Who is the key to KIA without Jang Hyun-sik.
Jang Hyun-sik played the most games on the mound in the Kia Tigers during the 2024 season. Lee Bum-ho and his predecessors trusted him because he could play his part whenever and under any circumstances. He even improves his condition when he throws consecutive games.
Such Jang left for the LG Twins. If there is a need for a pitcher to replace Jang, it is also Lim Ki-young and left-hander Kwak Do-gyu in the third quarter. While Lim can play long innings, Kwak can often and widely use it from one point to one.
Last year, Kwak Do-gyu was the most frequently called pitcher after Jang Hyun-sik at Kia Tigers in 71 games. He is in his third year and 21st year of professional baseball. He is an academic pitcher who studies pitch tunnel theory and central mobility theory on his own. He started English study by saying that he would not be able to join the professional league when he was in high school, and is able to do free talking with a few foreign players. On MBC's entertainment program "I Live Alone" last month, Kwak was also able to see himself studying English from time to time.
He played 71 games last year and even participated in the Premier 12 in the Korean Series, so he needs to take care of himself this year. After the 2023 season, he participated in Australian professional baseball and went to the U.S. Driveline Baseball Center. First of all, he needs to rest.
Kwak Do-gyu, who is good at self-management, has a strong chance to become Kia's flagship player who will succeed Jang Hyun-sik without injury. He can entrust one or two innings for a close game winning team, and he can also hire left-handed hitters regardless of the difference in scores. However, he is not weak against right-handed hitters.
먹튀검증 This season's KIA bullpen has main setup man Jeon Sang-hyun in closer Cho Sang-woo or Jung Hae-young. It can be said that they are responsible for the 7th to 9th innings. Kwak Do-gyu is likely to play various roles in front of him along with Lim Ki-young. If the members played back-to-back games in the 7th to 9th innings, they had the ball power to play in the 7th to 9th innings.
We wonder if last year's ball power and speed will continue this year. He sealed the windup by himself to use his power effectively while moving to the center. His unique routine of shaking both shoulders has disappeared. He said he could revive the ball if he knows how to use more force, but even if he threw it to the set position, he got a fastball in the late 140km range. The power of the fork ball was confirmed last year.
However, hitters from the nine teams also faced Kwak Do-gyu last year, and he may become more adaptable this year. Kwak may also need to respond to this. He is such a good-minded pitcher that he is not a player who can blow away his precious experience and assets from last year overnight. Inside the team, they see him as a setup man who can run for a long time.