The professional baseball league for the 2025 season will kick off on July 22. It is a long-term race in which each team can play 144 games (720 games in total) for six months. As mid-ranking teams are expected to level their power, they are expected to have a fiercer race to the top five than any other year.

At the exhibition games, they had mixed feelings. As Kim Hye-sung (LA Dodgers) advanced to the Major League, the Kiwoom Heroes, who weakened significantly, unexpectedly ranked third, while the Samsung Lions, the runner-up team of the Korean Series last season, ranked eighth. The Hanwha Eagles, who have failed to pass the post-season threshold since 2018, ranked second in a surprise move, raising expectations for the regular season. This newspaper conducted a survey of seven commentators to analyze the game of this year's KBO League.카지노사이트

 Who's the rival of "Tiger"

There was no disagreement that the Kia Tigers are the favorites to win the championship. All seven commentators picked Kia as one of the teams that are expected to advance to the KS. Analysts say that Kia has maintained its capacity throughout the last season when it won the combined championship. "KIA is a team that does not need to be mentioned," KBS N Sports commentator Kim Tae-kyun said. "Being a backup is important in every season. KIA has the best backup depth among the 10 teams. Both quantity and quality, the team is solid."

Kia's opponents against the KS were divided. Four out of seven voted for the LG Twins, and some commentators mentioned KT Wiz, Doosan Bears, and Samsung. "KIA's opponent is LG," SBS Sports commentator Lee Soon-cheol said. "Although the bullpen is still uncertain, the team is equally capable of hitting and maneuvering." "LG has achieved the most wins (400 wins) among the 10 teams in the KBO League over the past five years. We have maintained strong performance so consistently," MBC Sports+ commentator Jung Min-cheol said. "I think we can achieve more than 80 wins this season on the premise that two foreign pitchers (Eliaser Hernandez and Yonny Chirinos) will play full time without replacement." Kia was the only team that surpassed 80 wins last season with 87 wins. SPOTV commentator Lee Dong-hyun also predicted that Kia and LG will face off each other in the KS.

"There are a lot of experienced players and unlike in recent years, it is an advantage to have a season without injuries," SPOTV commentator Kim Jae-ho said, predicting KT's advance to the KS. "I think the overload of the bullpen, which was a problem last year, can be reduced by reinforcing starting pitchers (Ariel Furado and Choi Won-tae) who can lead the innings well," said Kim Tae-kyun, a member of the committee. "Samsung has become stronger than last year." KBS N Sports commentator Yoon Hee-sang predicted Doosan as KIA's showdown against KS, saying, "If two foreign pitchers (Call Irvin and Jack Rogue) work properly, Doosan will be strong."

 The fate of the 'Eagle', the race for the 5th round is in the fog

KIA and Samsung received votes from all the commentators in the voting for the strongest five teams. LG and KT received six votes, followed by Hanwha with five votes, and Doosan with four votes. Attention is focusing on Hanwha. Hanwha, which is entering its first season in its new stadium, has been striving to strengthen its capability during the offseason. It has recruited pitcher Um Sang-baek and shortstop Shim Woo-joon from the free agent market. "Hanwha is a team of goblins. It is important when the potency (potential) will explode, and I don't think it will take long," Kim Jae-ho said, adding that he was included in the candidate for the strongest five teams.

Chung Min-cheol said, "The reason why Hanwha is a candidate for the fifth round is that the starting lineup and the center line have been remarkably strong," adding, "With Um Sang-baek joining the team, we have a starting lineup that is not behind any other team." In addition, committee members Lee Dong-hyun, Kim Tae-kyun, and Yoon Hee-sang also evaluated Hanwha as a candidate for the fifth round. However, committee member Kim Tae-kyun expressed concern, saying, "There are many variables and Hanwha lacks experience in autumn baseball. Pitchers are really good, but pitchers are in a position with injury issues."

Not a few commentators predicted Doosan's performance. "Dusan was not a good foreign pitcher last year. If the players selected this time outperform the average, it will be a good place in the top five," said Lee Dong-wook. "The seven teams except KIA, which is the strongest team, and NC and Kium, which are classified as the lowest rank, are similar," said Lee Soon-cheol. SSG Landers, Lotte Giants, Kiwoom and NC, which failed to advance to PS last year, did not receive votes from commentators.