Reporter Park Yoon-seo = Having erased their only weakness, the LG Twins are racking up wins with their starting pitching in the second half.
The LG Twins have been struggling with their starting pitching this season. The top of the rotation of Adam Plutko, Casey Kelly, and Chan-kyu Lim has been smooth, but the other two spots have been a problem.
Kim Yun-sik and Lee Min-ho were relegated to the second team due to injuries and poor performances, and Kang Hyo-jong wasn’t enough to fill the void.
LG had a solution. They acquired Choi Won-tae, who was a staple of the Kiwoom Heroes starting lineup, in a trade on March 29. Choi has been very successful for Kiwoom this year, going 6-4 with a 3.25 ERA in 17 games.
LG immediately felt the effects of Choi. In his first start in an LG uniform, Choi threw six innings of two-hit ball against the Doosan Bears in Jamsil on March 30, striking out five and walking none. LG’s woes melted away like snow.
The final piece of the puzzle was Lee Jung-yong, who had settled into the starting rotation. The No. 5 starter earned a passing grade after pitching six innings of three-hit ball against Jamsil Kiwoom on April 2.
LG manager Yoon Kyung-yup said of Lee, “I think the transition to the starting rotation was a step up. If he pitches like he is now, there is no need to take him out of the starting lineup.” “Even if he goes to the bullpen later, I think he will be a much stronger pitcher than before,” he praised.
Kim Yun-sik, Lee Ji-gang, and Lee Min-ho can also contribute to the mound. Kim Yun-sik will rotate through the starting rotation in the Futures League for the time being, while Lee Ji-gang will handle long-relief duties.
Kim Yun-sik made his first start in the Futures League against the Sangmu on March 30, giving up two runs on five hits (one home run) and one walk in 5⅔ innings.먹튀검증
Yeom said, “(Kim) Yun-sik needs to wait a little longer. He’ll go from the second team to the first team on the day (Lee) Jung-yong pitches.”
Plutko, Kelly, Choi Won-tae and Lee Jung-yong each had a quality start (QS – six or more innings and three or fewer earned runs) in the second half, while Lim Chan-kyu gave up just two runs in 5⅔ innings against Jamsil Kiwoom on April 1.
It’s the kind of starting baseball LG has been looking for. “The most important thing is that we are starting in the second half of the season,” Yeom said with a smile, adding, “We have the power to be an all-winning team, and our chances of winning are increasing.”
