KBO Update, July 05 to July 11: Lions and Dinos and Bears, oh my!

As regular From Complex to Queens listeners know, we’ve decided to start following a KBO team in the absence of Mets baseball for the foreseeable future. We picked a team and will post updates on how they’re doing over in Korea. Why the LG Twins?

• Represent a major metropolitan area.
• Share Seoul (and Jamsil Baseball Stadium) with a rival team and compete for fans.
• Have been a team that, on paper, should compete but just have not been able to put things together over the last few years
• Have a strong pitching staff in 2020.
• Staff ace, Casey Kelly, has been denied numerous wins over the years due to anemic hitting or a leaky bullpen despite quality starts.
• LG Corporation spends money on the team but does not always allocate that money wisely.
• Retired the number 41, worn by one of the best right-handed pitchers in team history.

Sounds like the Mets to me!

July 05 (29-24)

LG Twins 7, Samsung Lions 3 (BOX)

The Lions got on the board first with a Min-ho Kim two-run homer and for a long time it looked like that would be the difference in the ballgame, but the Twins rallied late. After scratching out a run in the seventh, the team went on the offense in the eighth, taking the lead with a six-run inning. Hyun-soo Kim had the big hit in the inning, belting a grand slam over the right field fence.

• CF Chun-woong Lee: 0-2, R, 2 BB, K, HBP
• DH Hyun-soo Kim: 2-4, R, HR (8), 5 RBI, BB
• RF Eun-sung Chae: 0-4, 2 K
• RF Suk-hyun Han: 0-0
• 1B Roberto Ramos: 0-3, K, HBP
• 1B Yong-yi Kim: 0-1, R
• C Kang-nam Yoo: 2-5
• SS Ji-hwan Oh: 0-4, R, BB
• 2B Ju-hyeon Jung: 0-3
• PH Ho-eun Kim: 1-1, RBI
• 3B Joon-won Jang: 0-1, R
• LF Chang-gi Hong: 2-3, R, 2 BB
• 3B Bon-hyeok Koo: 0-2, R, BB
• 2B Keun-woo Jeong: 0-2, RBI
• RHP Chan-heon Jung: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
• LHP Hae-soo Jin: 1.0 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• RHP Dae-hyun Kim: 1.0 IP, 1R, 1 ER,
• RHP Woo-young Jung: 1.0 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, W (1-1)

July 06 (29-24)

NO GAME (SCHEDULE)

July 07 (29-25)

Doosan Bears 9, LG Twins 6 (BOX)

The offense found some life, and at one point the Twins even had the lead, but Woo-Chan Cha had a poor start, and his four-run fifth turned the tide of the game. The Twins did mount something of a comeback, scoring three runs over the last three innings, but the Doosan bullpen turned them aside.

• CF Chun-woong Lee: 1-5, RBI
• LF Hyun-soo Kim: 3-3, RBI, 2 BB
• RF Eun-sung Chae: 0-4, K
• 2B Ji-kyu Park: 0-0
• PH Keun-woo Jeong: 0-1
• DH Roberto Ramos: 2-5, R, HR (15), RBI, 2 K
• 1B Ho-eun Kim: 2-4, R, HR (1), RBI
• SS Ji-hwan Oh: 1-4, K, SB (10)
• C Kang-nam Yoo: 0-4, K
• 3B Seung-hyun Baek: 1-3, 2 R, BB, K
• 2B Ju-hyeon Jung: 0-2
• RF Chang-gi Hong: 2-2, 2 R, 1 RBI
• LHP Woo-Chan Cha: 4.2 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, HBP, E, L (4-5)
• RHP Dong-hwan Choi: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• LHP Sung-hoon Choi: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• RHP Sang-gyu Lee: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• LHP Yun-sik Kim: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

July 08 (30-25)

LG Twins 8, Doosan Bears 5 (BOX)

It was a game of twos for the Twins, plating two runs in the second, third, fourth, and ninth. Left fielder Hyun-soo Kim had a huge game, clubbing two home runs and driving in half of the Twins’ runs; the veteran outfielder has been on fire as of late, with four home runs and four multihit games in the month of July. Roberto Ramos has also shown signs of life after plunging into a slump following his return from an ankle injury, with a pair of homers and three multihit games in July, and the Twins might be given a new life if the two can catch fire.

• CF Chun-woong Lee: 0-3, 2 BB
• RF Chang-gi Hong: 2-4, 2 R, BB, K
• LF Hyun-soo Kim: 2-5, 2 R, 2 HR (9, 10), 4 RBI, K
• 1B Roberto Ramos: 2-3, 2 R, BB, HBP
• 1B Yong-yi Kim: 0-0
• DH Ho-eun Kim: 1-3, R
• DH Eun-sung Chae: 1-2
• SS Ji-hwan Oh: 2-5, R, 2 RBI, K
• C Kang-nam Yoo: 1-4, RBI, K
• 3B Seung-hyun Baek: 0-3, BB
• 2B Ju-hyeon Jung: 0-2, RBI
• PH Keun-woo Jeong: 0-1
• 2B Bon-hyeok Koo: 0-0
• RHP Casey Kelly: 6.0 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, W (4-3)
• RHP Dae-hyun Kim: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• LHP Hae-soo Jin: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• RHP Woo-young Jung: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

July 09 (30-26)

Doosan Bears 6, LG Twins 0 (BOX)

Doosan starter has been one of the best pitchers in the league over the last couple of weeks, and the Twins did nothing to stop his hot streak, managing only two hits over seven innings, both Chun-woong Lee line drives into center. Tyler Wilson was solid, a two-run homer in the third and a sac fly in the sixth being his only blemish, but because the offense completely failed to show up, he could’ve been perfect and it wouldn’t of made a different. It didn’t help that the Twins bullpen gave up three runs in the eighth and ninth, but again, given how dominant the Bears’ pitchers were, it really didn’t matter.

