim Dong-ju (16)
LG HR - None

This is Doosan's fifth straight win. This W moves the Bears to 1 1/2 games in back of LG for fifth place and they're 7 1/2 games in back of SK for the fourth playoff spot. It's likely too little, too late for the underachieving Bears, but it's good to see that they still actually care. I'm 90% sure that I saw one of the Nexen Heroes take a golf club out to the plate instead of a bat last week.

Doosan broke a 2-2 tie in the seventh inning when left fielder Kim Hyeon-su hit a triple down the right field line with a runner on second. Kim would later score on an infield single from DH Kim Dong-ju. LG first baseman Lee Taek-geun took a bad angle on a slow bouncer and couldn't make the tag on Kim near the base.

Kim finished the game 3-5 with a solo homer, two RBIs and a run scored. Doosan catcher Yang Eui-ji went 4-5 with two RBIs.

Doosan starter Kim Seung-hui threw six innings(102 pitches, 63 strikes) of two-run ball. Kim was playing with fire all night as he gave up six hits and five walks while striking out three. Somehow, he managed to not get burned as the LG offense helped him get out of a couple jams.

Samsung Starter Ken Kadokura Placed on Waivers

Officially. Kadokura owns a 5-6 record with a 4.07 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in 86 1/3 innings of work. Kadokura had spent the previous two years in Incheon with teh SK Wyverns. It wouldn't be a huge shock to see a team in need of an innings eater make a claim. Stay tuned...