“Not the pitcher?”
His eyes widened behind his dark sunglasses. “I’m worried about the starting pitching staff,” he said with a smile. KIA head coach Kim Jong-kook expressed his confidence in his pitching staff.
메이저사이트Kia had won eight straight games before their away game against Doosan at Jamsil Stadium on Friday. The team has moved up from sixth place to fourth. The team is reaffirming its reputation as a “nationwide club” by attracting cloud-like crowds. On this day, Jamsil Stadium was rumored to be so popular that even high-ranking members of the group were unable to get tickets.
The KIA team won its eighth straight game with a victory over SSG on March 3. Players celebrate after the game. Photo | KIA Tigers.
“This is not the time to look at the standings,” Kim said, emphasizing that it’s important to accumulate as many wins as possible before the Asian Games end. This means that if the streak is broken, the team will have to rebuild quickly to continue their winning ways.
During the eight-game winning streak, KIA’s team batting average was 0.337. This is much higher than Kiwoom (0.321), which has made a surprise rebound to second place. Their team ERA of 2.75 is higher than Lotte’s (2.18), which is only 2-5, but second overall. It’s no wonder they’re performing so well, as they have an ideal balance between the two hitters. Both Kim and the players were in good spirits. “Even if we’re losing, we don’t feel like we’re going to lose,” Kim said of the dugout atmosphere. In September, KIA has no opponents.
KIA’s Kim Do-young gets on base with a hit. By Kang Young-jo kanjo@sportsseoul.com
The manager is still worried. Foreign pitcher Mario Sanchez left with elbow pain, and Lee Yi-ri returned to the mound amid fears of a recurrence of the injury. Thomas Pannoni and Yang Hyun-jong are holding on, but the starting lineup is weaker than it used to be. “We’re worried about the starting rotation,” Kim said candidly.
Furthermore, the team has seven games in a little over a week. After a three-game midweek series against fifth-place Doosan, the team will play four games, including a doubleheader, against LG, which is in the hunt for the regular season title. It’s a tough schedule. “We have no choice but to chop and change our bullpen. We will try not to pitch more than one inning, and if we need one-point relief, we will strictly manage to face only one batter.”
Kia Sanchez. Photo | KIA Tigers
He also envisioned bringing in “joker” Im Ki-young to shut down the flow if the alternate starter succeeded in “holding on. Kim’s concerns centered on the pitching staff.
“The physical burden is greater for the batters. They have to play every day, and because they feel good hitting, they are fighting a silent war to get one more at-bat. The momentum is there, but the moment the streak is broken, the tension can be released. This means that there is a possibility of bad news such as injuries and slumps.
KIA’s Hwang Dae-in celebrates after hitting a two-run home run. By Kang Young-jo kanjo@sportsseoul.com
“The two games right after the streak are important,” Kim said. We will consider resting players who need to rest, but we have to manage the beasts themselves so that they don’t fall into a slump,” Kim said. “I’m not worried about him at all,” he assured. The team, led by Choi Seon-cham and Choi Hyung-woo, is united as “Team Tigers,” which means there is no need to worry. The Tigers’ defense and volcanic batting lineup are also the main reasons why they can withstand the pitching battle.
Even during a winning streak, the manager’s mind is on the mound. Baseball is all about pitching.