Korean rookie`s blown chance at World Series Game 7 might be a blessing in disguise

The Art of War by ancient Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu features four types of generals. The brave one cannot defeat the clever one, who is below the wise one. Even the wise one is no match for the fortunate one. The fortunate one means the lucky one. In Game 2 of this year`s Korean Series of the domestic professional baseball league, Kim Jin-wook, manager of the Doosan Bears, was the "untouchably lucky one."

With runners on first and second bases and no outs at the bottom of the eighth, the Bears, who managed to overcome three crises of losing runs in the previous inning, allowed the Samsung Lions a tying run. However, the Bears did not allow the Lions to turn the game around, taking the game to extra innings. They held on even with the bases loaded with one out at the bottom of the 10th and with runners on first and third bases with one out on the bottom of the 11th.

O Jae-il completed the Bears` miracle. At the top of the 13th inning, he pulled the 151 kilometer-per-hour first pitch of the Lions` top reliever Oh Seung-hwan to send it flying over the outer fence, turning the game around. Encouraged by the home run, the Bears earned three additional runs to win the game.

Good luck and bad luck are like the two sides of the same coin, in line with the baseball proverb that a crisis is followed by a chance. Oh, who is seeking an opportunity to go to the Major League Baseball (MLB) next year, became the losing pitcher, he left a solid impression on MLB scouts. Although the reliever pitched 53 balls for four innings, his pitches were powerful with his slide still recording 145 kilometers per hour until he was replaced. In particular, he was overwhelming enough to strike out six consecutive batters.

Recently, the U.S. media are carrying a series of articles saying that the New York Yangkees are showing interest in Oh, after its star relief pitcher Mariano Rivera`s retirement.

Separately, some baseball fans say that it was regrettable but maybe fortunate at the same time for Ryu Hyun-jin (LA Dodgers) to have lost an opportunity to go to the mound in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. They seem to think that had the Dodgers made it to Game 7, handing over the last baton to Ryu, he would not have been able to pitch as well as he did in Game 3 (no runs allowed in seven innings pitched) because of the heavy psychological pressures too heavy for a rookie to endure.

If he had lost Game 7, taking all the blames for the Dodgers` failure to advance to the World Series, would he be able to say with confidence at his home-coming interview Tuesday that he would give "99 points (out of 100)" to his performances this season. The Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw blamed himself for his responsibility for the lost Game 6.

There are many examples of blessings in disguise around us. In baseball, it is very often that a well batted ball becomes a hit and a well batted one flies directly to a fielder and gets caught. In that sense, one might wonder how the unintended replacement of the Bears starter Yoo Hee-gwan in Game 3 caused by the coaching staff`s mistake would affect the direction of the Korean Series.

Everything in life involves a blessing disguise or the good coming with the bad. A stallion that jumped out of its stable might come back with a fine mare. For a good thing to come about, it has to go through many difficulties. Just as happiness is the end of the misfortune, misfortune is never the end of happiness.