Korean Job Discussion Forums

tombirner · Joined: 19 Dec 2007

Don't think there is one, so I thought I'd make one.

I'm a huge (American) baseball fan... grew up in New Hampshire, have been crazy over the Sox my whole life. Now I live outside Gwangju... actually watch a fair amount of Kia Tigers games, since they're on almost every night and I don't really have a social life during the week (and if I happen to be doing something, it's good background).

Pretty sure Kia sucks... they seem to lose a lot, though I think they've won like three out of four. Anyone know the standings? Who the best players and teams are?? Anyone see the fight (or more like a skirmish) between Kia and... some other team on Sunday?

For all you MLB fans, Kia has ex-MLB players Jose Lima (Lima time! So funny how flamboyent yet how mediocre he is and always was, even when he was good enough to make an American squad... still, he's so crazy and animated- fun to watch) and Hee Sop Choi. Also some Latin dude named Valdez who plays great when I watch him but is only batting like .230. Not sure where he's from. Also noticed Karim Garcia playing for some other team.

Anyone into this? We'll see... maybe this thread will disappear.

Also, while we're on the subject, what the hell is up with the MLB TV schedule here? At first all the games were on live in the morning, then they'd be replayed that afternoon. Now I barely ever see a replay, and if it is, it's usually yesterday's game. And where the hell is the NBA Playoffs?? I gotta watch my Celts.

Nolan Ryan · Posted: Tue May 20, 2008 10:22 pm Post subject:

Hey..
I'm pretty much into baseball as well. I've been following the domestic league here in Korea as long as I have been here. I've been a Bears fan since they were the OB Bears. I am also playing on a team( since 2001) in a local league every couple of weeks. Most of my baseball teammates are diehard KIA fans...I'm always giving them a hard time...

Kia's problem lies in their manager...he makes bad decisions, and has no control over the massive egos on that team, particularily Seo Jae Won and Choi Hee Seop, Lee Jung Bum, Kim Jung Guk. Combine that with a basketcase/has been like Lima in the mix and you have one dysfuctional family! Maybe they should have pulled good ol' Pascual Perez out of the scrap heap as well! I say the manager is gone in the next couple weeks, if not before the all star game...

Lotte looked good for the first couple months...but I think Royster has to keep some egos on that team in check as well. Lotte has always been an underacheiver. I think Royster can turn this around. They made a smart move in picking up Garcia and they balanced the hitting and starting pitching. They do need a closer though... One thing is for certain, the people of Pusan love that team and the players are having fun there. The stadium is always or nearly always full and they are loud!

With regard to major leagues you might wanna try xtm or mbc espn They usually have games on live AROUND 930 OR 10 AM . The reduced coverage could stem from the number of Korean players in the majors...which at last count was one or two...Don't be at all surprised to see lots of Dodger games because of Chan Ho...You'll see more if Cleveland brings up that outfielder Shin from the minors again...and the games of any team which might go out and sign BK....

matthews_world · Joined: 15 Feb 2003

How does one get into local leagues in Seoul? That would be great.

I find Japan baseball a more purer form. I'm a Yomiuri Giants fan and often keep track of the SoftBank Hawks. When I do visa runs, I try to take in a game in Fukuoka.

Korean baseball to me seems like college ball. These guys make too many mistakes. I'd say my favorite is Samsung. I went to their games when I taught in Daegu. 4,000 won was pretty cheap.

Ilsanman · Joined: 15 Aug 2003 Location: Bucheon, Korea

I am a diehard SK fan, and have been since before they won the championship last year. They have a great team and an even greater coach, Kim Sung-Geun.

KIA sucks ass, mostly because, yes, lack of teamwork and poor coaching. They were dead last last year and now are in 7th place. LG is following up the pack, but mostly due to bad luck.

Doosan traditionally starts the season slowly but gains steam and they're hard to stop. Doosan's weakest point is their pitching. Especially starters.

Hanwha is good if you like seeing homeruns. Pretty much nothing else. Mostly thanks to Clark, they're doing well.

This season, at first I was predicting a Lotte/Samsung finals, but both teams have plunged a lot. I now predict a rematch of last year, with SK beating them again.

ajgeddes · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Location: Yongsan

Ilsanman · Joined: 15 Aug 2003 Location: Bucheon, Korea

I go for a hometeam. As I live in Bucheon, I root for the Incheon team. But if you don't believe that, too bad for you.

Ilsanman · Joined: 15 Aug 2003 Location: Bucheon, Korea

Last night was funny.

Kia and hanwha were playing. KIA went up 6-1 very quickly and it started to rain in the 4th inning. If the game is called in the 6th or 7th (not sure), it's a decisive win.

2 KIA players (kim Won Sup and Lee Jae Ju) intentionally got struck out. They stepped back from the plate and swung 3 times without even trying to hit the ball. Then the pitcher for Hanwha intentionally 'made an error' on a ground ball, trying to delay the game.

In the end, the game was called and favoured KIA. Both teams were warned.

MattC23 · Joined: 13 Apr 2008

Nolan Ryan.

You mentioned playing in a league. Is it ex-pats or Koreans? I was looking for local teams in the spring without finding any.

matthews_world · Joined: 15 Feb 2003

I started getting into the Lotte Giants this season. They are now in the top two or three in the league with their new American manager. Mexican national Garcia is showing some defense in right and power at the plate but needs to get his average up.

Ilsanman · Joined: 15 Aug 2003 Location: Bucheon, Korea

Yes, Lotte just slipped to 3rd after getting swept out by Sk at home. It makes up for last time Lotte swept out SK. A good friendly rivalry.

Garcia is awesome. he has a cannon of a throwing arm and he regularily makes some awesome catches, like today.

SirFink · Joined: 05 Mar 2006

How popular is baseball in Korea? Every game I saw on TV there looked like 2-3 thousand fans in the crowd at most and I could never find anyone to go to a game with as everyone said they just weren't into baseball. Nothing like the rabid fans of Japan, that's for sure.

asylum seeker · Joined: 22 Jul 2007 Location: On your computer screen.

sjrm · Joined: 27 Jul 2005

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

I was in Busan over the weekend visiting friends. While waiting outside for other friends to show up, I ran into a former student on his way to the SK/Lotte game on Saturday. He said tickets were sold out (W10,000) but his friend bought some from a scalper for W25,000.

tombirner · Joined: 19 Dec 2007

Just bumping this...

Can anyone post the standings (in English)?? Kia seems to be on a roll the last few weeks... curious if they've moved up at all.

Jose Lima got cut, ha ha. Too bad... I was going to interview him for the Gwangju News.

I haven't been to a game in a while... too damn hot, and drinking all afternoon is just not a good idea, seeing as how messy my nights already are without it.

I'm a bit surprised by the Korean game. I mean I'm not scout, but I've always heard Asian baseball (maybe it was just Japanese) has its strengths in fundementals: fielding, base-running, bunting, etc. The little things, with few mistakes, and much less power and flashier plays. I haven't seen that at all. The fielding is terrible... SO many errors, and the base-running is laughably bad. I see a few huge, important baserunning errors every game I watch... so many peeps make the last out at third and get caught trying to nab an extra base when the reward would be so little.