New foreign pitcher Eric Lauer, the winning pitcher for KIA’s regular season championship, has finally entered his home stadium, Gwangju-Kia Champions Field.
“I’m very happy to be in Korea and I’m looking forward to being able to experience other countries’ cultures,” Lauer said at Gwangju Stadium on the 7th. “I’m looking forward to it because I heard the atmosphere of the fans. I’ll try to interact smoothly.”
On the previous day, Kia signed a contract with Lauer for a total of 350,000 dollars, including a down payment of 50,000 dollars and an annual salary of 300,000 dollars. After applying for waiver disclosure of existing foreign pitchers Will Crow and Cam Aldred, it erased concerns over foreign pitchers by recruiting Lauer, who had six seasons of experience in the Major League.
Lauer entered the country on the 5th and completed a medical check on the afternoon of the 6th, and on the 7th, he visited Gwangju Stadium where he would play and greeted KIA manager Lee Bum-ho and the team.
Manager Lee Bum-ho said, “I think he’s quite gentle. As a player who played in the Major League, I felt very good when I saw him say hello,” adding, “I saw him working out, and his first impression was quite good. He looks relaxed and calm, maybe because he has played in a good league. I saw him playing catch, and he was considered a very good pitcher.”스포츠토토
As for the starting date, he said, “We talked about when we can throw the ball. I heard that jet lag is not enough yet, so I will try to find out when I can get on a good condition.”
Lauer is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on the 8th and schedule it later.
My mother was born in 1966, so I was interviewed wearing a uniform T-shirt with 66 on it. Lauer said he wanted to erase the question about himself in the KBO League. He has a history of suffering from a right shoulder collision, a glove-wearing arm, and a left elbow injury in the 2023 season.
“It’s okay this year alone,” he said. “I came to prove it because I had a lot of anxiety and questions about myself due to injuries. I can prove it in the KBO League, which is a better environment than playing in the minor leagues.”
Even before KIA’s official announcement, Lauer drew attention by writing the name of his team as KIA Tigers on his SNS. “At first, I thought about asking if I should delete it because many fans contacted me,” he said. “I was able to receive a message saying welcome to the KBO League.”
I’ve heard a lot about the KBO League since I was in high school. “The mentor who taught me in high school was Ryan Pierband. At that time, I could hear about the KBO,” Lauer said. “I could hear from Josh Lindblom. I think those stories will help me adjust easily.”
Lauer is practically a “winning contractor.” On his team’s expectations, Lauer said, “I’m excited to win the title. There may be pressure on the No. 1 team, but I think only then will I be able to throw better.”
Lauer, who watched the game held at Gwangju Stadium the previous day, said, “I was happy to see the fans’ cheering culture and the way the team played baseball first.” He said, “I wanted to get on the field and throw it quickly. I can’t wait to throw it because the fans’ cheering culture is passionate.”
He also confidently said that he would throw as many innings as possible. “Earlier this year, I limited the number of pitches I pitched in the Minor League. As a result, if I prolong an inning, I will not be able to throw long innings, which is an obstacle,” he said. “I declare that I will throw as many as 100 pitches.
As his strength, he said, “I can put it in the strike zone as I want,” adding, “I’m careful that the other team will know and target it, but high-speed ball is the main strength.”
The KBO has become a dream stage for players who want to re-enter the Major League in the U.S. as well. Last year, Eric Peddy, who played for the NC Dinosaurs, conquered the KBO League and returned to the U.S. arena. “Other players also pitched well in Japan or Korea before going to the Major League,” Lauer said. “If I win the trophy here, I think I will be agonizing over my future career. Throwing in the U.S. will be an experience, but if I throw well in Korea, it will be a good experience.”
It won’t be long before the fans see it. Lauer promised, “I won’t wait too long.”