It’s about a month since the start of the season. Cotyledons, which are about to become old, are sprouting like fresh green in May.
Rookies with 2nd and 3rd years of rapid growth are joining the big rookie players, foretelling an all-time rookie race.
In the Rookie of the Year competition, the starting pitcher has a clear advantage.
The most notable rookie selection is SSG right-hander Song Young-jin.
2 wins, no losses, 1.93 ERA in 5 games (3 starting games). On the 26th of last month, against LG in Jamsil, he achieved his first quality start in his debut with 6 innings, 5 hits, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts and 3 runs (2 earned). Adjustment of pitching ㅋㅋㅋ벳 intervals gives consideration to physical strength, and constant selection opportunities are an advantage in the competition.
Second-year special Hanwha right-hander Moon Dong-ju is also steadily making the mound as a starter.
The best blue chip in topicality. On the 12th of last month, he sprinkled 160.1km against KIA and set a new official record for the highest speed, and he recorded quality starts in 2 out of 4 games, and is continuing a stable flow with an average ERA of 2.38. It is regrettable that they only have 1 win (2 losses) due to the lack of support for the other line and defense.
Lee Yong-jun, a 5th starter in the 3rd year of NC, is also a pitcher to keep an eye on. 2 wins and 0 losses in 5 games, ERA of 1.14. His stable control, command of various breaking balls, and excellent game management skills make him a style that will not easily break down.
Kim Dong-ju, a 2nd-year Doosan player, survived the competition for the 5th selection and challenged the Doosan Used Rookie of the Year title for the second year in a row following Jeong Cheol-won last year. 1 win 1 loss in 4 matches, average ERA of 2.14. He made no more than two earned runs per game in half of which were quality starts. He is full of confidence as his speedy ball control is stable.
KIA left-hander rookie Yoon Young-cheol also joined the Rookie of the Year race with a chance to be selected. 3 matches, 1 loss, ERA of 4.85. His control and game management skills are not like that of a rookie, so he is expected to continue pitching more stably as time goes on.
Bullpen pitchers should also pay attention.
Fireballer Kim Seo-hyun, who wears a Hanwha uniform as the first overall pick, is showing some ups and downs, but this is just the beginning. It’s been less than 15 days since I came to the first team. 5 games, 6 innings, 5 hits, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts, 5 runs (3 earned), ERA of 4.50.
Left-hander Choi Ji-min, a second-year KIA player, is also a pitcher to keep an eye on.
As the new restraint increased to 150 km in a year, it is showing off untouchable-level pitches with stable control. 11 games, 13⅓ innings, 7 strikeouts and 3 runs. There are only 4 walks. On the 2nd, against Lotte in Gwangju, he blocked Lotte’s top batting line, who had risen in the 9th inning, with a tripartite, and brought his ERA down to 2.03. The average ERA of 1 point is right in front of your eyes. As the weight of the bullpen increases, the Rookie of the Year race can gain momentum.
LG Park Myeong-geun, who won his first rescue victory against NC on the 2nd, is also a rookie pitcher to keep an eye on. 12 matches, 1 win, 2 holds. He is posting an earned run average of 4.22 with 7 runs (5 earned) in 10⅔ innings.
Fielders are also challenging the pitcher-only competition.
The player to pay attention to the most is ‘the second Lee Jung-hoo’ Kim Min-seok. On the 2nd, before Gwangju KIA, Ahn Kwon-soo, who fell due to elbow pain, played as the top hitter center fielder, leading Lotte to 9 consecutive wins in 5358 days with his first 3-hit game in his debut. With 6 hits in the last 3 games, the uptrend is clear. Kim Min-seok, who is called a “practical player” for his relaxed play that is not like a rookie, is an all-time talent with a high probability of performing astonishingly the more he plays.
In addition, Hanwha infielder Moon Hyun-bin, Samsung infielder Kim Jae-sang Kim Young-woong, and Kiwoom catcher Kim Dong-heon are also considered dark horses in the rookie of the year who can jump into the race depending on the team situation.
