Lee Seong-hyup Will Break Record with 46 More RBI

◆１１ The month when the post-season Korean Series will be held. Korean pro baseball teams will finish up the pennant race by September 28, and take break during the Pusan Asian Game (Sep. 29 to Oct. 14). Due to this schedule, the pro league will remain in season until November to hold the semi-playoff, playoff and Korean Series. Throughout the pro baseball history, the Korean Series was held in November only twice: in 1989 and 2000.

◆１５ The record of the longest losing streak for a pitcher is retained by Chang Myung-boo of Bingre (currently, Hanhwa), whose nickname is Raccoon Dog. It was made during the period from April 1 to July 26, 1986. Lotte’s pitcher Kim Young-soo might be a new champion of dishonor. He lost 10 games in a row without winning one in the 23 games in the first half of this season.

◆２５ The number of games needed for SK’s strong man Choi Tae-won to make the historical record of playing in 1000 games straight. By the end of the first half of this season, the number of games he has played without interval reached 975. It is predicted that his record will be made on August 17th game against Kangjoo Kia.

◆２７ The number of homers Lee Seong-hyup (Samsung) should make to break his own record of 54 home runs in a season. For now, both of Lee and Song Ji-man (Hanhwa) ranked 1st in the home run race with 28 each. Song is advantageous over Lee since Song has 60 games left, 3 more to play in than Lee. Song shoots a homer per 2.6 games. Thus he is expected to make 51.

◆４６ The RBI Lee Seong-hyup (Samsung) needs to break the one-season record of 123, which is also his own. So far in this season, Lee has scored 78 in 77 games. Thus, an unbreakable record of one RBI per game might be made by Lee, the first of this kind in the Korean pro baseball history.

◆５０ Minimum winning rate for the advance to the semi-playoff in the post-season. Experts opine that 50% winning rate is necessary to barely slide into the semi-playoff. (Up to the 4th can join.)

Last year, Hanhwa ranked 4th with 61 wins, 4 draws and 68 losses (0.473), and succeeded in advancing. But it happened due to the fierce struggle between the teams from 4th to bottom. But this year, 50% rate will probably be the Maginot Line.

Koo Kyung-Back, the I-TV sports commentator, explained, “The top three spots are already secured. Lotte, which is at the bottom, has practically no chance. Thus, four teams are left. Considering this, 50% winning rate is necessary.”

◆１５６ SK’s pitcher Um Dong-wook recorded the fastest ball at this season’s first game against Kia, which took place on May 11 at the Mookhak Baseball Stadium in Incheon. Wondering whether he could throw another ball of 160 km.

Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com