KBO-All-Star voting
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| ▲ This image provided by the Korea Baseball Organization on June 26, 2023, shows the emblems for the 2023 All-Star Game. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This image provided by the Korea Baseball Organization on June 26, 2023, shows the emblems for the Dream and Nanum teams participating in the 2023 All-Star Game. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ Lee Jung-hoo of the Kiwoom Heroes heads to first base after hitting a groundball against the Doosan Bears during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on June 25, 2023. (Yonhap) |
KBO-All-Star voting
Reigning MVP Lee Jung-hoo tops KBO All-Star voting
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, June 26 (Yonhap) -- Kiwoom Heroes outfielder Lee Jung-hoo, the reigning MVP in South Korean baseball, has topped the All-Star fan voting for the first time in his career.
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced the starting lineups for the "Dream" and "Nanum" All-Star squads, set to duel in the midsummer exhibition on July 15 in the southeastern city of Busan.
Fans voted between June 5 and Sunday, while players, managers and coaches cast their votes between June 13 and 15.
Lee earned just over 1.2 million votes from fans to lead all players, while collecting 276 out of 355 votes by his peers and coaches to also lead in that category.
Lee is just the second player to top the voting in both categories. He is playing in his seventh season and will be making his fifth consecutive All-Star Game start, and his sixth overall.
The 10 teams in the KBO have been divided into two squads. Those representing the Heroes, Kia Tigers, LG Twins, NC Dinos and Hanwha Eagles will play for the Nanum team. Players from the Lotte Giants, Samsung Lions, SSG Landers, KT Wiz and Doosan Bears will make up the Dream squad.
The Giants will send seven starters to the All-Star Game held at their home park of Sajik Baseball Stadium. Those seven are starter Park Se-woong, middle reliever Koo Seung-min, closer Kim Won-jung, second baseman An Chi-hong, shortstop Roh Jin-hyuk, outfielder Kim Min-suk and designated hitter Jeon Jun-woo.
Other Dream starters are Bears catcher Yang Eui-ji, Wiz first baseman Park Byung-ho, Landers third baseman Choi Jeong, and Lions outfielders Koo Ja-wook and Jose Pirela.
The Nanum team features four starters from the Tigers: starter Yang Hyeon-jong, middle reliever Choi Ji-min, outfielder Socrates Brito and designated hitter Choi Hyoung-woo.
They are joined by Twins closer Go Woo-suk, Twins catcher Park Dong-won, Eagles first baseman Chae Eun-seong, Heroes second baseman Kim Hye-seong, Eagles third baseman Roh Si-hwan, Dinos shortstop Kim Ju-won, Dinos outfielder Park Kun-woo and Heroes outfielder Lee Jung-hoo.
There are six first-time All-Star starters.
The KBO said each of the 10 teams will have at least one starter for the first time since the league expanded to 10 clubs in 2015.
Landers manager Kim Won-hyong and Heroes skipper Hong Won-ki, the champion and the runner-up last year, will each select 13 reserves for the Dream and Nanum squads.
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