KIA Tigers ace Yang Hyun-jong (35) took the mound against his ‘rival’ Kim Kwang-hyun (34) on 6 June in Incheon against SSG Landers.
Yang pitched five innings of one-run ball, while Kim Kwang-hyun gave up seven runs in four and a third innings. Yang picked up his fifth win of the season (four starts) as KIA won 7-6. He continued his dominance over Kim Kwang-hyun, who he has faced eight times in his career, with a 4-2 record.
Speaking after the match, Yang Hyun-jong said, “I wasn’t thinking about the match against (Kim) Kwang-hyun. The team’s batting has been revitalised lately, so I thought I could win if I could get through as many innings as possible with the least amount of runs,” he said. Overall, he was reticent.
Yang Hyun-jong couldn’t smile. The unexpected breakup made it difficult for him to control his emotions. KIA, which was in ninth place until last week, signed two new foreign pitchers today (6 June) in a bid to make a comeback. After Adonis Medina, who had already been released, Shawn Anderson, who pitched against the LG Twins on the 2nd, packed his bags.
Yang Hyun-jong said, “My heart was heavy as I said goodbye to Anderson, who left today (6th). I’ve been playing for 17 seasons in the professional stage, but when a teammate leaves in a moment like this, I think about a lot of things,” he said with a sombre expression. Yang continued, “Both Anderson and Medina have been working together since spring training and have a lot of chemistry. They worked hard to integrate into the team. This reality sometimes feels cruel,” he said.
온라인카지노After starting the opening game (2 April against SSG), Anderson seemed to have settled into the KBO with three wins in six appearances in April, but he struggled in four games in May, posting a 7.71 ERA. After a brief stint on the disabled list to work on his pitching balance, he rebounded with quality starts (6+ innings – 3 earned runs or less) in each of his last three outings. His replacement, Thomas Pannoni, was seen as a more reliable pitcher. “Anderson was a good pitcher in terms of technique and work ethic. However, his game management was a bit lacking.”
Yang Hyun-jong is familiar with this background. When I say “cruel,” I don’t mean to criticise the club’s choice. He’s just expressing his scepticism about the harsh reality of the professional game, which is all about performing well. “Now that I’m a little older, I think my sensitivity has become more sensitive (than before),” he said, explaining his stronger-than-usual language.
Yang Hyun-jong is the leader of the KIA pitching staff. He reaches out to young pitchers and foreign pitchers and gives them advice. Even when he has to leave a teammate suddenly and feels bad about it. He intends to show his responsibility to help the team become stronger. “As always, I will welcome my new teammates with a smile. I will do my best to help them adapt quickly.”
On the 5th of this month, KIA acquired catcher Kim Tae-gun via trade to bolster their outfield, which has been a weakness. The team has been on a roll since then. New foreign pitcher Mario Sanchez made a strong first impression against the KT Wiz on 9 September, allowing just one run in six and a third innings and striking out 10.
Yang Hyun-jong said, “I think we will have a synergistic effect with my new teammates. We don’t get to play many games against top teams. My goal is to play baseball at a higher level for longer than I am now.”