American slugger feels 'zero frustration' over postseason benching

GWANGJU -- The two-time defending South Korean baseball champions Doosan Bears boast such a deep lineup that Nick Evans, who has hit 51 homers over the past two regular seasons, has often found himself on the bench in the ongoing postseason.But the situation doesn't bother the slugger one bit, because the Bears are working on a four-game postseason winning streak."There's zero frustration on my part," Evans said Thursday before Game 2 of the Korean Series, the championship final in the Korea Bas

Oct. 26, 2017

Veteran ace sticks to same routine in postseason

For Doosan Bears right-hander Dustin Nippert, postseason games in the Korea Baseball Organization are no different than regular season contests.Of course, there's a lot more at stake in October than in, say, May. But at least Nippert is telling himself that they're all the same, in hopes of keeping some pressure off his shoulders.The strategy just might have worked Wednesday in Game 1 of the Korean Series against the Kia Tigers. Nippert held the Tigers to three runs in six solid innings, as the

Oct. 26, 2017

Managers, players throw down gauntlet ahead of baseball championship series

GWANGJU -- Ahead of South Korean baseball's championship series, managers and players for the two finalists threw down the gauntlet Tuesday.The 2017 Korean Series, the championship final for the Korea Baseball Organization, will open Wednesday as the Kia Tigers host the Doosan Bears at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju 330 kilometers south of Seoul.The Tigers were the regular season champions who earned the bye to the Korean Series. The Bears, who finished in second place, knocked out the N

Oct. 24, 2017

2 ex-major league pitchers to start opener of baseball championship series

GWANGJU -- Two former major league pitchers will start the opening game of the South Korean baseball championship series this week.The Kia Tigers will host the Doosan Bears to open the Korean Series, the championship final in the Korea Baseball Organization, Wednesday at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, some 330 kilometers south of Seoul. To start the best-of-seven series, the Tigers will hand the ball to Dominican right-hander Hector Noesi, who went 20-5 with a 3.48 ERA in the regular se

Oct. 24, 2017

Top 2 regular season clubs clash for baseball championship

The top two clubs from the regular season will clash for the 2017 South Korean baseball championship starting this week.The Kia Tigers and the Doosan Bears will duke it out in the best-of-seven Korean Series, the championship final in the Korea Baseball Organization. It opens Wednesday at the Tigers' home, Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul.The Tigers have the home field advantage after finishing with the best record in the regular season at 87-56-1 (wins-losse

Oct. 23, 2017

Doosan Bears flex serious muscles in baseball postseason

In reaching their third straight championship final in the Korea Baseball Organization, the Doosan Bears flexed some serious muscles.The Bears slugged past the NC Dinos 14-5 on Saturday at Masan Stadium in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and claimed their best-of-five second round postseason series in four games.First baseman Oh Jae-il had a historic game, becoming the first player to hit four home runs in a KBO postseason game. He knocked in nine runs, also a postseason record.Clea

Oct. 22, 2017

Doosan Bears win slugfest to even baseball postseason series

The Doosan Bears beat up on the NC Dinos 17-7 to even their Korea Baseball Organization postseason series at one game apiece on Wednesday, prevailing in a slugfest for the ages.Doosan's designated hitter Choi Joo-hwan pounded a go-ahead grand slam in the eight-run sixth inning at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul, and cleanup Kim Jae-hwan crushed a pair of three-run jacks in the wild affair.The Bears exacted revenge after getting beat up 13-5 on Tuesday. Game 3 is 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Dinos' home, Masa

Oct. 19, 2017

Robbed of hits, star outfielder praises opponent

A day after getting robbed of two hits in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason, Doosan Bears' outfielder Min Byung-hun was effusive of the man responsible for the great defensive plays.NC Dinos' center fielder Kim Jun-wan, 26, made two spectacular diving grabs -- one by accident -- in Tuesday's Game 1 of the clubs' second round series at Seoul's Jamsil Stadium. Both balls came off the bat of Min, the Bears' leadoff man.The first one came with two outs in the bottom fourth. The Bears were l

Oct. 18, 2017

After injury-plagued regular season, American pitcher confident of postseason bounceback

After an up-and-down regular season marred by shoulder issues, Doosan Bears' right-hander Michael Bowden said Tuesday he's confident of a bounceback in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason.The Bears, two-time defending champions, are scheduled to take on the NC Dinos in the best-of-five second round series starting Tuesday at home, Jamsil Stadium in Seoul.Bowden is slated to start Friday's Game 3, which could potentially be a series-clinching contest or even an elimination game for the Bea

Oct. 17, 2017

Ex-teammates meeting as opposing managers in 3rd straight postseason

The Doosan Bears and the NC Dinos are colliding in their third straight Korea Baseball Organization postseason this week, but it isn't just the two ball clubs that will be renewing their rivalry.Managers for the respective clubs, Kim Tae-hyung for the Bears and Kim Kyung-moon for the Dinos, will also be going toe-to-toe for the third straight fall. Game 1 of their second round series, a best-of-five affair, is Tuesday.But the two skippers actually go further back.The two former catchers were tea

