Who will take the throne for the 2025 season? Building a KIA dynasty? It doesn't look easy
Dec 31, 2024
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The eventful 2024 is over. I hope 2025 will be a bright and healthy year for everyone.
The same goes for baseball. It gained huge popularity during the 2024 season. For the first time ever, 10 million spectators were filled. You can't just be drunk on this sweetness. We have to work hard to provide better content to our fans.
Still, fortunately, the nature of the sport, which stimulates fans' interest, is expected to be very fierce. In other words, it is hard to say which team is the favorite to win the championship 'Chunchu Warring States era'.
KIA Tigers, the unified champion of the 2024 season. It's still strong. And two consecutive losses showed his willingness to build a dynasty. He kept his ace nails and brought in quality foreign players called Wisdom-Oller. Jang Hyun-sik filled the absence with Jo Sang-woo.
However, it is hard to guarantee KIA's second consecutive win. Other teams have also started to check KIA by reinforcing their power. The LG Twins, who were the favorites, actively reinforced the bullpen, which was a weakness this season. With the joining of Jang Hyun-sik and Kim Kang-ryul, the back door has become very solid. If you look at the fielder's lineup alone, it is the best structure among the 10 clubs, so if you hold out on the mound, LG is still a favorite.
The Samsung Lions, the team that advanced to this year's Korean Series, clenched their teeth. I can feel the will to challenge for the championship. It spent 7 billion won to recruit Choi Won-tae and even brought Kiwoom Heroes ace Hurado to establish a perfect starting rotation. Samsung is a team that is looking forward to tomorrow as there is little power leakage and young key players such as Kim Ji-chan, Kim Young-woong and Lee Jae-hyun are getting scarier as they gain experience.
KT Wiz also cannot be ignored. There were leaks of Um Sang-baek and Shim Woo-jun, but Heo Kyung-min came in and the lineup became stronger. Even without Um Sang-baek, the starting team is considered the strongest in the league.
Hanwha Eagles can also be a dark horse. It is the first season in which head coach Kim Kyung-moon leads the team properly. It is also the first season of the new home stadium. I'm full of motivation. With the addition of Um Sang-baek, he completed the strongest starting lineup comparable to KT. There is a high possibility that it will not easily collapse in the regular season.
The rest of the teams can sufficiently beat the top candidates. The Doosan Bears are in the last year of manager Lee Seung-yeop's contract. You have to risk your life and death. The same goes for SSG Landers director Lee Sung-yong. For Lotte Giants, manager Kim Tae-hyung's team has been identified. It's worth expecting a proper 'Kim Tae-hyung baseball' For the NC Dinos, coach Lee Ho-joon's fighting spirit is unusual. For the Kiwoom Heroes, two foreign hitters can be a factor that will bother opposing teams. The lineup is as good as any other team.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
