Unyielding Contest between Samsung and Doosan

▽ Catcher

KBS baseball commentator Ha Il-Sung forecasted that the role of catchers would be a key to win the game. He analyzed that the Doosan successively defeated the Hanwha and the Hyundai because of the notable play of catcher Hong Sung-Heun. Hong Sung-Heun has boosted the team`s morale showing his enthusiasm every game with the excellent pitcher lead and steal checking ability. And Ha Il-Sung expected that the game would offer an interesting contest between one-time Doosan Jin Gab-Yong and former LG Kim Dong-Soo, and new-generation slugger Hong Sung-Heun. Donga Ilbo baseball columnist and MBC commentator Huh Gu-Yeon pointed out that Jin Gab-Yong having suffered from right little finger injury might be a Achilles tendon for the Samsung.

▽ Mound

During the regular season, the Samsung has been told that it has an impregnable starter band comprised of Lim Chang-Yong, Galves, and Bae Young-Soo. Donga Ilbo baseball columnist and SBS Sports 30 commentator Lee Hyo-Bong also said that the Samsung starters were still mighty, and could show more dominant power after the sufficient rest. The Samsung possess many pitchers who can pitcher over 140 km/h unlike the Hyundai without fastball pitchers, so that it will not be easy for the Doosan to offend properly. On the contrary, the Doosan starters such as Koo Ja-Woon and Cole lack the mighty force compared to the Samsung starters. Commentator Huh Gu-Yeon said that the Galves`s lack of practice would be a weak point for the Sausung. And he added that if Koo Ja-Woon held the game over the fifth inning, the Doosan could play a good game because it had a strong bullpen.

▽ Jinx

The Samsung has advanced the Korean Series six times for the past 20 years, but it has kept failing to grab a victory trophy. The experts have paid attention to the big-game jinx of the Samsung. ITV commentator Koo Kyung-Baik said that since the Samsung scouted Manager Kim Eung-Ryon called as a `victory manufacturer`, the situation would be different this year. And the Daegu jinx of the Doosan is also interesting. The Doosan has recorded two wins and 8 looses including 6 straight losses at Daegu Stadium. At home, the Doosan earned a winning percentage over 0.500 with 5 wins and 4 losses. Commentator Ha and Koo agreed that if the Doosan recorded a 1-1 tie at Daegu, it could show a comparable match with the Samsung at Jamsil Stadium in which the rest 5 games will be held with the enthusiastic supports of home fans.

Kim Jong-Seok kjs0123@donga.com