“Our pitching staff is strong, really strong.”
Kim Won-joong (30), the Lotte Giants’ pitching coach this season, sounded confident. He wanted to make it clear that Lotte’s current pitching staff is by no means weak.
“Our pitching staff is tight right now,” he said. We have a lot of good pitches and everyone who came to camp is really good. It’s really hard to pick a favorite. I think the manager and coach must be really worried about it,” he said, adding, “I don’t know how it is without seeing other teams’ pitching staffs, but I wouldn’t be surprised if any of our pitchers make the roster.”
Lotte failed to qualify for fall baseball for six consecutive years from 2017 until last year. The team was not a powerhouse, and they were unable to condense their power and move forward.
Still, there is hope. In recent years, Lotte”s pitching staff has grown in quality and quantity with young pitchers. The club’s poor performance has paradoxically facilitated the supply and demand of prospects. The club’s development system has been organized, and young pitchers have been watching their seniors, nurturing their dreams and eating the fruits of their labor.
In addition, the team brought in veteran players at the right time and place, creating a balance of new and old in the pitching staff. The signing of Kim Sang-soo, 안전놀이터 who was released from SSG in 2022, was a prime example.
Last year, Lotte’s pitching staff posted a team ERA of 4.15.
It ranked sixth overall, which was in the middle of the pack. However, the pitching staff was the best in terms of pure power. Their fielding-independent FIP was 3.98, ranking third behind KT (3.80) and LG (3.96). They were also second in the league in strikeouts with 1070. In many ways, the pitching staff itself has a lot of talent and potential.
About two-thirds of the way through Guam’s first spring training schedule, the pitching staff has picked up the pace quickly and is showing signs of motivation, according to pitching coach Kim Won-joong.
“The overall pace is fast, especially the seniors. They told me that it’s better to get up to speed when they’re in good shape and then make adjustments, rather than trying to get up to speed for the season. They will prepare well through their experience,” he explained.
Kim Tae-hyung is now thinking about which players to leave out rather than which players to put in which spots. The pitching staff is in good shape and he doesn’t doubt it. “The pitchers are all good,” Kim said. I’m having a hard time deciding who to leave out,” Kim said, adding, “We already have 10 pitchers in the starting five, plus five pitchers who are going to be in the bullpen. Throw in a left-handed pitcher or two, and you’re already at 12 or 13 pitchers on the roster.”
Pitching coach Joo Hyung-kwang, who actually oversees the pitching staff
“I’m scared to say it’s too good to be true,” but added, “The pitchers have done a great job of preparing. The main pitchers have all calculated. However, the players who need to look good to get a spot have also prepared well.”
For veteran pitchers like Kim Sang-soo, Jin Hae-soo, and Lim Jun-seop, who joined the team last year and this year, the team will need to ‘slow down’ a bit more. “In the case of (Jin) Hae-su and (Lim) Joon-seop, it was difficult for them to find their way back to the team, and (Kim) Sang-soo is not young,” Joo said, adding, “The coach is telling me to push them a little so they don’t overpitch. I also think they are players who need to be managed. I don’t think they’re players who can’t do it because they don’t know what they’re doing.”
With the foreign pitching one-two punch of Charlie Barnes and Aaron Wilkerson, plus Park Se-woong and Na Gyun-an, the fourth spot is perfect. The fifth spot is currently being contested in camp between Lee In-bok and Han Hyun-hee. The weight seemed to be leaning toward left-hander Shim Jae-min, but he did not participate in this camp due to his shoulder condition. He is also unlikely to join the second camp in Okinawa. The pitchers who will serve as the bullpen have also been outlined. Kim Won-joong, Koo Seung-min, Kim Sang-soo, Choi Joon-yong, 바카라사이트 and Park Jin-hyung, who was released from social service, are being considered for the closer role.
“I’m thinking about two or three guys now,” Joo said.
One of the left-handed pitchers such as Kim Jin-wook, Jin Hae-soo, and Lim Jun-seop will go in, and I’m thinking about the long relief side,” he said, adding, “In the end, I think I’ll know when I play a practice game.”
You could say that it’s just happy thinking at this time of year, but Lotte doesn’t think so. There is a lot of confidence and trust in the pitching staff. We have the image of being a ‘hitting team,’ but we have always had a good pitching staff behind our good results in the past. Lotte’s pitching staff is getting stronger and stronger, and they are preparing for 2024 with the belief and confidence that they are strong.