The Lotte Giants invested heavily in free agency in preparation for the 2023 season. As soon as last year’s season was over, ace Park Se-woong, who applied for the enlistment as a managing director, signed a non-FA long-term contract for 5 years and 9 billion won, and Han Hyun-hee was recruited for 3+1 years and 4 billion won to reinforce the mound and strengthen the catcher and infield, which were considered the biggest weaknesses so far. Catcher Yoo Kang-nam was recruited for 4 years and 8 billion won, and infielder Noh Jin-hyeok was recruited for 4 years and 5 billion won.
different from previous years. In the 2023 season, the will to advance to fall baseball for the first time in six years since 2017 is felt.
However, the problem is also the mound. First of all, Lotte has its own assortment of selection agents.
Barnes and Dan Strayley form a one-two punch, and Park Se-woong is the third starter. Initially, Lee In-bok was promising for the 4th starter, but his return from elbow surgery should be after June at the earliest. Na Kyun-an and Han Hyun-hee can fill this gap. Kim Jin-wook could be the starting mound.
There is also an ambush. There is Yoon Seong-bin, who joined as the first nomination in 2017 and received high expectations as a prospect온라인카지노, and Lee Min-seok, who also joined last year as the first nomination. Yoon Seong-bin has been struggling with sluggishness. He is aiming for a comeback after participating in spring camp for the first time in three years. Lee Min-seok appeared in 27 games with only the bullpen last year and recorded an ERA of 5.88, but showed potential as a starting pitcher as he has a fast ball that reaches mid-150 km.
Here, sidearm Seo Jun-won is also a candidate for selection. Last year, out of 33 games, he started 4 times and recorded 2 wins and 2 losses, and his potential for selection was tested.
In the midst of this, there is a story that the key to the Lotte mound this season is held by left-hander Kim Jin-wook, who has been in his third year.
Lotte this season is definitely left-handed. Kim Yoo-young, who played an active role in the bullpen last year, moved to the LG Twins as a compensation player for Yoo Kang-nam. Among the 21 pitchers who made their name in the spring camp, only foreign pitchers Charlie Barnes and Kim Jin-wook, Lee Tae-yeon, and Cha Woo-chan were left-handers. Lee Tae-yeon is a rookie and still lacks experience, and Cha Woo-chan is a veteran, but it is his first season on the mound after rehabilitation.
Therefore, Kim Jin-wook’s role is inevitably more important than ever.
When Kim Jin-wook starts, he has no left-hander in the bullpen to block left-handed batters. On the other hand, if Kim Jin-wook goes to the bullpen, anxiety about control is a problem. It is said that he has improved his control to some extent in the Australian league this year, but it is still hard to believe 100%.
Lee Eui-ri, a classmate of Kim Jin-wook, has already established himself as the team’s native ace, and was selected as a national representative until the 2023 WBC following the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. On the other hand, Kim Jin-wook failed to wear the Taegeuk mark at the WBC. Even his performance over the past two years is incomparable. As Kim Jin-wook himself, he is a rival that he cannot help but be conscious of.
However, the rivalry may have to be put down for a while. This is because Kim Jin-wook’s progress this season is of utmost importance not only for his team, but also as an individual.
Maybe depending on which side Kim Jin-wook plays, Lotte’s leaderboard stays in the lower ranks? Or he could rise above the middle and become a fork in Nya’s path.