2011 Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) Standings

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http://www.mykbo.net/standings

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Two weeks into the season and the SK Wyverns have picked up where the left off last season, off to a blistering start with a 10-2 record. The LG Twins and Doosan Bears are keeping pace right now.

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The SK Wyverns continue their dominance of the KBO and the other top teams in the league, LG Twins and Doosan Bears, continue to show they're the class of the league.

The Hanwha Eagles have released both of their foreign pitchers (KBO teams can have two non-Korean players on the roster) who have not performed well.

The Twins pulled off a triple-play against the Wyverns the other night. Here's a link to the youtube video:
http://youtu.be/dXPTj7wqTLc

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The SK Wyverns and LG Twins remain in 1st and 2nd place respectively, but the Doosan Bears have dropped to sixth place in the past couple of weeks. The Samsung Lions have moved into 3rd

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The Wyverns still lead the KBO, but the Lions, Tigers and Twins are all within two games of the leaders. Doosan continues to drop down and if it weren't for the poor performing Nexen Heroes, the Bears would be in dead last in the league.

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The Samsung Lions have moved into 1st in the league with the Kia Tigers in second place 1 game back. The SK Wyverns are in the midst of a 7 game losing streak and are now 4 games back in third.

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The Kia Tigers have jumped ahead of Samsung, leading the Lions by two games. The SK Wyverns remain in third at 4.5 games back.

The KBO is currently in their Star Break, with games scheduled to resume on 7/26

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No real changes in the standings since the return from the All Star break. As in past seasons in the KBO, there's a block at the top of the standings that are all fairly evenly matched and a block at the bottom that are inferior to the top group. Not many "in-between" teams (those that are decent teams but can't break through) this season.

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The SK Wyverns have worked their way back to 2nd place as Lotte is now 3rd and Kia is 4th. The top four clubs (the haves) are all above .500 and the bottom four clubs (this seasons have-nots) are all below .500.

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Samsung retains it's top spot as Lotte and SK have swapped positions with Kia remaining in 4th place.

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The playoffs for the KBO have been set. Beginning October 8th, the 3rd and 4th place teams (SK Wyverns and KIA Tigers) will play the first round series (best of five). The second place team, the Lotte Giants await the winner of that series to play the second round series (also best of five). The first place Samsung Lions will then face off against the winner of that series for the best of seven KBO championship series.

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Kia Tigers 5
SK WYverns 1

Kia has a 1-0 lead in the best of 5 series. The Tigers took a 1-0 lead into the 9th and then got some big insurance runs with a grand slam in the top of the 9th. Kia's starter went the distance, striking out four and giving up only three hits. The Wyvern's only run came on a solo home run in the bottom of the 9th.

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Kia Tigers 2
SK Wyverns 3

The Wyverns tied up their series with the Tigers in walk-off fashion during a good tight game. Kia got a run in the first and then former major leaguer Hee-Seop Choi hit a solo home run in the fifth for a 2-0 lead. SK answered in the bottom of the 5th, pushing across a single run and then got their own solo home run in the bottom of the 7th to tie the game. In the bottom of the 11th, after the bases were intentionally loaded with two outs, the Wyverns DH hit a bouncer up the middle that drove in the winning run.

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SK Takes first round series

SK took game three 2-0 with a bases loaded single that pushed two over in the 6th inning. In game four, the Wyverns' bats woke up (or the Tigers submitted - your choice) and SK pounded Kia for an 8-0 victory and a 3 games to 1 seris victory. SKs pitching, after giving up five runs in the first game, gave up a total of only two runs in the final three games.

SK moves on to face Lotte in the second round of the KBO playoffs.

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Wyverns win fourth straight

It took an extra inning, but the SK Wyverns won their fourth straight playoff game and defated the Lotte Giants 7-6. Lotte jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second thanks to a lead-off homerun in the first and then two more runs in the bottom of the second frame. SK pushed across three runs in the top of the 4th to tie the game, but the Giants came right back with run in the bottom of the inning to re-take the lead.

The Wyverns would tie the game back up in the 6th and then take the lead in the seventh with a two run home run. The Giants responded, pushing across a run in the bottom of the 7th and then scoring another in the 8th to tie the game at 6 all.

In the top of the 10th inning, Wyverns catcher Jeong Sang-ho hit a line drive solo home run to make the game 7-6 and SK would hold on to win the first game of the series.

