2023-05-24

The 37-year-old pitcher's secret weapon to a 130-win career with a '0.000 batting average'

By Kyung-hyun Kim= Doosan Bears veteran left-handed pitcher Jang Won-jun (37) has reached 130 career wins.

Jang Won-jun started against the Samsung Lions in Jamsil on March 23. It was Jang's first start in 958 days since his last start against the SK Wyverns (now SSG Landers) on October 7, 2020.

Jang got through the first inning with three strikeouts. However, he gave up four runs on five hits in the second inning. It looked like he was going to fall apart, but that was all the damage he could do. He gave up a single to Pirela with one out in the third, but retired the next two batters. In the fourth, Oh Jae-il led off with a single, but he got Kim Tae-gun to pop out and Lee Jae-hyun to ground out to the pitcher to escape the jam. The fifth inning was a triple play to end the game.

Jang Won-jun earned the win with five innings, seven hits, four walks and four strikeouts. It was the first time in 1,798 days since June 20, 2018 against the Nexen Heroes (now Kiwoom) that Jang went at least five innings as a starter, and the first time in 1,844 days since May 5, 2018 against the LG Twins.

The trademark that made Jang Won-jun Jang Koo-jun was his changeup. The changeup made Jang a stronger lefty pitcher against righties. However, as his fastball velocity dropped (averaging 137.6 mph), so did the power of his changeup. In 24 games, Jang posted a .625 OPS against righties. Against righties, his fastball had a .667 slugging percentage and his changeup had a .500 slugging percentage.

While the power of his fastball-changeup combo has waned, Jang still has a slider. Jang threw his slider to lefties nearly half the time (42.2%), resulting in a .154 batting average against lefties. If you exclude the bunt hits against Kang, that number drops to .077. Jang's slider didn't allow a single hit. 먹튀검증

Jang's strength against left-handed batters could increase his utility in the future. The Doosan bullpen ranks last in the league with a 5.99 ERA against lefties. It's unrealistic to expect Jang to be in the starting rotation consistently. Even if he does fall out of the starting rotation, he could use his strengths as a specialist against lefties.

Jang considered retiring after the 2022 season, but after meeting with manager Lee Seung-yeop, he decided to extend his career. He rediscovered his slider and won 130 games in his career. Although his velocity has decreased, he has proven his ability with a veteran's grace. It will be interesting to see where Jang's baseball career takes him.

2023-05-24

Lower than Son Min-han's MVP days... Lotte's record of only 15 players allowed, new ace takes on the challenge

When asked to name the "biggest hit" of the year for Lotte and the entire KBO league, many would not hesitate to mention Na Gyun-ahn, 25.

A catcher-turned-pitcher who made a successful transition last year, going 3-8 with a 3.98 ERA, Na Gyun-ahn started the season with two starts to open the year and went 4-0 with a 1.34 ERA in April alone, earning him the KBO League's April MVP award.

After a stellar April, Na faltered in May. He gave up five runs on five hits in four innings against the KIA in Gwangju on May 3, which ended the team's 10-game winning streak, and four runs on eight hits in five innings against Doosan in Sasik on May 11. His season ERA soared to 2.95, prompting Lotte manager Larry Sutton to wittily describe him as "coming down from the heavens to the earth."

But Na has bounced back. After breaking out of his slump against Hanwha in Daejeon on the 17th with 6⅓ innings of four-hit ball, Nae-gyun-ahn proved his ace status once again on the 23rd against Sasik NC, throwing six innings of five-hit ball and picking up his fifth win of the season.

"My command was good when it was good, but when it was bad, my command was disappointing," he said. "I think the power of my forkball and fastball was better than in the previous game."

His season ERA, which once threatened to soar into the triple digits, has been lowered to 2.45. He is currently ranked sixth in the league in ERA. If you look at his ERA alone, it's lower than the 2.46 ERA of Son Min-han, who won the 2005 regular season MVP. This raises the question of how long Na will be able to keep his ERA in the low 2s, which has become a symbol of a top pitcher in the league.

Only 15 players in Lotte's history have been allowed a sub-2 ERA. From Noh Sang-soo (2.94 in 1982) to Choi Dong-won (2.89 in 1983, 2.40 in 1984, 1.92 in 1985, 1.55 in 1986, 2.81 in 1987), Lim Ho-gyun (2.95 in 1984), Kim Jung-haeng (2.73 in 1985, 2.90 in 1986), Park Dong-soo (2.73 in 1985, 2.54 in 1986), Yoon Hak-gil (2.57 in 1987, 2.70 in 1989), Park Dong-hee (2.47 in 1991), Yeom Jong-seok (2. 33 in 1992 and 2.98 in 1995), Yoon Hyung-bae (2.46 in 1993), Kim Tae-seok (2.95 in 1996), Park Ji-chul (2.45 in 1997), Park Seok-jin (2.98 in 2001), Son Min-han (2.46 in 2005, 2.78 in 2006 and 2.97 in 2008), Shane Youman (2.55 in 2012) and Dan Streeley (2.50 in 2020).

