Hanwha Eagles head coach Kim Kyung-moon said during an away match in Gwangju at the end of last month, “A player who has graduated from high school a few years ago rotates in a starting rotation and goes out as a main player, and this is not an easy task.” In the pennant race, which is played with a long breath, it is not easy to maintain one’s performance throughout the year, and the task of overcoming and responding to the opponent’s microscopic analysis arises. If you adapt to things that you haven’t experienced until high school, physical and mental fatigue will come 메이저놀이터.
The mound is full of top prospects. Notably, Moon Dong-ju (21), the last first draft pick in 2022, and Kim Seo-hyun (20) and Hwang Joon-seo (19), the first overall pick in the rookie draft from 2023 to 2024. Coincidentally, the trio will go through trials together this year. It is natural, and it is important for the coaching staff and the club to provide proper help.
Coach Kim Kyung-moon made the decision by requesting the club to recruit Yang Sang-moon as soon as the second half of the season started. Yang Sang-moon has assisted Kim in the first-team dugout since the game against the Gocheok Kiwoom Heroes on Tuesday. Yang Sang-moon has various experiences including general manager, manager, and commentator, but he is also a pitcher in his major. He has also worked as a pitcher for the LG Twins and the Lotte Giants, where he served as a coach.
This is why it is curious to see the combination of a veteran pitching leader and top-rated promising players. Moreover, Yang Sang-moon was a left-hander when he was active. Attention is also focusing on how he will treat rookie Hwang Joon-seo. Hwang was a starting pitcher instead of Kim Min-woo, who was out for the season after playing in the bullpen in the early days of the season. With Kim Kyung-moon’s inauguration, he recently returned to the bullpen.
However, he had ups and downs in three games after returning to the bullpen. He failed to garner an out count at the match against the Doosan Bears in Daejeon on June 26, allowing three hits and three runs. In the match against the Daejeon KT Wiz on Sunday, he pitched well, allowing two strikeouts and one walk in one inning. However, he was shaken again by the ⅓ at the match against the Gocheok Kiwoom on Wednesday, allowing two runs (one earned run).
The Hanwha Eagles failed to keep its one-run lead in the eighth inning of the game on Saturday, and lost from behind due mainly to third baseman Ha Joo-seok’s error in throwing to the first base. Prior to that, however, it was not good that Hwang Joon-seo came up in the bottom of the eighth inning and allowed two walks to fill the gap between the runners. Until before his debut, most baseball fans rated him as “KIA” with 52 strikeouts and 42 walks. He has more speed, but his ball control and command are inferior to those of Yoon.
Coach Kim Kyung-moon has never explained in detail why he shifted Hwang from starting pitcher to reliever. In any case, he must have gained confidence by taking the mound as a relief pitcher, sought his future, and even sought to stabilize the bullpen. At this point, however, I am most curious about Yang Sang-moon’s diagnosis. My biggest concern is sudden turbulence when I play as a starter or when I play as a bullpen.
He has won two games and lost eight times with a 4.91 ERA in 18 games. He is only 19 years old. He has enough time. He has recruited good leaders, so he needs to approach him patiently.