LG is sunny, Lotte is a question mark, and KIA is a dark cloud?
The 2023 KBO League is turning around. The fall baseball composition is also slowly revealing its outline. With half of the season still left, there are many variables. However, the possibility of fall baseball with the LG Twins, Lotte Giants, KIA Tigers, and so-called ‘Ellotgi’, one of the long-awaited hopes of professional baseball, does not seem very high this year.
LG is fine. running in first place Last weekend, I caught a winning series in Jamsil 3 match against KIA. It is showing stable progress of 6 consecutive winning series. Even though the 5 starting lineup is not running smoothly, they are marching with excitement with a strong bullpen and hitting. If this trend continues, not only the fall baseball, but also the possibility of winning is a glimpse.
Even though he is not at 100% of his power, director Yeom Gyeong-yeop’s strategy and game management stand out. Free agent catcher Park Dong-won’s performance is a big boost, and the fielders have excellent individual skills throughout the offense and defense. The bullpen, which serves as a springboard for a come-from-behind victory, is also excellent. If the starting lineup is properly set up in the future, there is a possibility of solo play.
Lotte ran at the beginning of the season, but recently lost its strength. In April, it ranked first with 14 wins and 8 losses, and showed stable progress with 27 wins and 17 losses until May. However, from June to July 2nd, it stalled with 9 wins and 19 losses. Eventually, as of the 3rd, the surplus was significantly reduced to 36 wins and 35 losses. In April, it rose to first place with the strength of the bullpen and batting line, and in May, it maintained the top spot as the starting pitchers revived.
However, after June, the relief team collapsed and the batting line greatly weakened, resulting in a sharp drop in scoring power. In the last 3 consecutive weekend matches against Samsung, it only scored 4 points, which became the reason for the losing series. Above all, Charlie Barnes and Dan Scraley’s one-two punch should keep their center of gravity without ups and downs in order to create a clue for a resurgence. It is also important to restore Noh Jin-hyeok’s return and restore the structure of the batting line.
KIA endured with a 50% win rate until May, but from June, it only recorded 8 wins and 16 losses (1 draw), and the deficit widened to 8메이저놀이터. The winning series took a step backwards to the point of only one episode, and was pushed to 9th place. The bullpen and batting line were competitive, but the biggest risk was that they did not become a starting game. We prepared five starting pitchers, but there is no sure winning card.
Yang Hyeon-jong pitched at an ace level until May, but in early June, he was very sluggish, and Lee Eui-ri has low innings digestion due to his difficulty in pitching. Adonis Medina was decided to leave due to poor pitch, and Sean Anderson also had a poor ERA of 7.71 in May, and only two games in June due to recharging and blistering issues. Youngchul Yoon, a rookie, is showing his ability, but not overwhelmingly.
KIA’s rebound is possible only when the strength of the starting lineup is restored. The ability of new foreign pitchers is also important. Na Seong-beom, Choi Won-joon, and Kim Do-young seemed to be gaining strength as they returned to the batting line, but the synergy effect is not working properly as the existing batters are in a slump. The autumn trip accompanied by Elotgi can be accomplished only when Lotte and KIA exert their strength. In particular, the advance of KIA is an absolute condition.