“Look for that figure then!”
Left-handed pitcher Kim Jin-wook (21, Lotte) once again headed to the second team. He was excluded from the 1st group entry on the 1st. This is already the second time this year. In early June, it went through a 10-day readjustment period. The reason is clear. The expected appearance on the mound did not come out. A typical example is the 3 consecutive away matches against KIA on the 28th and 30th of last month. He tried to fight for 3 consecutive battles, but as a result, he failed to carry out his mission. Regarding Kim Jin-wook, Lotte manager Larry Sutton said, “I’m trying to give him time. (In the meantime) I hope he finds his pace well,” he said.메이저놀이터
The biggest problem is the swinging ball. He’s not getting the ball where he wants to go. Not only did the number of balls increase, but the changing ball was not controlled freely, so the pattern became simpler. This is the background for opponent batters to come in aiming for a fastball. In the case of pitchers who do not have much experience, there are times when pitching is avoided because they do not want to be hit too much. It’s not Jinwook Kim. Director Sutton said, “It’s okay mentally. He also shows the aspect of wanting to fight on the mound,” he said.
Kim Jin-wook wore a Lotte uniform in the 1st round (1st overall) of the 2021 rookie draft. He was noticed early on as a big prospect. He also stepped on the stage of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. He also rotated around the starting rotation under the club’s big picture, but failed to establish himself. A chronic insecurity got in the way. In the two years after his debut, he had an earned run average (6.31-6.36) in the 6-point range. Coach Sutton said, “One of the dreams of all coaches is to have a left-handed starting pitcher,” but pointed out, “Whether it’s a starter or a bullpen, it has to be a player.”
It wasn’t just dark. Hope also exists. He showed off his upgraded skills earlier this year. After the opening, they played 11 consecutive games without a goal and caught the eye. Unfortunately, it didn’t go well. Coach Sutton said, “At the beginning of the season, Kim Jin-wook clearly showed improvement. Offensively, he took the ball count fight in his favor. He put the ball in and out of the strike zone freely, regardless of whether he was a left-handed or right-handed hitter.
