The starting line ups of Doosan Bears and NC Dinos in Game 1 of the 2020 Korean Series showed connections to the two editions of the WBSC Premier12.
The defending champions Doosan Bears have three players who were on second place Korea's roster in the 2019 edition. Outfielder Kim Jae Hwan started six out of seven Premier12 games as the DH. Park Kunwoo was the fourth outfielder, and Park Sei Hyok was the backup catcher.
Star shortstop Kim Jaeho helped Korea win the inaugural Premier12 as the everyday shortstop.
The Bears played Cuban Jose Miguel Fernandez as Game 1 DH. The contact hitter, who struck out only 113 times over 2,580 at-bats for Matanzas in Cuba's Serie Nacional, represented his country at the 2013 World Baseball Classic, then moved to the United States when he signed a Minor League Baseball (MiLB) contract for the Los Angeles Angels in 2017. He has played in Korea since 2018.
The other foreigner in the lineup is Dominican starting pitcher Raul Alcantara, the best KBO pitcher (Choi Dong-won Award) in 2020.
The NC Dinos have in the lineups two of the key players for Korea in the WBSC Premier12 2019: second baseman Park Min Woo and catcher Yang Euji. Yang helped Korea win in 2015 as their number one catcher. Right fielder Na Sung Bum started two games and had at least one at-bat in every other game of the inaugural Premier12.
Aaron Altherr, an American born in Germany, is the starting center fielder for the Dinos. He represented Germany in the Qualifier to the 2013 World Baseball Classic. Alther played Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, the San Francisco Giants and the New York Mets. The other foreigner in the lineup is 19-game winning starting pitcher Drew Rucinski, who played Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Angels, the Minnesota Twins and the Miami Marlins.
Na (34, 112), Euji (33, 124) and Altherr (31, 108) all had over 30 home runs and 100 RBIs in the 144-game regular season.
The Doosan Bears then named the OB (Oriental Brewery) Bears, won the first edition of the Korean Series in 1982. They celebrated a total of six titles since then, three since 2015.
The NC Dinos are a 2013 expansion team and haven't won a Korean Series yet. They were swept in the 2016 final series by the Bears. The Dinos posted the best record of the regular season and won nine games out of 16 played against the Bears.
The Korean Series 2020 will be entirely played at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, the host venue of group C of the II Premier12.
The Dinos won Game 1, 5-3. Game 2 is scheduled for 18 November. Game 3 is on 20 November and Game 4 on 21 November. Eventual Games 5, 6 and 7 are scheduled for 23, 24 and 25 November.
