Can they overcome another undervaluation?
The Samsung Lions of the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) have had a banner year in 2024. The team was picked to finish last before the season, and an eight-game losing streak early in the season dropped them to ninth place, but that was as far as the predictions went. After the eight-game losing streak, Samsung rebounded with a five-game winning streak and two four-game winning streaks, defying expectations and staying in the top half of the standings throughout the season.
They finished second in the regular season and headed directly to the playoffs (PO), but the loss of starting pitcher Connor Seabold and bullpen reliever Choi Ji-kwang had some experts predicting LG’s dominance. In the second game of the PO, the injury woes continued, with center fielder Koo Ja-rook injuring his left knee while stealing second base in the first inning and having to be replaced, but Samsung defeated LG 3-1 to advance to the Korean Series.
Samsung manager Park Jin-man addressed the underestimation
Samsung manager Park Jin-man addressed the underestimation on Tuesday at the media day for the 2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League Korean Series (KS-7 best-of-four) at Lavender Hall at Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Chungjang Hotel in Gwangju.
“Before this season, Samsung was categorized as the lowest ranked team, so the players worked hard to prepare and finished second in the regular season,” Park said. ”There were many experts who said LG would win the PO, but our players prepared well. It’s the same now,” he said.
Park continued, “There is an evaluation that KIA has an advantage (in KS) because they are the No. 1 team in the regular season and have a strong team, but our players have prepared well. We will prepare well so that we can win the championship.” 파워볼사이트 ”I am here because my players have done a good job. I’m grateful and thankful to our players,” he said, expressing his faith in them.
The regular-season gap between first- and second-place KIA and Samsung is nine games. In terms of head-to-head record, Kia dominated Samsung with 12 wins and 4 losses. Samsung finished the PO in four games, but they are not at their best due to injuries to key players. In many ways, Samsung is the underdog.
However,
Park said, “We came to KS with a good result in the PO. We played KIA all season long, but they are a strong team. However, through the POs, our players are full of energy. We will use that energy to dig into KIA’s gaps and take a shot at them.”
No matter how strong KIA is, it is not without its weaknesses. “When we played KIA in the season, it was not easy to solve the game. But short-term games are different from the season, and I don’t think the record has anything to do with it. We will try to dig into KIA’s weaknesses through our power analysis and coaches’ meetings. You’ll see it in the game,” he said with a hint of confidence.
Samsung has played KS three times against KIA’s predecessor, Haetae, in 1986, 1987 and 1993, but lost all three times. Kia has won all 11 KS titles in its history, including nine as Haetae. They are the only team in the KBO without a runner-up. Speaking about KIA’s undefeated streak in the KS, Kang Min-ho said, “My brother (Choi) was telling me, ‘KIA has never lost in the KS. I told him, ‘I’m here to break that record,’” he said. As a challenger, I will fight with no regrets,” he said.
Meanwhile,
Since the single-league system began in 1989 (excluding 1999 and 2000, which were played as a double-elimination league), there have been five instances in 33 KSs where the top team in the regular season did not win the title. The probability of an upset is 15.2%.
In 1989, second-ranked Haetae beat Binggrae 4 games to 1, in 1992, third-ranked Lotte beat Binggrae 4 games to 1, in 2001, third-ranked Doosan beat Samsung 4 games to 2, in 2015, third-ranked Doosan beat Samsung 4 games to 1, and in 2018, second-ranked SK beat Doosan 4 games to 2 to win the upset. It will be interesting to see if Samsung, who have defied the odds all season, can pull off their first KS upset in franchise history.