“This is a period to increase the amount of training.”
It was on May 29 that KIA closer Jung Hae-young (22) was expelled from the first group. Fortnight passed until the 13th. However, there is no indication of coach Kim Jong-guk putting Jung Hae-young in the first team. Coach Kim said, “Hae-young is increasing his training volume” ahead of the game against Doosan in Jamsil on the 10th.메이저놀이터
Jeong Hae-young has an average ERA of 3.44 with 3 wins, 1 loss and 6 saves in 20 games this season. Blon save twice. Looking at these numbers, it’s not bad. However, the concern is the hit rate that reached 0.297. WHIP is also 1.58. In a word, he tends to send a lot of runners to the ground. It is true that he gave fans and benches anxiety as a closer.
If it was a pitcher as heavy as Jung Hae-young, he would return to the first team in 10 days. However, coach Kim hopes that Jung Hae-young will definitely prepare again and come back this time. Jeon Sang-hyeon, Kim Ki-hoon, and Jung Hae-young, who went down to the 2nd team a little earlier than Jung Hae-young, and Kim Dae-yu, who went to the 2nd team, are in the state of playing in the Futures League.
However, Jung Hae-young has no actual record at all. It means that the 2nd group will focus only on training. It is time to correct subtle pitching imbalances, and it is time to generally organize all aspects of pitching, such as pitch design. They disappeared from the records, but they are very precious days to Jung Hae-young.
While Jung Hae-young is absent, the KIA back door is shared between Choi Ji-min and Lim Ki-young. The thick bullpen somehow lays a stepping stone to victory. Ultimately, it would be ideal for Jeong Hae-young to return to the first team and take over as closer. I have to come back and recover my overwhelming appearance without trial and error. The fruits of the sweat shed in the second group should be seen in the first group.
Meanwhile, Jeon Sang-hyun, Kim Ki-hoon, and Kim Dae-yu aim to return to the first team while participating in the Futures League. Director Kim Jong-guk said, “I received a report that Kim Ki-hoon is balancing himself. He could join the first team next week if he gets better. I think Jeon Sang-hyun needs to see more.”
Among them, the pitcher with the best performance in the second group is Kim Dae-yu. 2 wins and 1 hold in 5 games, zero ERA. He got 5 hits in 5 innings, so no runs. Kim Ki-hoon had an average ERA of 3.24 in 3 games. He allowed 3 runs on 5 hits and 5 walks in 8⅓ innings, but he’s fine with a .172 batting average. Reducing walks is the key.
What worries me is Jeon Sang-hyun. 5.79 ERA with 1 save in 3 games in the 2nd team. He conceded two runs. He did not pitch cleanly, getting 2 hits in 1 inning even in the 9th NC match, which did not allow a run. The batting average is also not low at 0.294. In this condition, it doesn’t seem easy to return to the first team right away. Jeon Sang-hyun’s recovery is desperately needed for the KIA, where right-handers are rather rare in the first-team bullpen.
If Choi Ji-min, Lim Ki-young, Jang Hyun-sik, Jeon Sang-hyun, Kim Ki-hoon, Kim Dae-yu, and Jung Hae-young are added, the bullpen is second to none. The important thing is that they have to produce good results in good conditions. Choi Ji-min and Lim Ki-young’s pace is good, but they are also human, so fatigue builds up. Moreover, Hyunsik Jang is a player who has returned after surgery. After all, the KIA bullpen needs reinforcements. In particular, the biggest concern is how and when Jung Hae-young, the finisher without a real battle in the second group, will return.