This article is part of our Dream11 Fantasy KBO series.
KT Wiz (1-6) at NC Dinos (6-1)
Thursday, May 14, 5:30 AM EDT
Projected Starters
RHP Bae Je-seong (0-0, 2.84 ERA) vs LHP Koo Chang-mo (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Note: Korean names are transliterated differently by different sources. The spellings used here are those used by Dream11 in order to make it easier to assemble a lineup on that site.
Game Preview
The Dinos won their second straight 10-inning thriller Wednesday, sending them into a tie for first place while condemning the Wiz to a tie for last. Eight of the game's nine runs were scored over the final four innings, with the Wiz tying the game in the top of the ninth and taking the lead in the top of the 10th before ultimately losing to pinch-hitter Kang Jin-sung's two-out walk-off single. The teams will send a pair of 23-year-old local products to the mound for the final game of the series. Righty Bae Je-seong takes the hill for the visiting Wiz. His 3.76 ERA in 21 starts and seven relief appearances last season was fairly good, though both his 16.1 percent strikeout rate and 9.9 percent walk rate were worse than average. He allowed two runs while striking out just a single batter in 6.1 innings in his season debut against the Giants. The Dinos will turn to southpaw Koo Chang-mo. He recorded a strong 3.20 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in 107 innings last season and offers rare strikeout upside for a KBO pitcher, striking out 25.4 percent
KT Wiz (1-6) at NC Dinos (6-1)
Thursday, May 14, 5:30 AM EDT
Projected Starters
RHP Bae Je-seong (0-0, 2.84 ERA) vs LHP Koo Chang-mo (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Note: Korean names are transliterated differently by different sources. The spellings used here are those used by Dream11 in order to make it easier to assemble a lineup on that site.
Game Preview
The Dinos won their second straight 10-inning thriller Wednesday, sending them into a tie for first place while condemning the Wiz to a tie for last. Eight of the game's nine runs were scored over the final four innings, with the Wiz tying the game in the top of the ninth and taking the lead in the top of the 10th before ultimately losing to pinch-hitter Kang Jin-sung's two-out walk-off single. The teams will send a pair of 23-year-old local products to the mound for the final game of the series. Righty Bae Je-seong takes the hill for the visiting Wiz. His 3.76 ERA in 21 starts and seven relief appearances last season was fairly good, though both his 16.1 percent strikeout rate and 9.9 percent walk rate were worse than average. He allowed two runs while striking out just a single batter in 6.1 innings in his season debut against the Giants. The Dinos will turn to southpaw Koo Chang-mo. He recorded a strong 3.20 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in 107 innings last season and offers rare strikeout upside for a KBO pitcher, striking out 25.4 percent of opposing batters last season. He struck out eight while allowing just two hits and no runs in his six-inning season debut against the Lions his last time out.
Injuries
Aaron Altherr, Dinos - Day-To-Day - Hand
Wednesday, May 13 - Altherr left Wednesday's game in the fifth inning due to a sore left hand, but an examination later showed he only suffered a bruise, the Chosun Ilbo reports. Altherr has struggled with a sore left hand since suffering the injury during a preseason game on April 29. It looks like he aggravated the injury while batting and may need some time off.
Chang Min Mo, Dinos - Out - Shoulder
Tuesday, May 12 - Mo will miss the next two weeks as a result of his shoulder injury, KBO Analyst Jin-Hyeok Jang reports. Mo sat out NC's last game Sunday after injuring his shoulder in the club's previous game Friday, and it turns out he will miss extended time beyond that. Lee Won-jae, as well as another player or two, should see more action in Mo's absence.
Wiz Expected Lineup
P Bae Je-seong
1. Sim Woo-jun
2. Kim Min-hyeok
3. Kang Baek-ho
4. Yoo Han-joon
5. Mel Rojas
6. Hwang Jae-gyun
7. Park Kyung-soo
8. Jang Sung-woo
9. Bae Jeong-dae
Dinos Expected Lineup
P Koo Chang Mo
1. Park Min-woo
3. Na Sung-bum
4. Yang Eui-ji
5. Park Suk-min
6. Lee Won-jae
7. No Jin-hyuk
8. Kim Sung-wook
9. Lee Myung-gi
Top Picks
Koo Chang-mo, Dinos: The pitcher decision in this contest could be a difficult one if the prices were reversed, but taking Koo and saving 2.5 credits seems like the obvious choice here. He had more success last season, is facing an easier lineup and has a level of strikeout upside that Bae Je-seong simply can't match.
Na Sung-bum, Dinos: Na missed most of last season after suffering a gruesome knee injury, but he was one of the best hitters in the league before that and looks to be right back on track at the start of this campaign. The Dinos' number three hitter has seven hits in his last three games, hitting a pair of homers which included a ninth-inning, game-tying blast in the first game of the series.
Mel Rojas, Wiz: Rojas and fellow slugger Kang Baek-ho both typically make strong captain choices for players building a Wiz-focused lineup. With lefty Koo Chang-mo on the mound for the Dinos, though, it's wise to avoid the left-handed Kang in this one and go with the switch-hitting Rojas instead.
Park Min-woo, Dinos: Park is quite cheap at just eight credits, allowing you to save room for the game's more expensive bats. As the leadoff hitter for one of the league's strongest offenses, Park should have plenty of opportunities to score, as he's done six times in seven games already this season.
Captaincy Options
1. Koo Chang-mo
2. Na Sung-bum
3. Mel Rojas
Dream11 Team
P Ko Chang-mo (C)
C Yang Eui-ji
IF Sim Woo-jun
IF No Jin-hyuk
IF Lee Won-jae
IF Park Min-woo
OF Na Sung-bum (VC)
OF Mel Rojas
OF Bae Jeong-dae
