Seoul:Preparing for his first South Korean baseball postseason with the Doosan Bears, shortstop Park Chan-ho expressed his acceptance of the team's underdog status as they face the LG Twins in the wild card round of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Bears, seeded fifth, will compete against the fourth-seeded LG Twins. The playoff format gives the Twins an advantage, as they need only a tie in two games to advance, while the Bears must win both. Since the introduction of the wild card round in 2015, a fifth seed has upset a fourth seed only once. Despite the odds, Park remains optimistic, stating that the pressure is on the Twins. "We have only seen one upset so far in this round. So there is zero reason for us to feel any pressure," Park commented during a pregame session in Seoul.
Some analysts still view the Bears as favorites due to their strong pitching staff, with Gwak Been leading as the starter. He topped the regular season in ERA and strikeouts. Conversely, the Twins have dropped from first to fourth place and suffered significant bullpen injuries, impacting their performance.
Park, who joined the Bears this season after a decade with the Kia Tigers, acknowledged the Twins' advantage but believes in his team's potential for an upset. He advised his teammates to focus on winning the first game, emphasizing the importance of cherishing the postseason opportunity.
With the Kia Tigers awaiting the wild card winner, Park is concentrating on the immediate challenge. "Honestly, I have not thought about facing the Tigers. I have to go all-in on trying to win today. I will think about everything else later," he said.