Oct. 17, 2017

Baseball championship series foes set to renew postseason rivalry

Two clubs that clashed for the South Korean baseball championship last year will renew their postseason rivalry this week.The Doosan Bears and the NC Dinos will meet for the third straight year in the Korea Baseball Organization playoffs starting Tuesday at the Bears' home, Jamsil Stadium in Seoul.There's less at stake this year than the last, though. The Bears swept the Dinos in four straight games in the Korean Series last year to capture their second straight league championship. This time, t

Oct. 16, 2017

NC Dinos advance in Korean baseball postseason

BUSAN  -- The NC Dinos defeated the Lotte Giants 9-0 to advance to the next round in the Korea Basebal Organization (KBO) postseason on Sunday.The Dinos put up a seven-spot in the top fifth to break open the scoreless game at Sajik Stadium in Busan, some 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul, to beat the Giants three games to two in the best-of-five first round showdown.NC starter Eric Hacker tossed 6 1/3 scoreless innings for the win, and the Dinos will now face the Doosan Bears in the best-of-five

Oct. 16, 2017

Lotte Giants defeat NC Dinos to stay alive in baseball postseason

The Lotte Giants stayed alive in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason on Friday with a 7-1 victory over the NC Dinos on the road.Son A-seop smacked a pair of home runs, while Lee Dae-ho and Jeon Jun-woo also hit one homer apiece at Masan Stadium in Changwon, some 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul, as the Giants evened their best-of-five first round series at two games apiece. Lotte Giants outfielder Son A-seop (Yonhap)Lotte starter Josh Lindblom struck out 11 in eight dominant innings, hol

Oct. 14, 2017

Underachieving baseball club welcomes new manager

Underachieving baseball club LG Twins welcomed their new manager on Friday.Ryu Joong-il was formally introduced as the new skipper for the Seoul-based club in the Korea Baseball Organization. The Twins first announced their hiring of Ryu on Oct. 3, hours after their regular season finale.Ryu signed a three-year deal worth 2.1 billion won ($1.87 million), including 600 million won in signing bonus.For the first time in his baseball career, Ryu, 54, is donning a uniform belonging to a club other t

Oct. 13, 2017

Free agent hurler Oh Seung-hwan 'open to all possibilities'

INCHEON -- South Korean pitcher Oh Seung-hwan said Wednesday he's "open to all possibilities" as he is set to hit free agency this offseason.Oh returned home Wednesday after completing his second major league season with the St. Louis Cardinals. The right-hander went 1-6 with a 4.10 ERA and 20 saves in 62 appearances and lost his closer job in the midseason. This was a down year compared to 2016, when he was 6-3 with 19 saves and a 1.92 ERA and became the go-to ninth-inning guy for the Cardinals

Oct. 12, 2017

Homers galore as NC Dinos push Lotte Giants to baseball postseason brink

CHANGWON, South Korea -- The NC Dinos beat up on the Lotte Giants 13-6 on Wednesday to move within a victory of advancing to the next round in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason.The Dinos belted out five home runs in their home park, Masan Stadium in Changwon, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul, to take a 2-1 series lead in the best-of-five opening round. They pounded out 13 hits in the game.Game 4 is back at Masan Stadium at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.Third baseman No Jin-hyuk, who came off the

Oct. 12, 2017

Top rookie headlines natl. baseball team for inaugural tournament

Rookie sensation Lee Jung-hoo headlines the South Korean national baseball team for an inaugural offseason tournament this fall.The Korea Baseball Organization announced a 25-man final roster for the Asia Professional Baseball Championship, which will take place from Nov. 16-19 in Tokyo. It will feature pros from South Korea, Japan and Chinese Taipei under 24 years of age -- born on or after Jan. 1, 1993 -- or those with less than three years of professional experience.Lee Jung-hoo, hot-hitting

Oct. 10, 2017

Offense disappears in baseball postseason

BUSAN -- At first glance, the Lotte Giants' 1-0 victory over the NC Dinos in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason game Monday may seem like the product of a pitching duel.But this nail-biting contest at Sajik Stadium in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul, was much more than that. Both clubs put on a display of maddening inability to cash in on their opportunitiesWhen the stakes are high and pitchers dig deep in playoffs, hitters have to pounce on what few chances they get and not do

Oct. 10, 2017

Lotte Giants blank NC Dinos to even baseball postseason series

The Lotte Giants blanked the NC Dinos 1-0 to even their Korea Baseball Organization postseason series at one game apiece Monday.Starter Brooks Raley tossed 5 1/3 shutout innings before leaving the game with a leg injury, and the bullpen took care of the rest at Sajik Stadium in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul.The Giants bounced back after dropping the opening game 9-2 in 11 innings Sunday. The best-of-five series will resume in Changwon, about 50 kilometers west of Busan, on Wednesday.T

Oct. 9, 2017

Crucial postseason series opener decided by defense, base running

BUSAN -- The well-worn baseball cliche has it that pitching and defense help teams win championships. And in their crucial postseason victory in the Korea Baseball Organization on Saturday, the NC Dinos enjoyed some stellar pitching while exploiting their opponents' shoddy defense. They had smart base running to boot, making for a lethal combination against any team.The Dinos defeated the Lotte Giants 9-2 at Sajik Stadium in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in Game 1 of their best-of-fi

Oct. 9, 2017