Arizona Diamondbacks’ World Series Game 2 starter Meryl Kelly is called the KBO League’s ‘reverse export myth.’
When he signed with the SK Wyverns for $350,000 in 2014, Kelly was an unknown pitcher. All I did was play in the Tampa Bay Rays minor league.
And after appearing in 119 games over four years at SK, recording a record of 48 wins, 32 losses, and an ERA of 3.86, he signed a two-year, $5.5 million contract with Arizona in December 2018.
He, who had no major league experience, was given a major league contract, especially a multi-year contract. It seemed like a reckless attempt, but Kelly, as if laughing at it, grew into a top starter in the major leagues. He pitched 750 2/3 innings in 127 games over five years, posting a record of 48 wins, 43 losses, and a 3.80 average.
In particular, in his last two seasons, he pitched over 177 innings for two consecutive years, recording 25 wins, 16 losses, and an ERA of 3.33, showing excellent performance both qualitatively and quantitatively.
How could Arizona have predicted his success? Where does the source of that confidence come from?
Arizona general manager Michael Hazen, who recruited Kelly, responded to this in an interview ahead of Game 1 of the World Series on the 28th (Korean time).
The KBO League and the Major League are different leagues. Adapting smoothly is not easy. Director Hazen also acknowledged this, saying, “No one knows how the transition process will proceed.”
Nevertheless, the reason he was recruited was due to the firm belief of the scouts who watched him on the field.
“We have very good scouts on our team,” said Hazen. “They watched Kelly pitch a lot in Korea and had a firm belief that he would become a great major league starting pitcher.” He said it had a big impact on his recruitment.
Hazen added that Kelly has not only successfully adapted to the major leagues, but has also developed into a better pitcher.카지노사이트
“We have seen his pitches get better. He has become a better pitcher than when he first got here. He’s said it many times, but we wouldn’t be here without him. “He had a Cy Young-caliber performance this season.”
“I’m still making adjustments,” Kelly said.
He continued, “His first two seasons were a whirlwind. Not only baseball but life itself passed very quickly. When he reached the big leagues, he had to deal with unexpected external factors. Not only did he have to deal with the best batsmen in the world, but he also had to deal with the expectations of his family and give more frequent media interviews. I had to deal with everything that was required to be on the show. “And after two years, he started to feel a little more confident and comfortable as a major league pitcher,” he said, looking back on his adjustment process.