It's here. Live broadcasts of games that matter are back! In the middle of the night, but they're back!
On Monday, it was announced that ESPN would be broadcasting six lives games of the KBO, South Korea's prominent baseball league, per week. It's great because live sports rule and baseball rules and bed times are for suckers. Who are we trying to fool, normal sleep cycles don't exist anymore. The 2 a.m. hour is also extremely choice. I cannot recommend it enough. No one bothers you at 2 a.m. – most likely because they are asleep and are suckers. But you're no sucker and are clearly ready for some KBO action. A few things to know:
- Admittedly, I have not been a KBO enthusiast for very long. An argument could probably be made that I became one "today." But there's no time like the present, and everyone's SEO plays have provided plenty of invaluable information. Places like ESPN and Yahoo deserve credit for having this type of knowledge readily available, so go read what they're writing.
- The league was founded in 1982 and is composed of 10 teams. They are:
- Doosan Bears
- Hanwha Eagles
- Kia Tigers
- Kiwoom Heroes
- KT Wiz
- LG Twins
- Lotte Giants
- NC Dinos
- Samsung Lions
- SK Wyverns
- The Doosan Bears are the reigning champions, but historically, the Kia Tigers have been the most succesfull (11 titles). Kiwoom Heroes' Park Byung-ho led the league in home runs last season (33), while NC Dinos' Yang Eui-ji led the league in batting average (.354), on-base percentage (.438) and slugging percentage (.574). On the mound, Kia Tigers' Yang Hyeon-jong led the league in ERA (2.29), though Doosan Bears' Josh Lindblom led the league in IP (194.2), K's (189), wins (20), and WHIP (1.00).
Favorites
If you're biding your time rewatching classic Yankees games and posting on Notre Dame recruiting boards, the Kia Tigers might be the team for you. No team has won more titles or is a bigger ratings draw. ESPN has them ranked ninth in their power rankings, but realistically, if you want to root for the Yankees of Korea, you're probably also fine waiting to see who the real frontrunners are and cheering for them, too. They're one of the more shift heavy teams in the KBO, something that has yet to catch on as much as it has in America.
Last year's champion, Doosan Bears, still figure to be good – though they lost Lindbloom, last season's league MVP, to the Milwaukee Brewers this offseason. They play in Seoul and are a big market team that's analytically inclinded, being compared to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros by ESPN. The Kiwoom Heroes (formerly the Hyundai Unicorns) used to have an owner who was convicted of embezzlement, are considered "on-field rebels," and also happen to have a star power at shorstop, first base and in the outfield. They're also the only team not owned by a large corporation, which means they not-infrequently have to sell their naming rights. It's a weird vibe, but it works for them.
They're fun too
Lotte Giants had a giant mascot until 2006 but then apparently changed to two seagulls named Pini and Noori, so that's a bummer. They're not very good, but reader, Jeon Jun-Woo plays for them:
And while we're talking about mascots, NC Dino has not one dinosaur mascot, but two dinosaur mascots: Dendi the tyrannosaurus and Seri the brontosaurus, who mean business:
Known stateside as the team where Eric Thames turned his career around, NC Dino led the KBO in home runs last season. They also have last year's MVP runner up, catcher Yang Eui-Ji. Yang hit .354/.438/.574 with 20 home runs in 118 games last season. LG Twins have some recognizable names in Casey Kelley and Tyler Wilson, but are described by ESPN as a combination of the Mets and the 'pre-2004 Red Sox,' so maybe sit back and really take an extra moment to consider if that's right for you. No one's forcing you.
They're probably bad, but whatever, live baseball
MLB
Samsung Lions used to be good, having won four straight titles from 2011-14, but now they are not good. Life! Their mascots are "baseball-obsessed lions are from another planet." They're not projected to be great, but you can watch former Cubs top prospect Hak Ju Lee at shortstop. KBO's going to be big for "Remember That Guy" guys. KT Wiz are a young team that has been historically bad, but 20-year old first basemen Baek-ho Kang is "considered by Korean baseball executives as the next face of the league." Kyle Schwarber is a good comp.
SK Wyverns apparently lost the equivalent of "Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole," but are still ranked fourth on ESPN's Power Rankings? They lost a seven-game lead over the final month of last season, giving up the top seed and automatic placement in the finals, then lost all three playoff games they played. So that's what you'd be getting yourself into. The Hanwha Eagles have only made the playoffs once since 2008 and finished last season in ninth, but are known for being lovable losers with the most passionate fan bases in the KBO. You know, just in case 108 years wasn't enough for Chicago.