I only work Monday of this week because it's sports week here at Seokang University so I had planned to go to Seoul to watch my first Kia Tigers road game of the year. I called up the guy I was gonna go with but he didn't answer his phone. So instead I went hiking at Moodeung Mountain with David, Angie and Rebecca. It was a good day. I managed to get home at exactly 6:30 to watch the game on TV. I knew it was coming on a channel that I get. Unfortunately I forgot it was Children's Day here in Korea. So the game took place at 1:00 in the afternoon. There is no way I would have made it to Seoul by 1:00 to watch it live so I'm glad I didn't try to go. Also I had fun at the mountain. BUT, I sure would have loved to be at the game!!! There is ALL kinds of drama happening with the Tigers! "Bronx is Burning" ppppbbbtthhhhbbbbtttt! I got a REAL baseball drama here and now!
First the good news, two players I haven't seen in ages played today, both of whom I really like: Hong Sae Weon (a good hitter) and Lee Beom Seok the pitcher I figure was Kia's second best last year. He was starting today. He starts the game and he's not doing too bad but not too great either. In the 4th inning after getting two out he loads the bases with a few very close walks. So what do you do if you're the Kia coach? I leave a warmed up Lee in the game every time before I take any member of the Kia bullpen and put him in the game cold. But you be the coach. You REALLY REALLY NEEEEED one out. Who do you bring in? If you read my last entry you will know the obvious thing to do. KIM YOUNG SOO! With all of Jo Beom Hyun's games he's been playing with Kim Young Soo all we really know about him is he is AWESOME at getting one guy out! Who do you bring in if you are not a baseball guy and have a man crush on a really really bad pitcher? Son Young Min. Of course that's Kia Tiger coach Jo Beom Hyun I'm taking about and of course he calls for his beloved Son Young Min. Son faces 4 guys gives up two hits and a walk. ALL THREE of Lee's runners score blowing his E.R.A. way up and before Son's runners score he's taken out with his E.R.A. still at zero after giving up three runs. Then the next pitcher gets the outs Son couldn't, (because he's a team guy), and KEEPS Son's E.R.A. at zero. This is what Jo has done for Son for the past few years so as to make a bad pitcher seem like he's good by artificially raising his stats at the expense of the team.
But the Kia bats are hot. With the aid of two-run homers from Na Ji Wan and Hong Sae Weon they go into the 8th with a 6-5 lead. Here's where the drama begins! Out to the mound comes Yoon Seok Min, the greatest pitcher in Korean baseball who is being wasted on this team as it's closer. In the 8th Yoon is Yoon. He strikes out the side. Three batters, three strikeouts. Bam, Bam, Bam!
Then in the ninth inning a strange thing happens. Here is what I mean when I say I'm seeing signs of frustrated players. I saw Na Ji Wan bunt straight to the pitcher (ON PURPOSE) to get the double play because Jo stupidly told him to bunt in the 5th inning of a 4-3 game. I've seen other guys fake like they are trying to bunt when he stupidly makes these calls too. And today I think I saw Yoon Seok Min throwing beach balls in the 9th to make a statement. He had to do it after pitching like the champ he is in the 8th to make the statement clear. I think he was successful.
Kia lost 7-6 but I am very happy. I think the statement is to teams around the league and to Kia management, there needs to be a trade: Jo Beom Hyun and his pet Son Young Min for a jock strap and a box of baseballs. Any takers?
Anyway, I didn't go to that game or watch it on TV but I caught the highlights of it and I was doing the hand wash gesture and saying, "HOO HOO HAAA HAAAAAH!" as I watched. Jo's days have GOT to be numbered now! I kinda hope the team just keeps on losing like this. With the pitching staff they have 6 runs is MORE than enough for them to win when they are playing for a coach who the players like and who knows what he's doing. Sooner or later management will realize what's going on. Although it has been my experience in Korea that they'll get rid of a lot of players, (teachers), who aren't the problem before getting rid of the coach, (supervisor), who is. We shall see. You can be sure I'll keep you posted.
As for the hike, we went to a part of the mountain I'd never been to before. We were gonna go to a temple I forget the name Jeo Bool Sa or something like that by way of the temple named Yak Sa Sa. A nice hike on the southern side of Moodeung Mountain along a cool stream. We stopped at a picnic area and had some kimbap, hotdogs, fruit, veggies and Rice Tard! Ha ha ha ha. I'm not kidding. And we played a little catch with the mini football, which must have been tasty because I think Rebecca liked it the best. There were a LOT of stairs! And it was a really nice day so a good sweat was enjoyed by all. We ran out of bottled water but I was drinking the water we got from a tap at Yak Sa Sa. I put 500 weon into the charity box there so Buddha will protect me from any parasites. I hope.
Bus 51 comes right back to the intersection down the road from where I work. VERY convenient! I just might do that little hike again sometime.
The best thing about the hike was that there were absolutely NO mosquitoes! I'm sure they are soon to come but it sure makes for better hiking!
It was a bit windy at the biginning of the hike. This Charlie Brown umbrella was intact when we started out. Oh well. Who has fun without breaking something?
I hope my next post includes a link to an article about Kia's coach being shitcanned. Fingers crossed!
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