SAMSUNG LIONS ON GUAM FOR TRAINING

By Patrick Lujan

Pro baseball team Samsung Lions from South Korea is on island to do a full training camp at the Paseo Stadium. The Lions, based in Daegu, travelled almost 2000 miles for some perfect baseball weather to train prior to their season opening in March.

The Lions got their training started this past Saturday and will wrap it up on Feb. 4. Position players are utilizing the Paseo Stadium, while pitchers take their game to Leo Palace.

Locally, the Department of Parks & Recreation has worked feverishly to get the Paseo Stadium grounds up to satisfactory conditions for the pro squad. An advanced team arrived a month prior to the players to assure the field conditions and other logistical requirements were ready to go.

“The planning was in play since October 2024, starting after our first face-to-face meeting on Guam when the Samsung Lions (SSL) Director of Operations visited (Recreation Administrator) Will Stinnett and myself,” said DPR Deputy Director Warren Pelletier. “Our contact information was provided to them by the Lotte Giants Korean Baseball team, whom we worked with over the past two years for their Spring Training Camps using the Dededo Sports Complex baseball fields.”

Pelletier added that the Guam Visitors Bureau has chipped in ground transportation and other logistical assistance for the pro team.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC?

While the team is off on Tuesday, they will hit the field from Thursday to Saturday and the public can watch them work on their fielding skills from 8:30-11:30 am. Pelletier said that DPR staff will be on hand to guide fans to the bleacher area to watch.

He also mentioned that with teams like Samsung and Lotte coming to Guam for baseball camps, it’s great for sports tourism.

“Saves GVB in millions of dollars in free advertisement in all forms of news platforms and social media platforms not only in Korea but Japan as well because Lotte and Samsung brands are two of the largest business and manufacturing conglomerates worldwide.”

In the KBO League, said to be the equivalent talent level of Double-A or Triple-A baseball in the states, each team plays each other 16 times for a total of 144 games in the regular season. The Lions finished in second place last year, losing to the Kia Tigers in the championship series.