The KBO opened over the weekend, and with my computer on the fritz I was able to take in a few games over the weekend. Lotte, in a rather small sample of two games, has looked fantastic, shellacking Hanhwa on opening day by an 11-1 score, then winning a closer Sunday game 9-8. Lee Dae-ho of course is the catalyst, and is off to a 6 for 9 start to the year. Although he made a pretty bad throwing error in Game 1 and was removed for a defensive replacement in Game 2.

Gary Rath was great for Doosan yesterday. I really enjoyed watching him pitch and I can’t help but think he might be good enough in his attempt to replace Daniel Rios. Rath has gotten better with age and he comes off as a Korean league version of Greg Maddux. Painting the coners like an artist. Rath beat Woori, a team that I’m attempting to feel sorry for, rather than hope they finish as badly as their owners deserve.

The biggest surprise for me over the weekend was the relative ineffectiveness of SK’s Kim Gwang-hyun, who I had yet to see make a bad start (he picked up the loss, giving up six hits in 2 2/3 yesterday). I think if Kim pitches as well as he did late last year, and I expect him to do just that, SK will walk away with the title. Still, the KBO looks to be very competitive this year with only one or two teams (guess who-ri?) that I don’t see in the running at all.

I’m going to try and post regular KBO rankings throughout the season. Here are my preseason/two games in rankings:

1. SK Wyvrens– Like I said, this team is poised to repeat. The champs opened training camp a week before anyone else in January, have no real “stars” and no real weaknesses. A full year of arguably the best young arm in the game (Kim Gwang-hyun) would seem to make them even better.

2. Kia Tigers– Adding four players with major league experience during the past year should give this team a shot at a worst-to-first season. Arguably Seo Jae-weong still belongs in MLB and Choi Hee-seop could make a run at the triple crown if Lee Dae-ho doesn’t beat him to it. Jose Lima will add some much needed energy and make the team fun to follow.

3. Samsung Lions– Adding a .400 OBP bat in Jacob Cruz to the lineup should make the Lions a better offensive team. The thing that keeps them from the top is the lack of starting pitching depth, which takes a hit in the defection of Jamey Brown to LG. If top starter Bae Young-soo returns to form though, this team will contend.

4. Doosan Bears– The best lineup in the league 1-4. After that, things get a little less exciting. Good pitching depth with Rath, Kim Sun-woo and Matt Randel, and a strong bullpen. Still, losing the game’s best pitcher can’t be a positive thing, so the Bears slip a little.

5. Lotte Giants– Always my sentimental choice and having the best fans in the game will never hurt. I like the bringing in of Jerry Royster as manager, but is that in itself enough to move up more than two or three spots? If it is we might see Royster heading back to America to manage an MLB team in a hurry. If this team had been willing to spend some dough, bring in Kim Dong-ju from Doosan to play third, and left Lee Dae-ho at first where he belongs, they might have had something special. As it is they’ll have to settle for something kind of special — a shot at a playoff spot.

6. LG Twins– Probably a touch better than Lotte, but I’m rooting for Royster. This team has great pitching depth. Park Myung-hwan, Chris Oxspring and Jamey Brown could be very dangerous if this team gets into the playoffs. But the offense is seriously lacking.

7. Hanwha Eagles– Really made Cruz a scapegoat last year and probably deserve their fate. Ryu Hyun-jin is already wearing down at the ripe old age of 21 and he is first and foremost the key to this team. The only thing that keeps them from the bottom is Our Heroes. They’re nowhere near the Twins and the No. 6 spot.

8. Woori Heroes– This team isn’t as terrible as their record will likely show. Cliff Brumbaugh is still one of the better hitters in the league and the rotation is at least solid at the top with Jang Won-sam and Ma Il-young. But how does any company perform when the new owners arrive and start cutting salaries and budgets left and right? This team may very well flirt with a .300 winning percentage, which might be what the new owners want.