Owner, that won’t happen next year… How will the ‘K-match’ unfold

Jung Yong-jin, vice chairman of Shinsegae Group, the owner of SSG Landers, left this message on his personal social media on May 14 when the Incheon Hanwha match was held to a 3-3 draw in the 12th inning after a bloody battle of 4 hours and 58 minutes. He said, “We have to win from the 12th inning. Baseball is originally a game without a draw.”

In the 2024 KBO League, owner Chung will not have to make a “reverse.” KBO is discussing the introduction of a game-winning system along with pitch clock and ABS (automatic ball determination system) from the new season. The game-winning system, which was discussed in the “KBO League-Team Korea Level-up Project,” a plan to strengthen the competitiveness of professional baseball and national teams in July, is expected to be introduced in the new season unless there is a big disagreement. If the game is not decided in the regular inning until the ninth inning, the two teams will place runners on the base and decide the game through game-winning from the 10th inning.

The KBO League has operated a draw system since its launch. When it was launched, it was inevitable to introduce the system because many stadiums were difficult to play after sunset due to poor conditions.

After the modernization of the facility, “the theory of no-game system” was raised, but it has been maintained amid criticism that the increasing game time leads to the convenience of spectators and the deterioration of players’ performance.

As of the 2023 season, the KBO League has tied the game 12 times in overtime in the pennant race and 15 times in the postseason if the game is not decided. In this year’s 720 pennant race, there were a total of 24 draws. The Hanwha Eagles had the most draws with six out of 144 games, while the Lotte Giants had no draws this year.

In international competitions such as the Olympics, Asian Games, WBC (World Baseball Classic), and Premier 12, a game-winning system is in operation. Among professional leagues, the U.S. Major League has been implementing an extended game-winning system since the 2020 season. 안전 토토사이트

However, there is a difference between an international competition and a major league game. In both games, runners on base due to mistakes are recorded as on-base hits. It is a kind of safety plate to prevent a pitcher who takes the mound in a match from incurring loss of own run even if he or she loses a point. However, in international competitions, the game starts with runners on the first and second bases with no outs, while the Major League plays with runners on the second and no outs. The former can score a large number of points, which can determine the outcome early, but when the Big Inning comes out, the excitement is somewhat reduced. Even if the latter loses a point, it can lead to a close game, which can double the interest, but it can be far from the original purpose of the game, which is to end the game quickly.

A KBO official said, “We are carefully reviewing to establish a related system.” Attention is focusing on how the “K-match game,” which will be outlined soon, will unfold.

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