It will be interesting to see if Na Gyun-ahn can become the first Lotte pitcher in 15 years to achieve a sub-2.00 ERA, as it hasn't happened since Son Min-han in 2008.

"I don't think about records. 스포츠토토 I just play with the idea of doing what I can do. I don't care about ERA or wins because the results will come at the end of the season," he said, adding that he is not conscious of the record, "I have a goal to play a full-time season first. I think if I play full-time every time, the results will follow," he said, emphasizing that the first step is to stay healthy and play a full season.

2023-05-24

Lower than Son Min-han's MVP days... Lotte's record of only 15 players allowed, new ace takes on the challenge

When asked to name the "biggest hit" of the year for Lotte and the entire KBO league, many would not hesitate to mention Na Gyun-ahn, 25.

"My command was good when it was good, but when it was bad, my command was disappointing," he said. "I think the power of my forkball and fastball was better than in the previous game."

It will be interesting to see if Na Gyun-ahn can become the first Lotte pitcher in 15 years to achieve a sub-2.00 ERA, as it hasn't happened since Son Min-han in 2008.

2023-05-24

'Vietnam' in the WBSC... a new dream

At 9:00 on the 22nd of this month, I received an email from the Vietnam Baseball Federation. Another milestone has been reached in Vietnamese baseball. The Vietnam Baseball Federation (VBSF) has been recognized by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) as a full member. The official letter was dated May 22.

On March 24, the WBSC's Standing Committee met for the first time since the pandemic's long delay. Prior to the meeting, WBSC Korea staff member Kim Beet-seom (son of Lotte's current first base coach Kim Pyung-ho) and the Vietnam Baseball Federation were in close contact to complete the missing documents. There were some nerve-wracking moments when we had to frantically prepare documents in a short time.

This is the result of the behind-the-scenes hard work and perseverance of many people who want to see the development of baseball in Vietnam. I was overwhelmed with emotions.

When the Vietnam Baseball Federation was founded in April 2021, there were moments when it felt like a big mountain had been crossed, but there were also times when it was hard to take a step forward when the coronavirus hit.

Now, baseball in Vietnam is back on its feet, and the country's name is on the world stage. We are last in the world rankings, but we have nothing to lose, only to improve and climb. This gives me great courage.

In February this year, Vietnam Baseball proudly launched its official national team and competed in the DGB Southeast Asian Games in Laos. Of course, the sport itself still needs more time to develop, and infrastructure needs to be built. It's obvious.

I also realized that Vietnam still has a very long way to go after seeing the quality of other countries at the Southeast Asian Baseball Championship in Thailand in April with the Laos national team. This is undeniable.

Before the federation was created, it was said, "If only the federation was created...". Before the national baseball team was created, 메이저놀이터 it was also said, 'If we can only create a national team and participate in international competitions....'. And we said, "If we can get the WBSC to recognize us and make us a member....".

It happened. All the things we thought were impossible have become a reality. Now I have a new dream. Maybe some people will laugh at me for being so outrageous. But in my head, in my heart, the blueprint for Vietnamese baseball will soon be history.

It shouldn't be confined to Vietnam anymore. Congratulations to Vietnamese baseball for standing tall at the gateway to the world today.

Lee Man-soo, former SK manager - Chairman, Hulk Foundation

2023-05-24

'KIA→Hanwha' trade rumors reappear... "Baseball is fun" with a lamb's ear helmet

The trade bug is back in Hanwha. Outfielder Lee Jin-young (26), who was traded from KIA to Hanwha during last season, is having an uncharacteristic bat.

In the KIA game against Daejeon on April 23, Lee hit a long ball that rang a bell for his hometown team. With the bases loaded in the first inning, Lee lined a two-pitch slider from KIA starter Sean Anderson over the top of the center field fence for a huge double. It was a big hit that scored Jung Eun-won from first base and set the stage for a six-run big inning. Hanwha won the game 9-5.

Lee, who started the season in the second team, is batting 2-for-7 (13-for-48) with one home run, five RBIs, six walks, 14 strikeouts, a .352 on-base percentage, a .417 slugging percentage and a .769 OPS in 19 games since his call-up to the first team on March 28. Against SSG in Munhak on the 12th and 13th, he raised his game with two consecutive two-hit multi-hit games, and against SSG on the 14th, he came in as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning and hit a two-run double to tie the game. Then, against Jamsil LG on the 21st, he continued his impressive batting with a solo shot that prevented the team from losing the game.

Lee said, "I don't know if I have a good feeling, but my mindset has changed. I'm going into every at-bat with the mindset of having fun and enjoying myself, and it's paying off." "I started out in the second team, but I prepared with the same mindset, continuing the weight routine I've been doing since spring training. I didn't change my form or anything when I came to the first team. I just have the mindset to enjoy it."

Lee, a right-handed outfielder who was drafted by KIA with the 58th overall pick in the second round in 2016 out of Sunlin Internet High School, was touted as a promising prospect but failed to blossom in the Tiger Army. He didn't have much of a chance in the outfield-rich KIA, and on April 23 last year, he moved to Hanwha via trade.

