SSG Landers, led by head coach Lee Sung-yong, took a breather in a busy situation with an 11-9 victory in Game 15 of the season against the Samsung Lions of the 2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on the 14th.스포츠토토
However, he still has a long way to go. He is ranking sixth with 63 wins, 68 losses and two draws. He has three games with the fourth-ranked KT Wiz (67 wins, 66 losses and two draws) and 2.5 games with the fifth-ranked Doosan Bears (66 wins, 66 losses and two draws). With 11 more games to go, he should diligently increase wins.
However, SSG has a hell of a schedule ahead of it. It is an eight-game series, which can be viewed as the remaining games are scheduled. SSG will have its last showdown of the season with Samsung at its home in Incheon on Saturday. It will have a day off on Saturday, and then have its 16th match of the season with the KIA Tigers at its home in Incheon on Sunday.
The team will have a break on April 18 and start its eight-game series from April 19. The team will have games against the Kiwoom Heroes in Incheon on April 19 and 20, the KT Wiz in Suwon on April 21 and 22, the Doosan Bears in Jamsil on April 23, the LG Twins on April 24, and the Changwon NC Dinos on April 25 and 26. The team will have a day off on April 27 and a final game of the season against the Hanwha Eagles in Daejeon on April 28.
Of course, except for away games in Changwon, travel distances can be reduced as it is a home game or a game in the Seoul metropolitan area. However, physical exhaustion will be two to three times greater than that of ordinary pennant races at this point in time when every game is important.
“I wonder if there have been eight consecutive games without breaks. I heard that this year’s regulation allows up to nine consecutive games. If it’s eight consecutive games, all of the players will be exhausted as they are nearing the end of the season. It will not be easy for other teams,” Lee said.
Of course, even if you look back on the previous seasons, eight consecutive games were held after being pushed back by rain after organizing the remaining games. However, this year’s all-time heat wave is raging. Even though it is mid-September, it is still summer weather.
“We should think about the eight consecutive games. There are variables in the weather, and horses are the eight consecutive games. The eight consecutive games that I feel on the field are different. My head is already burning,” Lee said.
What worries me the most is the starting lineup. With veteran pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun showing poor performance, foreigners’ one-two punch Drew Anderson and Roenis Elias are the cards that Lee can trust the most. Therefore, Lee plans to talk with the two players about taking the mound on the 4th after the game ends on Saturday.
“Anderson and Elias are the most reliable pitchers I can trust right now. If I can afford to turn around on Friday, I will try to put (Song) Young-jin or (Oh) Won-seok in the background,” Lee said. “My thoughts are important, but the most important thing is the players’ opinions. Of course, I would have left if the coach told me to, but what the players’ opinions are more important.”
“There was no pitcher who pitched three consecutive games in the first half of the year. (Moon) Seung-won once volunteered to throw the game, and (Roh) Kyung-eun once said, ‘It’s okay to throw three consecutive games when we are on a losing streak,'” he said. “I think the team will become stronger and stronger only when those thoughts are gathered. What matters more is how the players play baseball. That’s what I want baseball.”
Before a series of eight consecutive games is held, it is important to play well on Saturday. On Sunday, starting pitcher Anderson was shaken up by allowing eight runs, five hits (one homer), three strikeouts and five strikeouts in four innings. Notably, in the fourth inning, he gave up seven runs including a grand slam to Koo. Elias will be the starting pitcher on Sunday. Will he be able to give his team a win.