Rain means a gain? They get a day but lose rest before the Korean Series... The ‘autumn rain paradox’ leaves neither KIA nor Samsung smiling

[Financial News] In autumn baseball, rain makes pitchers smile. A tired bullpen gets a chance to catch its breath, while starting pitchers gain a precious day to recover their stamina. That is why rain postponements are often called “gifts from above.” But the autumn rain that fell in Daegu this time is a different story. It is highly likely to do more harm than good for both the Samsung Lions and the Kia Tigers. They gained a day of rest right away, but now risk losing “golden recovery time” ahead of the most important event of all, the Korean Series (KS).
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) called off Game 1 of the playoff (PO) between Samsung and KIA, which had been scheduled for the 25th at Daegu Samsung Lions Park, because of rain. As a result, the entire schedule has been pushed back by a day, and Game 1 will be played on the 26th. The problem is that the “Korean Series schedule” remains unchanged. Under KBO rules, if the PO ends within four games, the KS will begin as originally scheduled, on November 2.
Herein lies the damaging “paradox of a rain postponement.” Suppose one of the two teams ends the series in Game 4 (on the 30th). Under the original schedule, with Game 4 ending on the 29th, the team could have enjoyed three full days off, from the 30th through November 1. But with the schedule pushed back a day, the winning team’s rest shrinks to just two days: the 31st and November 1. In trying to gain an extra day of rest now, the team will end up losing the rest day it needs most before a best-of-seven showdown with regular-season No. 1 KT Wiz.
What’s more, neither KIA nor Samsung is currently in desperate need of immediate rest. KIA, which swept the semi-playoff against the LG Twins with three straight wins, had four full days off from the 21st through the 24th to regroup. Samsung, which advanced directly to the PO after finishing second in the regular season, has also had plenty of time to build up its stamina. Recovering injured players is a positive factor, but the teams are far from a situation where their pitching staffs are depleted and running on fumes.
Ultimately, both teams have their sights set not on advancing past the PO, but on winning the Korean Series. To face the regular-season No. 1 team, which will be waiting with a physical advantage, they need every extra day of rest they can get after a grueling PO series—to reset the starting rotation and shake off the bullpen’s fatigue from pitching on consecutive days.
“A day before the PO opens” and “a day before the KS opens” are by no means equal in value. The day of rest brought by the autumn rain that soaked Daegu may feel sweet, but the bill is expected to come due at the most crucial moment, just before the Korean Series.
[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter