Weekend Picks

BASEBALL

Korea Baseball Organization

·Samsung Lions at Doosan Bears

·6:30 p.m. Friday, Jamsil Baseball Stadium, Seoul

LG Twins fans will be able to see their players in Jamsil Stadium this coming fall, it turns out. After the ruckus that lasted throughout the season, the Twins have finally secured their place in the postseason after their win on Tuesday.

After climbing up to fourth in the league in mid-September, the Twins have held at fourth in the rankings, increasing their chance for a spot in the playoffs. Since Sept. 11, which is when the Twins rose to fourth, the Twins claimed eight wins while losing only two games and tying one.

They secured their ticket for the playoffs on Tuesday when the Twins defeated the Kia Tigers 6-1, their fifth-ranked rival. David Huff did most of the heavy lifting on Tuesday, giving out no runs while pitching seven innings.

Now that the Twins will be going into the wild card game with certain advantages, including the game being played at their home turf, they are very likely to advance further.

Given this, the weekend’s makeup games against the SK Wyverns will be a little tune-up before the postseason begins.

The Twins and the Wyverns play again on Saturday at 5 p.m. at the same location.

FOOTBALL

K-League Classic

·Suwon FC at Suwon Samsung Bluewings

·2 p.m. Sunday, Suwon World Cup Stadium, Suwon, Gyeonggi

It is time for the Suwon Derby once more.

The game on Sunday is the final match of the season at this year’s K-League Classic for Suwon FC and Suwon Samsung Bluewings. While the Bluewings are ranked 10th in the league and Suwon FC is rock bottom at 12th, the two Suwon-based teams have different things at stake here.

For Suwon FC, two points behind 11th-ranked Incheon United FC, depending on the outcome of the match between Incheon and Ulsan Hyundai FC that takes place in Ulsan, they may be able to save themselves from finishing dead last in the regular season.

If Suwon FC gains three points from the match while Incheon comes out with a loss (zero points), the club may well avoid finishing 12th. They will do everything they can to avoid such a result in their first year in the K-League Classic.

For the Bluewings, on the other hand, what’s at stake here is the pride of a club once considered elite in the K-League. The team has four K-League Classic titles in its trophy case, not to mention three Korean FC Cup titles and two Asian Champions League titles. However, regardless of how things turn out this weekend, the two Suwon teams will finish this season in the bottom split and will have to try their luck in the playoff round to avoid demotion.

K-League Classic

·FC Seoul at Gwangju FC

·3 p.m. Sunday, Incheon Football Stadium, Incheon, Gyeonggi

Can FC Seoul overcome the shock from Wednesday’s 4-1 loss to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors?

Against Jeonbuk on Wednesday in this year’s Asian Champions League (ACL) semifinal first leg match, Seoul and Hwang Sun-hong suffered a devastating loss by a difference of three goals, which means they have a heavy burden going into the second leg match, which is slated for Oct. 19.

But before then, they are facing Gwangju FC in this weekend’s K-League Classic match, the final match of the regular season this year, and they need to regain their momentum to be able to compete at their peak level in the coming playoffs as well as the second match of the ACL semis.

For Seoul, they will finish second after unbeaten Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, which means they automatically have gained a berth in next year’s ACL.

As for Gwangju, earning three points this weekend is critical if they are to up their standings in the league.

Gwangju is currently ranked eighth in the league, but in terms of points, the club is tied with Sangju Sangmu FC, ranked sixth, and Seongnam FC, ranked seventh.

Given the circumstances, for Gwangju, led by the league’s leading scorer Jung Jo-gook, a win is a must for this weekend’s game, no matter the odds.