I think most knowledgeable MLB fans have at least minor complaints with fan voting at the All-star game. There’s always at least one completely undeserving player — like Alfonso Soriano this year — voted in. Fortunately, for the most part, baseball blogs don’t bother with this topic…it’s an argument better suited to sportstalk radio.
But how would you have liked it if the entire starting lineup of the 2008 New York Yankees had been voted into the All-star game? Or better yet, the entire starting lineup of a team hovering around .500, like, say, the Detroit Tigers. Wouldn’t that be fun? Well, it just happened in the KBO where nine members of the Lotte Giants were voted into the starting lineup of the East squad for the 2008 All-star game.
The only member of Lotte not to be voted into the starting lineup was outfielder Jung Su-gun, who was arrested and suspended indefinitely because he beat up a security guard during an early morning drunken rampage last week. The rest of the team is in — pitcher Son Min-han, catcher Kang Min-ho, infielders Lee Dae-ho, Park Hyung-sung, Jo Sung-hwan, Park Gi-hyuk, outfielders Karim Garcia and Kim Joo-chan, and DH Ma Hae-yeong. Doosan’s Lee Jeong-wook will be the lone representative from a non-Lotte team.
Awesooooome!
Part of me thinks it’s kind of cute, and I suppose it’s good that the league is honest. Lotte has the most rabid fanbase of any team in the league, so it’s not a complete surprise. Garcia was the leading vote getter with 678,557, which in terms of credibility to the outside world doesn’t do a whole heck of a lot for Korean baseball — but he’s a fun player to watch and seemingly a nice guy.
Unfortunately, since I’m still on the road I can’t fully access the database on the Korean baseball stats site. So no links to the individual players. The other team is primarily made up of players from Kia and Hanwha. Poor SK is the top team in the league with nary an All-star player to show for it. I’m sure they’ll all be crying their eyes out as they kick the rest of the league’s ass during the second half. Although, this result is a little shameful for the people of Incheon since the game is being played there and all.
The West team will be represented by pitcher Yun Suk-min of Kia, catcher Jo In-sung from LG, infielders Kim Tae-gyun, Kim Min-jae and Lee Bum-ho of Hanwha, along with Kim Jeong-kuk of Kia, and outfielders Doug Clark of Hanwha, Lee Yeong-gyu of Kia and Lee Jeong-bum of Kia. Cliff Brumbaugh is the DH.
I got this story from Korea Beat.
10 responses so far ↓
1 Dan // Jul 21, 2008 at 10:14 pm
here’s the rosters and the vote totals for the teams:
http://kbo.ipbfree.com/index.php?showtopic=145&view=findpost&p=1019
2 Simon Currie // Jul 21, 2008 at 11:56 pm
Is the All Star game being played in Busan?
The Rakuten Eagles fans pulled off a similar trick last year when they hosted one of the All Star games last season. The Eagles fans managed to vote in 8 out of 12 fan voted roster spots (8 position players, DH, starter, reliever, and closer) from their sub-.500 team.
http://marinerds.blogspot.com/search/label/All-Star
3 Shinsano // Jul 22, 2008 at 12:37 am
No, it’s in Incheon — SK’s home city. I don’t know what the deal is actually — I saw ballots at the Lotte game I went to this year and you can vote online — but I’m guessing this is the work of a booster club. Eight for 12 is surprising, but 10 for 10 seems to verge on outrageous. Should make for some fun photos though.
4 Swi // Jul 22, 2008 at 12:42 am
Of all the players that made it I Kang Min Ho is the most deserving. Son Min Han should be there. Lee Dae Ho should. Karim Garcia probably should but he’s hitting like .250. Ma Hae Young is totally washed up and a total homer pick. Isnt he hitting about .140?
5 Jackson // Jul 22, 2008 at 12:56 am
Karim Garcia, All-Star.
6 Shinsano // Jul 22, 2008 at 1:09 am
I think I should have been more clear on Jung Su-gun….I’m sure he was voted onto the team. He’s one of Lotte’s most popular players. I’m sure the league removed his votes after his arrest and suspension.
7 Ken // Jul 22, 2008 at 3:49 am
There’s always at least one completely player — like Ken Griffey Jr. this year — voted in undeservedly.
Actually Griffey didn’t make the cut, thanks to ballot box stuffers in Milwaukee. He went from 2nd to 4th in NL OF voting during the last week.
8 Shinsano // Jul 22, 2008 at 7:12 am
Sorry I’ve been so sloppy lately readers. My vacation ends tomorrow and I promise I’ll be back to my usual spot on pristine grammar/factual self. Cough.
Luckily the error Ken pointed it out is easy enough to swap out any ol’ year.
9 baekgom84 // Jul 22, 2008 at 9:20 am
When the voting cards were first handed out I kind of thought to myself that the Lotte players might tend to dominate a little, even though the team was in something like third place at the time. I didn’t expect something like this though… it’s ridiculous. I was excited about the All-star game before but it’s hard to care about a game which is essentially Lotte and some other guy vs the rest.
10 jackson // Jul 22, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Is it just me or do Garcia and A Rod have the same hair style now? Was there a sale on peroxide or something?
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