Team Korea

I usually get pretty excited about the start of spring training. A new season, with maybe some new big guns, a new outlook and another chance at the Series. Then I quickly remember that it's spring training. Ah, but this year we get something different -- the World Baseball Classic. Instead of that split squad game against BC, baseball fans are treated to games featuring powerhouses like the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and the United States. Once past the flotsam of Round 1 (Italy, Australia, South Africa, the Netherlands, China), the blowouts have been infrequent and the intensity has been refocused.

But while the big boys slug it out, only one unlikely team has remained undefeated -- Team Korea. Korea (the South, not North) was predicted to advance past the first round, thanks to some major league players (Chan Ho Park, Byung Hyun Kim, Hee Seop Choi) and with experience on par with Japan. Korea beat Japan in an emotionally charged last game of Round 1 thanks to a dramatic, 8th inning two run homer by Seung Yeop Lee and haven't looked back since. They've been winning thanks to a few reasons:

-Team Korea is built on defense and pitching. They knew they wouldn't be able to out slug the Latin American or North American teams, so instead they've focused on the fundamentals. Almost every position player is a Gold Glover in Asia. Their outfielders are always positioned well and get great jumps, while the infield, particularly shortstop Jin Man Park, is very surehanded. They can all bunt and they run the bases well. The pitchers are a mix of Korea's best, from the Asian and US major leagues.

-They're fortunate to be playing in Pool 1. Team USA has really underperformed and Mexico isn't that good. Japan is without most of its best players (Hideki Matsui, Tadahito Iguchi, Kaz Matsui, Shigetoshi Hasegawa). We'll see what happens when they go up against the Dominican's slugging lineup or Venezuela's power pitching.

-Chan Ho Park got his mojo back. At least, one inning at a time. For the WBC he's been Korea's closer, and whether it's due to the shorter outings or national pride, Park has pitched very well. Once one of MLB's better starting pitchers, his career went down the tubes after signing a monster contract with Texas. His fastball, once in the mid 90's, slowed to 88-90 mph. His control slipped. Pop flies that were harmless outs in Dodger Stadium became home runs in Arlington. Injuries didn't help matters. Now he's back to throwing 93-94 mph for Team Korea. His stats: 5.0 innings / 5 K's / 3 saves / 0.00 ERA. His resurgence also means I don't have to watch Byung Hyun Kim close out games.

-1B Seung Yeop Lee has been clutch. Starting with the game against Japan, Lee has hit the deciding homer in each game. While most of the other hitters are strictly pesky contact guys, Lee provides the production. His stats so far: .471 AVG. / 5 HR / 10 RBI, with an .OPS of 1.877. Known as the 'Lion King' in Asia, he set the single season Asian record for home runs with 56 in 2003. Although he's been to a couple of spring training camps with MLB clubs, Lee never felt they took him seriously. As the announcers keep saying, maybe this time they'll give him a closer look and a little bit more respect.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine Team Korea playing so well. When Round 2 started, Korea was easily the least talented of the 8 teams. Their contributions to MLB so far had been a fading former All-Star (Park), a disgraced former closer (Kim), an underachieving slugger (Choi), some so-so pitchers (Jae Seo, Sunny Kim, Jung Bong) and ThunderStix. But so far fundamentally sound baseball and some luck have made for a winning combination and I'm enjoying the ride.