They went through a dominant stretch at the beginning of this decade, winning four straight championships from 2011-2014 and bookending that run with two runner-up finishes. MLB talent: Straily, as previously stated, has played for a lot of teams, from the A’s to the Astros, to the Marlins, the Reds, and finishing his stint last year with the Orioles. MLB Talent: Kelly and Wilson have both been in the MLB, even Kim Hyun-soo, who played with Baltimore and Philadelphia in 2016 and 2017. Yes, his greatest years are behind him now, when he used to hit more than 20 HR and have walk rates over 17 percent, but he’s still giving us a great batting line, putting up an impressive .305/.382/.395 in 2019. This is a team with a bit of tumultuous history and a spotty performance record; on one hand, they were the first to ever reach a Korean Series three times in a row, but on the other, they’re kind of an unlucky team that, in their 35 seasons in the league, have been champions only once (1999). They shocked the nation last year when they went all the way to the Korean Series after finishing third in the regular schedule. Batters to watch: Kang Baek-ho, who first emerged in 2018 and became the Rookie of the Year as a left fielder, establishing the rookie HR record with 29 dingers. Meanwhile, Byung-ho Park led the league in homers last year and he's an expert level bat-flipper. You might be called a frontrunner if you pull for them but, hey, winning is more fun than not winning. KBO League games are played in front of empty stadiums, players have their temperatures checked twice a day, and anyone not wearing a baseball uniform is required to wear a face mask and gloves. However, the history of baseball in Korea goes way back in time. Tampa Bay Lightning fans, we've got your team! MLB Talent: Oh, definitely; after all, this is the team that was once home to none other than Eric Thames. They’re the team with the most overall Championships (11) after winning nine in the first 15 years of the League. Get KBO team baseball information and statistics for KBO baseball team in the 2020 season of the KBO in South Korea only at ScoresPro. Ex-Phillies pitchers Ben Lively and David Buchanan bracing for South Korean season that could serve as test case for MLB’s future. ScoresPro is the #1 baseball team website for the KBO in South Korea get all of the latest baseball team information today! “It doesn’t make sense. His .914 OPS puts him near the league’s best, and he’s poised to have an even better season in 2020. Pitchers to watch: The Twins’ pitching staff is a two-headed force, comprised of pitchers Casey Kelly and Tyler Wilson. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories. Already with a reputation for being an analytics-friendly team, the Dinos hired SABR member Patrick Bourgo as a front-office man covering various positions, most importantly as a sort of cultural bridge, helping foreign players to adapt to Korean baseball and culture. with the KBO League or the Korea Baseball Organization (한국야구위원회). The Hyundai Unicorns (formerly the Taepyoungyang Dolphins) — both the KBO League team and the second-tier team — were dissolved after the 2007 season. The 10 KBO clubs, their home stadiums, and locations are: NC Dinos: Changwon NC Park, ChangwonKiwoom Heroes: Gocheok Sky Dome, SeoulHanwa Eagles: Daejeon Hanbat Baseball Stadium, DaejeonSK Wyverns: Munhak Baseball Stadium, IncheonDoosan Bears: Jamsil Baseball Stadium, SeoulKia Tigers: Gunsan Wallmyeong Baseball Stadium, GwangjuKT Wiz: Suwon Baseball Stadium, SuwonLotte Giants: Sajik Baseball Stadium, BusanLG Twins: Jamsil Baseball Stadium, SeoulSamsung Lions: Daegu Samsung Lions Park, DaeguUnusual rules? We can consider him as the KBO’s Christian Yelich. Even playoff games end in a tie after 15 innings, with the win going to the team with the higher playoff seed. 0:59. Longtime ESPN announcers Karl Ravech and Eduardo Perez will handle the early-morning call. During the playoffs, they lost in the semifinal against the Kiwoom Heroes. Pitchers to watch: The Lions have been struggling in the pitching department, being the third-worst team in terms of runs allowed per game last year (5.08). The game was first introduced to the peninsula by Western Christian missionaries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The team based in Gwangju last won the title in 2017, and it stands out as the team with the most knowledgeable fanbase, since many of their supporters are complete baseball nerds, and its community values baseball traditions very dearly. As of Monday afternoon, the country had just 10,800 positive cases and 252 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. They are one of the founding six and had brilliant early history, but the last time they went to the postseason was in 2017 when they quickly fell to the NC Dinos, and in 2019 they finished dead last, ten games behind 9th place Hanwha Eagles. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. of Teams. Then they were swept in the first round of the playoffs. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea, the Korea Baseball Organization announced in March 2020 that all ten exhibition games would be cancelled, and the start of the season would be delayed until April.. That being said, their only title of the past decade came in 2017, so I guess they're kind of like the KBO version of the Yankees? These guys were looking like the best team in the league last season but choked down the stretch. This creates great hopes for fans on the American continent; after all, if Korea managed to control the pandemic and restart sporting activities — albeit behind closed doors, without fans present — there is a way forward for MLB and other leagues to resume in a similar manner. 