‘Lefty 40 Brothers’ Lee Yi-Ri and Yoon Young-Cheol support Kia’s fall…because they’re the present and the future
“Loyalty is scheduled for one day.”
With 40 games remaining, the most of any club in the league, KIA has three doubleheaders scheduled and is in danger of not being able to field a five-man lineup. “It would be perfect if Sanchez comes back when Ui-ri goes to the Asian Games,” said coach Kim Jong-guk. The current KIA starting lineup is Thomas Pannoni, Yang Hyun-jong, Lee Lee, and Yoon Young-chul.
Sanchez will undergo an elbow injection for three weeks, and if he improves his condition by pitching out of the bullpen, he could be back by the end of September. That’s when Lee will leave the team for the Hangzhou Asian Games. This would keep the four starters in place.
The fifth spot was filled in a variety of ways. Kim Gun-guk, Hwang Dong-ha, Kim Jae-yeol, Kim Yoo-shin, and Yoon Jung-hyun, who was dropped to the second team, also moved back and forth between starts. The plan is to bolster the mound as much as possible in time for the September expansion roster. Rather than expecting one of them to reliably pitch five or six innings, the team decided to utilize a 1+1 tactic. We also need help from our existing bullpen.
In the end, the existing four starters are more important. “The four starters are fixed,” Kim said. “It’s important to maximize the win rate when they go out and play a lot of innings. It’s important to maximize their wins and get a lot of innings out of them.
Panoni has been so stable that I don’t know what would have happened if we hadn’t brought him in. Yang Hyun-jong remains to be seen, but once he finds his pace, he’s not the type of pitcher to fall apart. In the end, the spotlight will be on the “40-year-old Young Gun Duo” Lee Yi-ri (21) and Yoon Young-chul (19).
Lee will be out for about two weeks from the end of September, but he could return after the Asian Games (final on October 7), depending on the situation. KIA already has one game scheduled after October 10 (against Gwangju NC), but realistically, it’s most important for Lee to be effective for three weeks after his return on October 1 against Incheon SSG.
Lee is 3-1 with a 4.00 ERA in five games in the second half of the season. His batting average in the second half (0.264) is higher than his first half (0.187), but it’s even better to see his walk rate drop. His pitch count is under control and his quality starts are starting to have a positive impact on the bullpen and offense. If his recent mild shoulder soreness doesn’t interrupt his flow, there’s plenty to look forward to in September.
Coach Kim Jong-guk also expressed his sympathy for Yoon Young-chul. He said, “I would like to take care of him if there is room in the starting lineup, but due to the team’s situation, we have to use him as a pool for the rest of the season. Still, he gave him a break in the first half. “I’m going to give him about five or six innings and adjust him,” Kim said.
소닉카지노 This season, Yoon is 7-5 with a 4.06 ERA in 19 games. He has 93 innings pitched and is about to reach 100. The math says he’ll start another six or seven games. He’s cooled off in August, going 1-1 with a 5.30 ERA in four games, but if he doesn’t break down in September, he’ll have a shot at the Rookie of the Year honors. Another strong candidate, Moon Dong-joo (Hanwha), ends his season on the 2nd against LG Electronics in Jamsil.
Lee Yi-ri and Yoon Young-chul are the present and future of the KIA starting lineup, and while Yang Hyun-jong will need to guide them for the time being, he can’t be the only one to carry the load forever. It’s important for the future of the organization that Lee and Yoon get meaningful experience in the club and national teams this year.