Samsung Lions bag unprecedented fifth straight pennant

By Nam Hyun-woo

The Samsung Lions clinched a fifth straight pennant on Saturday, accomplishing an unprecedented feat in Korean baseball history, and set their sights on a fifth straight Korean Series win, overcoming the legacy of the Haitai Tigers.

The Lions’ starter Alfredo Figaro blanked the Nexen Heroes for 4 2/3 innings to help his side claim a 1-0 win in a Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) League game at Mokdong Stadium in Seoul. As second-placed NC Dinos fell to a 3-4 loss to the SK Wyverns hours later, the Lions extended their pennant-clinching record to a fifth straight season.

With the first-place finish, the Lions made their name as the undisputed No. 1 team in the KBO League after 2000. After bringing the pennant to Daegu in 2011, the Lions did not lose their grip on the pennant and established a KBO record in 2013 by winning their third straight pennant. While extending their record, the Lions also won the Korean Series, becoming the sole team in league history to win both pennants and championships for four straight seasons.

Though the pennant came after the Lions played 143 games out of 144 games scheduled this year, the club has been solid throughout the season, boasting explosive batters and stable pitchers.

As of Sunday, the Lions’ batting average is .302, meaning they are about to shatter their own record team batting average of .301 which was set last year. Pitchers have combined the most 75 quality starts, while recording an earned run average of .470.

The Lions’ streak was boosted by the harmony between veterans and youngsters who were stable throughout the season.

The veteran duo of Choi Hyoung-woo and Park Sok-min each batted 123 and 116 RBIs to sit on the fifth and seventh places on the RBI standings, respectively, while “Lion King” Lee Seung-yuop, 39, filled this season records, including the first 400-homer hitter in the KBO history, and averaged .332 to be ranked seventh in batting average standings.

Reliever Lim Chang-yong, also 39, seemed to have wound back the clock, making 32 saves during 53 2/3 innings to top the saves list, one save clear of runner up Lim Chang-min of the NC Dinos.

Dominican slugger Yamaico Navarro launched 48 homers to become the import who hit the most homers in a single season in KBO history, shattering the previous record of 45 homers.

Koo Ja-wook, who made his debut in the KBO League, was versatile on the field. As a leadoff, he amazed the league with .349 (3rd place), 143 hits, 11 home runs, 57 RBIs and 17 stolen bases. Although there have been questions over his occasional bobbling, he was largely successful on first and third bases and even in the outfield, covering Chae Tae-in, Park Sok-min and Park Han-yi’s injury-caused vacancy, and is considered to be the No. 1 candidate for the Rookie of the Year award.

“It is hard to pick one player (who led the club this year), but if I have to, Koo has contributed a lot by filling other injured players’ vacancies,” Lions manager Ryu Jong-il told Newsis on Sunday.

Park Hae-min, who is in his third KBO season, also helped the Lions’ dominance this year with his speed and coverage. Recording 60 stolen bases (SB), with a .882 success rate, he is leading in stolen bases by 14 SBs clear of NC Dinos’ Park Min-woo with 46.

By finishing first, the Lions earned a bye in the Korean Series. Should they win the series, the club will accomplish an unprecedented record fifth straight championship and pennant race win.

There have been a number of clubs that have ruled over the league during the KBO’s 34-season history. The Hyundai Unicorns (now the Nexen Heroes) built a dynasty by clinching four championships in the early 2000s, the SK Wyverns also enjoyed golden seasons in the late 2000s, but none can compare to the Lions’ dominance in recent years. Except for the Lions, the Haitai Tigers (now Kia Tigers) are the only team which has won four straight Korean Series (1986-1989).

With the Dinos clinching second place, the Doosan Bears on Sunday claimed a 9-0 victory over the Kia Tigers to finish the pennant race in third place and earned an automatic berth in the semi-playoffs.

With the results that the Heroes, who shared third place with the Bears, moved to fourth place and will face the SK Wyverns who secured fifth place in wild card games scheduled from Oct. 7.

The wild card system was introduced for the first time this season. With one win given to the No. 4 Heroes, the club which notches up two wins first will advance to the next round. All games will be held at Mokdong Baseball Stadium, home to the Heroes.

Those who win the wild card games will face the No. 3 Bears in the best-of-five semi-playoffs from Oct. 10 and the winner of the semi-playoffs will take on the Dinos from Oct. 18 in a best-of-five playoffs. The best-of-seven Korean Series will start on Oct. 26.