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Lotte ties series up

After losing a tight extra innings affair, the Lotte Giants came right back behind excellent starting pitching to even up the best of five second round series with the SK Wyverns at one game apiece.

A pitchers duel through six, the Giants center fielder Joen Joon-Woo got to Wyverns starter Brian Gordon for a two run homer in the sixth. Lotte drove in a third run in that inning as well. The Wyverns answered back with a run in the top of the next inning but that would be all the runs the Giants bullpen would give up and the offense added a solo homer in the 8th for the final score of 4-1.

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Wyverns one win away from KBO Championship series

In a tight game, the SK Wyverns defeated the Lotte Giants 3-0 and now lead the best-of-five second series 2 games to 1. Just like in the second game, excellent pitching was on display, with Lotte pitcher Ryan Sadowski going six with only one run surrendered and SK pitcher Song Eung-beom also going six strong. In the 8th, the Wyverns plated two more runs to seal the deal.

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Lotte comes back again, winner take all game five coming up!

SK Wyvern pitcher Yoon Hee-sang pitched a solid five innings, giving up only one run and one walk with six strikeouts. Lottes starting pitcher Chris Bootcheck lasted only 3 1/3 and then Lotte ace Jang Won-joon was brought in for the next four innings. The Giants added a solo home run in the sixth to end the scoring. Final score 2-0. Winner take all game five to be played Saturday.

Jang Won-joon was expected to be the starter for game five, but after throwing four innings, he's likely not going to be available to pitch in the deciding game. While the Giants were in a must win situation, having their best pitcher unavailable for another must win situatioin might prove to be their downfall.

Edit: due to rain, the final game of this series has been pushed back to Sunday

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Wyverns advance for rematch with Lions

Despite taking an early 1-0 lead (and seeing the SK starter pulled after the first inning) and holding it into the 4th inning, the Lotte pitchers could not stop the Wyverns from scoring. A two run home run in the 4th followed by two more runs scored in the 5th and then another two run homer in the 6th gave SK a 6-1 lead. The Giants would get three runs in the bottom of the 6th but SK plate two more in the 8th inning for what would prove to be the final score, 8-4.

Last season, the Wyverns were the regular season champions who waited for the Samsung Lions and would win the 2010 KBO championship over them. This time the Lions are the rested team waiting for the Wyverns to come to them.

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Lions look sharp

Not looking like a team that has had nearly two weeks off, the Samsung Lions defeated the SK Wyverns 2-0 and and one game to none lead in the KBO championship series.

The Lions decided to use the LaRussa approach to their starting pitching - starter Doug Mathis went only four innings and then gave way to Cha Woo-chan who worked a further three innings. Closer Oh Seung-hwan got the final out of the 8th when SK was threatening and then shut the Wyverns down in the 9th. The two runs the Lions drove in during the 4th were all the offense they needed.

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Lions Take Game Two

Despite losing their starting pitcher to injury in the first inning, the Wyverns held the Lions scoreless into the 6th, when Samsung pushed over two runs for a 2-0 lead. Despite several chances, the Wyverns moribund offense continues to sputter. They managed a single run in the 8th inning but that would end their scoring. Samsung now leads the series two games to none as they move to the Wyverns home ground.

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Wyverns Happy To Be Back Home

Pitching again held the day as the Wyverns won game three over the Lions 2-1. SK's starter didn't give up any runs through five, but had to pitch around scoring threats the entire time. Samsung's starter gave up solo home runs in the 4th and 5th, but his offense could not push over any runs until the 8th when they managed their solo run.

Samsung leads the series 2 games to 1.

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Lions Ready To Claim Prize

The bats woke up for both teams as the starters struggled, with Samsung delivering more big shots to defeat the Wyverns 8-4. Both starters were out by the 4th inning, with the Lions starter getting the better of it, leaving with a 4-1 lead. Samsung had a 5-1 lead by the 7th, but SK came back to cut the lead to 5-4 thanks to a three run homer in the bottom of the 7th. The Lions had their own answer, pushing across two in the 8th and one more in the 9th.

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Lions Win 2011 KBO Championship

It was a tight game that the Lions won 1-0 thanks to a 4th inning solo home run. The Wyverns could not put together enough offense against Samsung starter Cha Woo-Chan who went seven strong innings, striking out seven while scattering five hits. The Wyverns had a threat in the 8th but the Lions closer (who would earn series MVP for his three saves in the series) Oh Seung-hwan got the final out of the 8th with two men on and worked a 1-2-3 ninth to garner the Lions their title.