SSG Landers catcher Kim Min-sik (34) protested, saying, “Our bullpen pitchers are not weak.”
SSG players, who won the KBO’s first regular season’Wire-to-Wire’ last year and won the Korean Series and became ‘integrated champions’, are ahead of the 2023 spring camp.
The players spent the winter in their own way during the off-season period in December of last year and January of the new year after taking a break in November after finishing Game 6 of the Korean Series. They set a new goal again and are preparing for the spring camp to be held in the US after 3 years.
Before leaving the camp, there is a question mark on whether SSG will show competitiveness to compete for the championship again this year. All three proven foreign players have changed, and there has been a gap in players who were important in the starting and bullpen.
The mound is a big problem. Both foreign pitchers were expected and selected, but verification is needed. Above all, Lee Taeyang, who recorded 8 wins, 3 losses, 1 hold, and an average ERA of 3.62, going back and forth between selection and rescue, left for his home team, the Hanwha Eagles, as a free agent.
In addition, left-hander Pil Seung-jo and Kim Taek-hyung enlisted as managing directors. Someone will take their place, but it is unavoidable that worries arise over the absence of the leading players.
There are players who protest against this concern. Kim Min-sik, who became the winning catcher for the KIA Tigers and added another championship ring last year, said, “Our bullpen is not weak.”
He said, “Last year, the starters such as Wilmer Font and (Kim) Gwanghyeon hyung did very well, leading the innings well. As a result, it seems that the bullpen is relatively weak. But it’s not that weak.”
SSG’s team ERA last season was 3.87. 4th best out of 10 teams in the league. The bullpen’s performance was 6th with an ERA of 4.68. His blown saves were the second most with 23. However, the save was also second (45).
There were a lot of very tight fights. Everyone did their best to keep first place throughout the season, but the hard work of the bullpen cannot be left out. Seo Jin-yong, Kim Taek-hyeong, Noh Kyung-eun, Koh Hyo-jun, Choi Min-jun, and Jang Ji-hoon are the main players in winning the ‘Wire to Wire’.
There is also a corner to believe in this year. At the end of the first half of last year and the second half, right-hander Moon Seung-won and submarine pitcher Park Jong-hoon returned from surgery and rehabilitation. They view the half-season as a time to recover their senses, and expect to be able to fully show their skills this year.
There is a departure from power and some changes in the members, but there are definitely positive elements. Kim Min-sik said, “I will return well. These are all things we’ve been through so far. No worries. Everyone is preparing hard,” he said confidently. 카지노사이트
Kim Min-sik also spent the winter hard. The catcher’s role is very important for pitchers to throw their pitches well in the new season. Kim Min-sik’s shoulders are not light either. So he exercised diligently during the winter.
Catchers have a lot to do. He has to have a good pitching lead, and he has to be productive at the plate. He also has to take care of the overall game management. There is a coaching staff in the dugout, but there is a reason the catcher is called the ‘Grounds Commander’.
For catchers, a stable pitcher’s lead and defense are considered more important than hitting. Kim Min-sik said, “If the catcher doesn’t do well, the team itself looks weak. So he has to be well centered. That way he doesn’t shake the team.”
The SSG squad will leave for Florida, USA via Incheon International Airport on January 30th. Kim Min-sik, who spent an unforgettable 2022, is also preparing for camp with a new goal.
