Expectations Split over Which Team Has Better Chance in Korean Series

The 2004 Korean Series, a match up between the rival business conglomerates Samsung and Hyundai, is getting more and more exciting to watch as the series turns into directions that nobody had thought. Currently, the series is tied with one win, two draws, and one loss for each team. It is a very close neck-and-neck series. Also, the tactical managerial battles between Samsung’s “elephant” Kim Ung-ryong and Hyundai’s “fox” Kim Jae-park add more dimensions to it.

The series can be taken up to Game 9, and experts’ opinions are split over who has the advantage in the latter half of the series.

Some say that it is worth noticing how Samsung’s pitching staff is getting stronger as time goes by. The former manager of the LG Twins and analyst for Sports Today, Kim Sung-keun, said that the Lions’ pitchers seemed to have gotten back into shape after shrugging off the fatigue accumulated in the playoff series against the Doosan Bears. If starter Kevin Hodges stands up to expectations, then Samsung will have a better chance of winning the championship title, Kim predicted.

The Lions’ “bullpen trio” of Lim Chang-yong, Kwon Oh-jun, and Kwon Hyuk have recovered their power, and thanks to an inning-eating performance by starter Bae Young-soo, who recorded a no-hit, no-run stretch over 10 innings in Game 4 on October 25, the bullpen members were able to save their strength. Ha Il-sung, analyst for KBS, said that when considering the mound only, Samsung has a better chance than Hyundai. If the series is even more prolonged, however, it will be more advantageous for Hyundai, since the Unicorns have more energy reserved.

On what kind of effects the two ties will have on the series, the opinions vary.

“Hyundai was lucky to get draws in the two games that they almost lost. In this sense, the atmosphere will turn for the Unicorns,” said Koo Gyeong-baek, analyst for iTV.

However, Ha Il-sung said, “It was Samsung which was lucky in Game 2. If Hyundai had scored some runs in the eighth inning with one out and the bases loaded, Hyundai could have won one of the first four games easily. Those two draws do not necessarily mean a lucky sign for the Unicorns.”

Experts say that Game 5 will be the watershed of the Korean Series. Many predict that whichever team wins, it will end with four wins, two draws, and two losses. Except for the duels between Samsung’s Bae Young-soo and Hyundai’s Mike Fyhrie, the games will be more of a battle of batters.

The starters for Game 5 are Oh Jae-young for the Unicorns and Kevin Hodges for the Lions. Game 5 will take place at 6:00 p.m. on October 27 at Jamsil Stadium.

Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com