In the land of opportunity, Lee emerged as a trade bust. In May of last year, Lee showed off his power with six home runs in 24 games, but his performance continued to decline in June and he was sent down to the second team to finish the season. His final numbers last year were 70 games (44-for-220) with eight home runs, 31 RBIs, and a .627 OPS. He drew 17 walks while striking out 90 times, revealing a weakness in his lineup.

This year, however, he improved on last year's weakness. While he struck out 14 times, he also drew six walks, increasing his on-base percentage (.254 to .342) by nearly a full percentage point. However, his strikeout rate (37.5% to 25.9%) dropped by more than 10%. His contact rate didn't change much (65.8% to 67.6%), but his contact rate after two strikes improved noticeably from 58.9% to 72.0%.

"Originally, I had a good strikeout rate in the second team. I'm confident in seeing the ball, but last year I was in a hurry to get a grade. I just jumped in with the idea of hitting first, but this year, I'm focusing on what I need to do according to the situation at the plate," he said. "Even after two strikes, I don't think about the pitch count, I have the same mindset, so I don't get rushed and don't bat at bad pitches."

Lee's performance has been highlighted by the fact that he started wearing a pith helmet last week. The helmet is mostly worn by amateur players. In the pros, most of them wear helmets with one ear flap down, but there have been a few players who have worn them. Jim Aduchi, a foreign hitter who played for Lotte in 2015 and 2016, wore a bi-face helmet for protection due to his experience with head shots in the United States. Legendary second baseman Jung Geun-woo also briefly wore a poppy helmet for a change of pace during his time with Hanwha in 2015.

Lee Jin-young, who has been wearing a rare lamb's ear helmet since the Daejeon Lotte game on the 17th, said, "It's not a change of pace. 메이저사이트 My old helmet was too big and I had to hold it with my hands (when running the bases). With the lamb's ear helmet, the size is just right and it's comfortable to run. It doesn't affect my batting at all," he laughed.

Lee, who hit his first home run and game-winning hit of the season with the helmet, said, "I can see all three outfield positions. I'm ready to play any position because it's important to get on the field," he said, adding, "I'm not going to rush the rest of the games, but I'm going to enjoy each game and have fun." He vowed to continue his steady performance.

2023-05-24

"See how popular baseball is?" All three networks are at the ballpark on Memorial Day! Move the game to 2 p.m.

On June 24, the KBO announced a change in start times for some KBO League games in the second week of June. There are four games in total. 안전놀이터

They are Lotte Giants-KIA Tigers at Sajik Stadium in Busan on June 4 (MBC), Hanwha Eagles-Dusan Bears at Jamsil Stadium on June 6 (MBC), LG Twins-Keum Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome (SBS), and SSG Landers-KIA Tigers at Gwangju Kia Champions Field (KBS).

The KBO starts Sunday and holiday games at 2 p.m. through May. This changes to 5 p.m. in June and August, and Saturday games start at 6 p.m. during the hottest months of July and August.

However, if a terrestrial broadcast is available, the game will be played at 2pm. These four games were originally scheduled to start at 5 p.m., but were moved to 2 p.m. due to terrestrial coverage.

This means that on Memorial Day afternoon, you'll be able to watch professional baseball games on all three networks. This is a rare sight in recent years when sports cable channels have become commonplace. It's a testament to the popularity of baseball.

2023-05-24

Five starters in four spots... Rest before exhaustion, substitute card ready. All good. Who's out?

LG Twins manager Yoon Kyung-yeop has a problem. He has to take a starter out of every game. He has a lot of outfielders.

With Lee Jae-won back from injury, they have one more outfielder. Kim Hyun-soo, Park Hae-min, Hong Chang-ki, and Moon Sung-joo shared the three outfield spots and the designated hitter, but with Lee Jae-won's arrival, five players were competing for the four spots. 토토사이트

LG manager Yeom Kyung-yup has no choice but to remove a player from the starting lineup depending on the game. If a player is injured, he or she can be rested, but lately, everyone has been able to play, so it's interesting to see who LG will leave out of the lineup each day.

In fact, it's even more curious because there are no players to leave out at this point. Kim Hyun-soo is batting 3-for-4 with one home run and 21 RBIs after a 34-game hitless streak in May, Park Hae-min is 3-for-2 with three home runs and 21 RBIs, Hong Chang-ki is 3-for-1 with 12 RBIs, and Moon Sung-joo is 3-for-3 with one home run and 10 RBIs. Lee Jae-won is batting 2-for-5 with two home runs and eight RBIs.

Park Hae-min was left out of the lineup against the Hanwha Eagles in Jamsil on Nov. 21. "Park Hae-min had been playing nonstop, so we needed to give him a break," Yoon explained. He also had an argument with the umpire about the strike zone the day before, so he was left out of the lineup. On the 23rd against the Incheon SSG Landers, Moon Sung-ju was left out. "He didn't seem to be in good shape," Yeom explained.