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Posted at 9:55 PM EST

1:00 AM EST. The Dinos are no powerhouse and should not be favored in this range. In fact, we have to question why journeyman and MLB-reject by many teams, Drew Rucinski is the opening day starter for NC Dinos.

At 31 years of age, Rucinski played with his fifth organization over eight professional seasons back in 2018 before signing with the Dinos in 2019. In 32 MLB innings with just one start, Rucinski posted a 4.32 ERA/4.55 xERA split. That’s horrible coming out for a batter or two. Rucinski operates primarily with a four seamer at 93-mph, an 89-mph cutter, and a mid-80s splitter. There’s a low-80s curve in here as well that he seldom goes to, which is different from the slider he came into pro-ball with that has now been shelved. He has 570 minor league innings to his name also so give him credit for being persistent. In Korea, his 16.3% strikeout rate and 5.9% walk rate looked just fine, though he did give up 13 homers in only 177 innings, which will be a concern in 2020. Still, like many former MLB pitchers dotting the KBO, he’s looking to garner major league interest but it’s simply financial reality, however, that he’ll be better off with the Dinos and we’re not about to spot a price like this with him.

The Lions were one of the top teams of the 2010s, pulling off four straight championships from 2011 through 2014, but they have fallen off a cliff since their glory run. They finished 60-83 last year so their stock is low but there is lots of optimism going into this year. In recent years, the international scouting for the Lions has fallen short. "All of the guys they have brought over have been disasters," Daniel Kim said. Recent international signings for the Lions included Deck McGuire, Justin Haley and Allen Webster, with most of the American pitchers performing below average during their time in the KBO. Former Rays top prospect Hak Ju Lee mans shortstop for the Lions and shows flashes of brilliance despite some inconsistencies on the field.

Tonight’s starter is lefty Baek Jung-Hyun, a 32-year old vet that went 8-10 last year with 12 quality starts in 27 tries. Not bad for a team that struggled. Hyun will pitch in his 13th straight season for the Lions so he’s no stranger to anything in this league. Last year was his best year in terms of ERA/xERA with a split of 4.36/4.11. Dude will not be rattled and has nothing to prove while Rucinski is no longer a stranger to these Korean players. This time around, we like the Lions chances to do some damage to a very average pitcher.

Outside of the shorter season, KBO games are almost identical to their American counterparts. But there are a few differences. For starters, all teams use a designated hitter. The biggest difference between the two leagues is KBO games end in a tie if the score remains knotted after 12 innings. The KBO also limits the number of foreign players on each team to three.

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