KIA's 2nd consecutive win for the first time in 9 years...Will Samsung and LG Be Opponents
KIA's 2nd consecutive win for the first time in 9 years...Will Samsung and LG Be Opponents
Blog Article
Will the KIA Tigers, who were deeply touched by the V12, announce the beginning of the "establishment of the dynasty"? Will the Samsung Lions and the LG Twins, who are considered rivals, be able to block Kia from dominating the race.안전놀이터
The 2025 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League will begin the long run of 144 pennant races for each team, starting with the opening game at five stadiums nationwide on the 22nd.
The KBO League, which surpassed 10 million spectators for the first time in professional sports last year (1,0887,705), is full of expectations that it will continue its box office streak this year.
◇ KIA, which has a strong record of winning, is aiming for the lead again this year
Attention is focusing on whether KIA, which has the most wins among the most popular teams in the KBO League, will win its second consecutive title. KIA won the pennant race last year and the Korean Series, and enjoyed the "unified championship" for the first time in seven years.
This season is also considered the strongest candidate for the championship. While Jang Hyun-sik (LG Twins), who moved to the FA last year, was replaced by Cho Sang-woo, a bullpen pitcher who was the king of relief.
Patrick Wisdom, who boasts 88 home runs in the big league, was recruited for the foreign hitter slot, which was somewhat disappointing. If Wisdom performs as well as expected, KIA's batting order will be stronger than last year.
On top of that, Kim Do-young, who has emerged as a "superstar" in the league, is also in full swing. She was the youngest ever to achieve 30 homers and 30 steals last season, and is committed to continuing her momentum this season.
It has a solid player base, so it has some preparation for the "old man's risk" such as Choi Hyung-woo, Yang Hyun, Na Sung-bum and Kim Sun-bin. Infielders Yoon Do-hyun and Hong Jong-pyo, outfielder Park Jung-woo, catcher Han Jun-su, starting pitchers Yoon Young-chul and Kim Do-hyun have already completed their skills verification to some extent, and are ready to fill the void of veteran players.
If KIA wins its second consecutive Korean Series title, it will be the first championship in nine years since Doosan in 2015-2016. In terms of overall wins, it has been 11 years since Samsung, which won four consecutive championships between 2011 and 2014.
◇ Samsung, LG, KT, KIA will fight against the soloists
Last year's Korean Series runner-up Samsung Lions and 2023 integrated champions LG Twins are considered rivals to prevent KIA's dominance.
Samsung, which unexpectedly generated a sensation last season, has strengthened its mound by recruiting Ariel Furado and Choi Won-tae in the off-season. Expectations are also high for Kim Young-woong and Lee Jae-hyun, who are thriving and have begun to burst their potential.
However, the fact that the bullpen is somewhat aging is still an unsettling factor. Kim Tae-hoon, Kim Jae-yoon, Lim Chang-min, and Oh Seung-hwan have considerable value in their names, but they cannot expect as much ball power as they did in their heyday. Young pitchers such as Kim Moo-shin and right-hander Lee Seung-hyun need to work hard.
LG's batting lineup consisting of Austin Dean, Moon Bo-kyung, Moon Sung-joo, Park Dong-won, Kim Hyun-soo, and Shin Min-jae is not behind any other team.
However, the fact that the pitching staff went overboard in last year's postseason is an unsettling factor. Closer Yoo Young-chan has already left due to an elbow injury, and other pitchers such as Elijah Hernandez, Son Joo-young and Kim Jin-sung are also at risk of falling ball power.
The Wizards' Corps KT Wiz is also ranked among the top teams. The team gave up starting pitcher Um Sang-baek and starting shortstop Shim Woo-joon to the Hanwha Eagles, but the team steadily strengthened its capabilities by acquiring infielder Huh Kyung-min as an FA, left-hander Oh Won-seok as a trade deal, and new foreign player Enmanuel de Heysus.
On top of that, as So Hyung-joon, who returned to rehabilitation in the second half of last year after surgery, is back in the starting lineup, the "five-man rotation" is not lagging behind KIA.
However, the disadvantage is that the age of the fielders is high and the backup agents to support them are somewhat weak.
◇ 'Dark Horse' Hanwha is aiming for the 5th round this time...Lotte and Doosan are also under attack
The "eye of the typhoon" is Hanwha. The Korean team is committed to strengthening its capacity through aggressive investment in line with the opening of its new home stadium and produce results this season.
Hanwha recruited Um Sang-baek and Shim Woo-joon during the off-season, while foreign hitters Esteban Floral and foreign pitcher Cody Ponce also joined the team. The starting rotation of Weiss, Ponce, Ryu Hyun-jin, Moon Dong-ju and Um Sang-baek is solid.
The fact that "master" Kim Kyung-moon leads the team in earnest is also a part of raising expectations.
The Lotte Giants and the Doosan Bears are also considered as ambush.
Lotte, led by head coach Kim Tae-hyung, topped the team's ERA (2.06) in the exhibition game, and Yoon Dong-hee, Ko Seung-min, Son Ho-young, Na Seung-yeop and Hwang Sung-bin, who were discovered last year, are expected to play the core of the lineup.
Doosan has entered the "rebuilding" but has shown formidable strength by recruiting big-name foreign players Col Irvin and Jack Rogue Jake Cave. As the pitching staff was strong last year, there is room for them to rise to the top depending on the situation.
On the other hand, the prospects for SSG Landers, NC Dinos, and Kiwoom Heroes are not bright.
SSG has Kim Kwang-hyun and Choi Jung, Guillermo Herredia and Drew Anderson, but it is regrettable that the players will support them along with concerns about "aging."
In addition, there is a lot of anxiety because the team's atmosphere is chaotic, with some veterans training separately and controversy over the appointment of the second-tier coach.
While NC failed to catch Kyle Hart, who dominated last year's league, its main players are aging together. Although NC appointed Lee Ho-joon as its new head coach, the competition is not easy.
Kiwoom, which has been in last place for the past two consecutive years, is expected to be a more difficult season as Kim Hye-sung and Jo Sang-woo escaped.