2019 results: 88-55 (Tied-1st), Korean Series Champions. Since they’re the only team not owned by a massive parent company, they’re considered a small-budget team with the capacity to excel at Moneyball and amaze the entire KBO. Batters to watch: The Dinos are fortunate to have the best offensive catcher in Korea in former Doosan Bear Yang Eui-ji; he not only batted a solid .354/.438/.574 line in his Dinos debut in 2019, but he was also the league’s God of WAR. MLB squad comparison? Mike Wright, a pitcher who is also a recent singing, had a time with the Orioles and the Seattle Mariners that didn’t go particularly well. Also, spitting is banned. Catcher Eui-ji Yang was arguably the best position player in the league last year according to our R.J. Anderson. Players to watch: Left-handed pitcher Hyun-jong Yang, 32, has been a Korean standout for years and was the best pitcher (and arguably the best player) in the league last season according to the primer posted by our R.J. Anderson: The top performer during the 2019 season, according to STATIZ's Wins Above Replacement metric, was Kia Tigers left-hander Hyeon-jong Yang. The Eagles are a team that stands out for the beauty of their home stadium, the Hanwha Life Insurance Eagles Park, located in Daejeon, and for being the first team to emerge after the original six, debuting in 1986. The other one is a foreigner, Roberto Ramos, who hit .309/.400/.580 with 30 home runs at Triple-A Albuquerque last year, and was considered one of the best Rockies prospects, but without a space to play in the Colorado organization he opted for a contract with the LG Twins last January. The best position player was Eui-ji Yang, a catcher with the NC Dinos. He hit .354/.438/.574 with 20 home runs and more walks than strikeouts. Sampson is much younger and has a higher ceiling, but even now he boasts remarkable control, with an enviable 2-4 percent walk rate through the minors. ESPN’s deal with the KBO League is complete and Opening Day is tonight after midnight live at 1am ET (technically Tuesday). Choi Jeong's game-tying home run in the 9th looked and sounded like this... pic.twitter.com/KJUmY2VnCA. : Without a doubt, the St. Louis Cardinals. They are constantly in the mix for titles, conquering the competition four times and finishing as runners-up another four. Among those suiting up this season are: Aaron Altherr, outfielder, NC Dinos: Altherr played a handful of games for the Mets last season after being designated for assignment by the Phillies last May.David Buchanan, pitcher, Samsung Lions: Buchanan last pitched for the Phillies in 2016, and spent three years with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in the Nippon Professional Baseball league.Ben Lively, pitcher, Samsung Lions: Lively landed in Philadelphia in 2014 in the trade that sent Marlon Byrd to Cincinnati. Three of the league’s teams (Twins, Bears, Heroes) are based in Seoul, the country’s capital. It wasn’t until the aforementioned ’80s that a complete top-tier professional league was established. Pitchers to watch: Two foreign-born pitchers will get the most attention out of this team: Adrian Sampson and Dan Straily. pic.twitter.com/YzU490rPmQ. MLB talent: Besides Romak, Sanchez, and Ha, we can mention 2020 signing Nick Kingham. Ramos was a Colorado Prospect but never debuted in the top level. MLB talent: Former Atlanta Braves star Julio Franco was once a Lion, but as current players go, we can mention Lively, who was originally drafted by the Cleveland Indians, and played with the Reds, Phillies, Royals, and Diamondbacks. Get 2020 KBO Baseball team info & stats only at ScoresPro – we track a huge range of teams across a variety of sports, check out our full range of sports below in the footer. Pitchers to watch: The most obvious choice would be Drew Rucinski, who finished 12th in the league in WAR with 3.6 and had a solid 3.05 ERA and 1.18 WHIP despite his 9-9 record. Pitchers to watch: In 2019, the star of the pitching staff was undoubtedly Angel Sanchez, but the team has lost him to the NPB’s Yomiuri Giants. Among them, we can mention Raul Alcantara, who is part of the 2020 Doosan team but has played with the Oakland A’s; Fernandez, who played for the Los Angeles Angels, and new signing Chris Flexen, who pitched 68 innings in the majors for the Mets from 2017-19. MLB talent: The Eagles are mostly known for one thing: Being the original home to MLB superstar Ryu Hyun-jin, who will pitch in 2020 for the Blue Jays after an amazing 2019 with the Dodgers in which he led the league in ERA. : A proud team with past title but more modern history of runner-up finishes, heart-breaking playoff chokes and recent drama, makes them easily comparable to the Los Angeles Dodgers, but their very young current roster feels more like today’s Detroit Tigers. Build your custom FanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis on All MLB and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. They’re one of the most successful squads in recent years, conquering the championship a total of six times, including three times since 2015, including last year when they swept the Kiwoom Heroes in four games. They are notably good in the analytics department and make very intelligent signings in free agency. However, it should be noted that their mascot is an adorable seagull, and that's got to count for something. KBO League on ESPNDate: Tuesday, May 5Time: 1 a.m. EasternTeams: NC Dinos vs. Samsung Lions TV: ESPNStreaming: ESPN app (requires authentication), ESPN+, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, AT&T TV Now (all require a subscription)Live baseball is returning to ESPN, but you’ll either need to stay up late or set an early alarm to catch the action. The latter, Lee Chung-woong, is one of the league’s best lead-off hitters, hitting .308/.378/.374 with  88 runs, 48 RBI, and 21 stolen bases in 2019. If you're in the mascot game, they've got a couple of horrifying demon things. is still available for now, but will be shut down after the 2020 season. Games will also be streamed on the ESPN app, with cable authentication required. Here’s what the KBO League television schedule looks like (all times Eastern): Tuesday, May 5: NC Dinos vs. Samsung Lions, 1 a.m., ESPN (Karl Ravech, Eduardo Perez)Wednesday, May 6: Doosan Bears vs. LG Twins, 5:30 a.m., ESPN2 (Karl Ravech, Eduardo Perez)Thursday, May 7: NC Dinos vs. Samsung Lions, 5:30 a.m., ESPN2 (Karl Ravech, Eduardo Perez)Friday, May 8: KIA Tigers vs. Samsung Lions: 5:30 a.m., ESPN2 (Jon Sciambi, Kyle Peterson)Saturday, May 9: LG Twins vs. NC Dinos, 4 a.m., ESPN2 (Jon Sciambi, Jessica Mendoza)Sunday, May 10: LG Twins vs. NC Dinos, 1 a.m., ESPN2 (Jon Sciambi, Jessica Mendoza)How many teams are in the KBO League?