Yeah, 'yagu'

Lions eye for fourth straight title in new season

By Kim Tong-hyung

As we enter a new Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) season, one question being asked is: Can anyone bring an end to the Samsung Lions’ dynasty?

Helped by the financial muscle of its omnipresent parent company, the Daegu-based Lions have grabbed the league around the neck in recent years. They won the last three Korean Series championships, and each title was preceded by a first-place finish in the regular season.

Eight of the league’s nine teams will enter their 128-game regular seasons on Saturday and the NC Dinos will visit the Kia Tigers for their season opener in Gwangju on Sunday.

While the Lions’ rivals will attempt to restore a sense of parity in the league, it does not help their cause that the defending champions have retained most of their core players from last season.

The Lions re-signed their most important player, starting pitcher Jang Won-sam, to a four-year deal in the offseason. Veteran hitter Park Han-yi, an important presence in the lineup with his ability to hit for both power and contact, also inked a four-year contract.

Park will likely hit in front of the fearful foursome of Chae Tae-in, Choi Hyung-woo, Park Seok-min and Lee Seung-yeop. It could be argued that all of the team’s starters ― Rick Vandenhurk, Jang, Yoon Sung-hwan, Bae Young-soo and Cha Woo-chan ― are frontline material.

The Lions did lose their longtime closer Oh Seung-hwan, the KBO’s all-time saves leader, to the Hanshin Tigers in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball during the winter. But former Chicago Cub Lim Chang-yong, 37, who signed with the Lions on Wednesday, is expected to be a capable replacement.

Even if Lim struggles in his return to Korean baseball, the Lions still have a trio of elite relievers in Kwon Oh-joon, Kwon Hyuk and Ahn Ji-man.

It remains to be seen whether the KBO’s decision to increase the number of foreign players on each team from two to three will have a significant impact on the league’s competitive balance. The Dinos, an expansion team last year, were allowed four foreign players. The rule change motivated teams to sign batters in addition to the two pitchers they have traditionally sought.

For middling teams such as the SK Wyverns and Lotte Giants, the right mix of foreign players could elevate them into playoff contenders.

The Hanwha Eagles, the league’s perennial doormat, are aiming to be respectable this season after splurging on marquee free agents Lee Yong-kyun and Jung Geun-woo over the winter.

Seoul searching

The Lions enter the season as the surefire title favorites and their biggest competition may come from the league’s three Seoul-based teams ― the Doosan Bears, LG Twins and Nexen Heroes.

Some would argue that the Heroes are the second-best team in the league. Their lineup features a wealth of power hitters, including reigning KBO MVP Park Byung-ho ― who led the league in home runs, RBIs and runs last season ― Kang Jung-ho, Lee Sung-yeol and Yoon Suk-min.

New arrival Vinny Rottino could be yet another source of firepower ― team officials describe the American as a line-drive machine who can benefit from the bandbox that is Mokdong Stadium.

American starters Andy Van Hekken and Brandon Knight form a decent one-two punch at the top of the starting rotation and Korean pitchers Kang Yoon-koo, Moon Sung-hyun and Oh Jae-young likely have their best baseball ahead of them.

The bullpen is also formidable, with young flamethrower Cho Sang-woo expected to complement the shutdown combo of Han Hyun-hee and Son Seung-lak.

"We made the playoffs for the first time last season, but our goal is higher than just being a top-four team,’’ said Heroes manager Yeom Kyung-yup.

The Bears, who stretched last year’s Korean Series to seven games before eventually losing to the Lions, lost three important position players in the offseason. Son Si-heon and Lee Jong-wook signed with the Dinos, and Choi Jun-seok, the slugger who tormented Lions pitchers during the Korean Series, returned to his former club, the Lotte Giants.

The team still believes it has a lineup that can generate plenty of runs. Kim Jae-ho has a potential to be an upgrade at shortstop where Son had been inconsistent for most of last season, while outfielder Min Byung-heon will inherit Lee’s job as the leadoff hitter.

The heart of the order will be anchored by veterans Kim Hyun-soo, Hong Sung-heon and Jose Cantu, the former Tampa Bay Ray who signed with the Bears in the winter.

The team’s starting rotation can be as good as any in the league, with American ace Dustin Nippert pitching in front of Noh Kyung-eun, Yoo Hui-kwan and new addition Chris Volstad.

The bullpen, however, is a source of concern. Veteran Chung Jae-hun is clearly over the hill. Hong Sang-sam misses bats, but also frequently the strike zone. Closer Lee Yong-chan has been erratic in the spring exhibition games as he recovers from surgery on his right elbow.

The Twins, who made the playoffs for the first time in 11 years last season, will likely take a step back. Park Yong-taek is probably the best leadoff hitter playing in Korea and American Josh Bell will likely hit between Lee Byung-gyu and Lee Jin-young in the heart of the order.

The team’s starting rotation is a glaring weakness. The Twins have lost the fire-breathing Radhames Liz in the offseason, which left the team without a true ace. Ryu Jae-kuk and Shin Jung-rak are barely above-average material. American Cory Riordan, who signed with the Twins is the offseason, is the X factor of the rotation.

Twins manager Kim Ki-tae named Kim Sun-woo, 36, as the team’s starter for the opening day game against the Bears, pitting him against former teammate Nippert in Jamsil Stadium.

Kim looked like a shell of his former self for the Bears last season and was released by the team in the winter. It remains to be seen whether Kim can turn back the clock with the Twins.

Lim signing generates excitement

Lim’s return to the KBO is generating excitement as he has always been an electric player. During his prime, Lim’s fastball was considered one of the best pitches ever in the KBO as he got good velocity and movement on the ball delivered from his unorthodox sidearm angle. Radar-gun readings show that Lim still can dial up his fastball to the upper 140 kilometer per hour levels.

Lim debuted with the Haitai Tigers (now Kia Tigers) in 1995, played for the Lions nine seasons until 2007 during a span when he was considered one of the league’s best pitchers. Lim led the league in saves in 1999 and 2004 and won 17 games as a starter in 2002.

After leaving the Lions, Lim spent five seasons with NPB’s Yakult Swallows and was one of the league’s top closers. Appearing in six games for the Cubs last season, Lim posted a 5.40 earned run average (ERA) over five innings.

Lim’s one-year, 500 million won (about $465,000) deal with the Lions came a day after the 37-year-old was released by the Cubs.

Lions manager Ryu Joong-il, who had been desperately looking for a shutdown pitcher to replace Oh in the bullpen, believes Lim will be an important asset for the club. Lim will begin the season on the Lions’ farm team, but his stay is expected to be short.

"We assigned Lim to our farm team because I think we need to give him seven to 10 days to readjust to the Korean mound and baseball,’’ Ryu told reporters on Thursday.

"Obviously, he is not a farm-team-level player.’’