“I think the expression of enduring is the most accurate….”
The Kiwoom Heroes lost all their pitching and batting keys ahead of this season. Lee Jung-hoo, who won five batting titles and MVP in 2022, entered the Major League after the 2023 season.
On the pitching staff, Ahn Woo-jin, who recorded 15 wins and 224 strikeouts in 2022 and won nine games last year, joined the military after elbow surgery.
As the power axis deviated, Kiwoom set its direction to full-scale rebuilding. Key resources that had to solve military service, such as Lee Seung-ho and Kim Jae-woong, joined the army and collected the top nomination rights through bold trade.
The firm foundation of Kiwoom in this season was rebuilding. As the rebuilding season focuses on fostering rather than immediate achievements, the team remains at the bottom of the list until Thursday. During 107 matches, the team recorded 47 wins and 60 losses.
However, unlike teams that have been oriented toward rebuilding in the past, Kiwoom is showing a situation that nine other clubs cannot be seen as easy.
The gap between the top-ranked KIA Tigers (63 wins, 2 draws and 44 losses) and the third-ranked Samsung Lions (57 wins, 2 draws and 51 losses) is 6.5 games. The gap between Kiwoom and the fifth-ranked KT Wiz (53 wins, 2 draws and 54 losses) is six games.
Since there are still more than 30 games left, if one wins consecutively, one can compete in autumn baseball. In particular, Kiwoom has the best foreign one-two punch in the league, Enmanuel De Heysus-Ariel Furado. In addition, he has a special bullpen called Cho Sang-woo along with Ha Young-min, who has perfectly settled down as a starting pitcher this season.
On the 9th, he failed to crack down on the back door and lost 5-7 against the Hanwha Eagles in Daejeon, but on the 10th, he beat the close game 3-1 to win.
When it comes to rebuilding seasons, players often lose the motivation to win. However, Kiwoom is as eager to win as this season’s championship.
Kiwoom manager Hong Won-ki said, “The story that I collected on the first day of the spring camp was at the bottom of 2023, so there was no place to fall anymore. Now that there is only things to go up, let’s be confident on the ground without regret, and let’s have fun.”
The rebuilding process is going smoothly as well. Rookie Kim Gun-hee, who joined the team in the first round last year, is now settling down as a catcher after finishing both pitching and batting. With good batting talent, he is even a designated hitter. In the seven games he played in August, he had a batting average of 348 and two home runs, displaying robust hitting performance. Lee Ju-hyung, who was considered the “second Lee Jung-hoo,” was also exited from his team’s roster for a while due to his injury, but he has been reborn as a key player with a batting average around 300. Yang Ji-yul (26), Joo Seung-woo (24), and Kim Yoon-ha (19) are also emerging as key players in the pitching staff.
Coach Hong said, “Dawson and Lee Yong-kyu are out now, but everyone is proving that they don’t collapse easily just because they don’t have them.” “Of course, it’s sad and upsetting to lose the game, but the players are gathering one by one on the ground, not the name value. I think this will be a factor that brightens tomorrow and next than today.” 안전놀이터
In addition, greater growth is coming in the process of aspiring to win. Coach Hong cited Song Sung-moon’s base running in the match against SSG on the 8th. Song Sung-moon drew a walk from the first and third bases in the sixth inning with a 1-0 lead, and then came home when Bae Sang-kwon had a hit to freeze the score. He chose a bold base running to find loopholes in the opponent’s defense. Coach Hong said, “Song Sung-moon’s base running in the match against SSG led to victory as he penetrated the opponent’s loopholes and played boldly. Players learn things from coaches, but there are times when seeing and feeling them in person is more helpful while watching such plays.”
Good experiences are not the only assets left as assets. There are many things to learn even though it is regrettable. As for Yang Ji-yul, who became a losing pitcher without keeping the lead in the match against Hanwha on the 9th, he said, “There are some bad moments in the second half of the year when I was in the must-win group, but I am experiencing an experience that I can’t buy with money.”
Coach Hong said, “With a lot of experience, I think it will be a good opportunity for all players to grow one step next season as well as the rest of the season.”
