The LG Twins have a new save pitcher. This is the fifth save pitcher for the team.
After Ko Woo-seok, Lee Jung-yong, Ham Deok-joo, and Park Myung-geun, the fifth pitcher on the team to earn a save is infielder-turned-pitcher Baek Seung-hyun.
Seung-hyun Baek came into the game with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth inning of a 3-2 home win over the Samsung Lions in Jamsil on Thursday and worked a scoreless ninth inning to preserve the win. In the top of the ninth, Ham Deok-ju came in to close out the game, but with the bases loaded after a hit and two walks, LG manager Yoon Kyung-yeop brought up Baek Seung-hyun.
It was a bold decision. As Ham Deok-ju struggled with his pitches, Yeom sent Baek Seung-hyun to warm up. Until the bases were loaded, there were many expectations that Ham Deok-ju would be left to close the game. This is because Ham Deok-ju has more experience in the closer’s role and Baek Seung-hyun has never recorded a save before, which could put pressure on him to pitch in a bases-loaded situation.
However, Yeom chose Baek Seung-hyun over Ham Deok-ju, who was unavailable. Baek Seung-hyun faced Kang Min-ho for the first time. Seung-hyun Baek is known for his fastball, but against Kang Min-ho, he threw a slider rather than a fastball. The slider worked well. On a 2B2S count, the 7th pitch, a 139-kilometer slider, was missed by Kang Min-ho’s bat. A strikeout.
A nerve-wracking battle ensued against Kim Dong-yeop in the fifth. Again, it was a slider-based pitch. In 1B1S, Baek Seung-hyun induced a false swing with a fastball at 149 km/h and drew a favorable count, and then induced Kim Dong-yup’s bat with a slider again. In the 2B2S, a six-pitch slider was well received by Kim, but the ball sailed in front of shortstop Oh Ji-hwan and was caught on a line drive to end the game.
Yoon has used unproven bullpen pitchers this season and made them grow. Anticipating the difficulties of the existing trio of Ko Woo-seok, Jung Woo-young, and Lee Jung-yong in the Asian Games, he brought in a number of pitchers from spring training 먹튀검증 to add to the trio. Through spring training and exhibition games, Yeom added Ham Deok-ju, Park Myung-geun, Yoo Young-chan, and Baek Seung-hyun. While Ham Deok-ju was experienced enough to close out the Korean Series in Dusan, the other three had no experience in the pen. Park Myung-geun was a rookie fresh out of high school, and Baek Seung-hyun was in his third year as a pitcher after playing infield.
Yoon took a leap of faith and put them in at a crucial moment. In the case of Park Myung-geun, he put him on the mound in crunch time in the early days of his professional career.
They grew as they saved the day, and now they are a must-win group.
Through 14 days, Ham Deok-ju had 3 wins, 3 saves and 10 holds, Park Myung-geun had 1 win, 5 saves and 5 holds, Yoo Young-chan had 2 wins, 1 loss and 4 holds, and Baek Seung-hyun had 1 save and 1 hold.
LG is able to contend for the top spot despite the fact that Ko Woo-seok has been sidelined with two injuries and is just 1-2-2 with three saves this season. Jung Woo-young has 4 losses and 11 holds, while Lee Jung-yong has 2 wins, 3 saves, and 1 hold.
The fact that the bullpen is able to close games with anyone, even if it’s not necessarily Ko Woo-seok, is a testament to its strength.
LG’s bullpen is getting stronger and stronger as a result of not being afraid of failure early in the season and using Young-gun boldly.