• DH Chun-woong Lee: 2-4, K
• CF Chang-gi Hong: 0-3, K
• PH Sung-woo Lee: 0-1, K
• LF Hyun-soo Kim: 0-3
• 1B Roberto Ramos: 0-3, 3 K
• RF Eun-sung Chae: 0-3, K
• SS Ji-hwan Oh: 0-3, 1 K
• C Kang-nam Yoo: 0-3, 2 K
• 3B Seung-hyun Baek: 0-2, 2 K
• PH Ho-eun Kim: 0-1
• 3B Bon-hyeok Koo: 0-0
• 2B Ju-hyeon Jung: 0-2
• PH Keun-woo Jeong: 0-1
• RHP Tyler Wilson: 6.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, HR, HBP, L (3-5)
• LHP Sung-hoon Choi: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• RHP Geon-wook Yeo: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• RHP Cheong-hun Baek: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, HR

July 10 (30-27)

NC Dinos 12, LG Twins 2 (BOX)

In the first inning, Dinos pitcher Drew Rucinski loaded up the bases and actually walked in the first run of the game, and it seemed like things would go the Twins’ way. Things decidedly did not go the Twins’ way. The Dinos would take the lead in the third with a three run inning, and would then run roughshod over the Twins’ pitching, scoring an additional run in the fourth, and additional run in the fifth, five in the seventh, and two more in the ninth for good measure. The LG offense, which has been struggling as of late, was in no condition to score that many runs back, and managed only one in the eighth.

• CF Chun-woong Lee: 2-4, R
• CF Yong-yi Kim: 0-0
• LF Hyun-soo Kim: 0-3
• LF Chang-gi Hong: 1-1, R
• RF Hyung-jong Lee: 1-4, 2 K
• 1B Roberto Ramos: 1-3, RBI, K
• 1B Ho-eun Kim: 0-0
• RF Eun-sung Chae: 0-4, K
• 2B Keun-woo Jeong: 0-2, RBI, BB
• 2B Ju-hyeon Jung: 0-1
• SS Ji-hwan Oh: 0-1, K
• SS Bon-hyeok Koo: 0-3
• C Sung-woo Lee: 0-3, BB, K
• 3B Seung-hyun Baek: 0-1, K
• RHP Chan-gyu Lim: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, L (4-3)
• RHP Sang-gyu Lee: 2.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
• RHP Geon-wook Yeo: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• RHP Cheong-hun Baek: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

July 11 (30-27-1)

LG Twins 6, NC Dinos 6 / 12 (BOX)

Alright, our first tie!

• CF Chun-woong Lee: 3-5, R, RBI, BB, K
• DH Hyun-soo Kim: 2-5, R, RBI, BB, K
• LF Hyung-jong Lee: 1-5, RBI, BB, 2 K
• 1B Roberto Ramos: 2-6, R, HR (16), 2 RBI, 3 K
• C Kang-nam Yoo: 1-5, 2 K, PB
• RF Eun-sung Chae: 1-6, K
• SS Ji-hwan Oh: 1-4, 2 R, HR (5), RBI, BB, K
• 2B Ho-young Son: 0-1
• 2B Ju-hyeon Jung: 2-4, R, CS
• SS Bon-hyeok Koo: 0-1, K
• PH Ho-eun Kim: 0-1
• 3B Seung-hyun Baek: 0-2, 2 K
• PH Chang-gi Hong: 0-1
• 3B Yong-yi Kim: 0-0
• RHP Min-ho Lee: 6.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, HBP
• RHP Woo-seok Ko: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• RHP Dae-hyun Kim: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• RHP Woo-young Jung: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• LHP Hae-soo Jin: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• RHP Dong-hwan Choi: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

HITTER OF THE WEEK

Hyun-soo Kim

9-23, 1 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 4 BB, 2 K, 0/0 SB

PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Chan-heon Jung

6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K

HITTER OF THE WEEK

May 3 to May 9: Hyun-soo Kim (6-17, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 0/0 SB)

May 10 to May 16: Roberto Ramos (6-16, 1 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 5 BB, 7 K, 0/0 SB)

May 17 to May 22: Eun-sung Chae (8-25, 0 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 0 BB, 4 K, 0/0 SB)

May 24 to May 30: Roberto Ramos (9-23, 0 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 1 BB, 5 K, 0/0 SB)

May 31 to June 6: Roberto Ramos (6-17, 1 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB, 6 K, 0/0 SB)

June 7 to June 13: Hyun-soo Kim (7-22, 0 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 3 K, 0/0 SB)

June 14 to June 20: Ji-hwan Oh (11-23, 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K, HBP, 1/1 SB)

June 21 to June 27: Keun-woo Jeong (8-14, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 BB, 2 K, HBP, 0/1 SB)

June 28 to July 04: Hyun-soo Kim (6-25, 1 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 0 BB, 3 K, 0/0 SB)

PITCHER OF THE WEEK

May 3 to May 9: Woo-chan Cha (6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, HR)

May 10 to May 16: Casey Kelly (6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K)

May 17 to May 22: Tyler Wilson (7.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, HR)

May 24 to May 30: Casey Kelly (6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 10 K)

May 31 to June 6: Chan-heon Jung (7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 11 K)

June 7 to June 13: Min-ho Lee (7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K)

June 14 to June 20: Chan-gyu Lim (6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 2 HBP)

June 21 to June 27: Chan-heon Jung (9.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K)

June 28 to July 04: Chan-gyu Lim (7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K)