Yebiappa Pil Seung-jo ERA 0 'solid'

Both Jeong Chul-won (25, Dusan Bears) and Kim Taek-yeon (19, Dusan Bears) have zero ERAs in professional baseball exhibition games. Initially, Chung's pace was slow, but Kim's improved performance has helped revitalize his command. Who will guard Doosan's back door in 2024?

Doosan went through a trial and error period last year when it came to the closer position. The team started the season with Hong Gun-hee, who was replaced by former Rookie of the Year Jeong Chul-won, but he struggled, forcing the team to utilize a group closer system at the end of the season. Hong stayed on as a free agent, and Chung Chul-won was a last-ditch effort, but with the start of the season just six days away, Lee has yet to find a closer.

In the meantime, Kim Taek-yeon, the Bears' No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 draft, has emerged as a new candidate. Touted as the next big thing from the time he was drafted, he caught Lee's eye in spring training by showing promise as a closer. His 1⅓ innings of scoreless relief in a special match against the SoftBank Hawks in Fukuoka, Japan, was impressive. He was able to retire Hotaka Yamakawa, the reigning Nippon Professional Baseball home run king, in order in a clutch situation.

After six games, Doosan's race for the final spot is in full swing. Kim Taek-yeon and Jeong Chul-won have combined for two saves in three games with an ERA of 0 (three scoreless innings). Kim recorded a one-inning scoreless save against Icheon Kiwoom on the 9th, a one-inning scoreless save against Sasik Lotte on the 11th, and a one-inning scoreless save against Jamsil KIA on the 15th, 카지노사이트 while Jeong Chul-won was equally impressive with a one-inning scoreless save against Icheon Kiwoom on the 10th, a one-inning scoreless save against Jamsil KIA on the 14th, and a one-inning scoreless save against Incheon SSG on the 16th.

The two players' goodwill rivalry is also causing the manager to worry. Lee said, "I'm thinking about the closer position. Jeong Chul-won was actually a little sluggish, and his pace was slow, but he was shocked to see Kim Taek-yeon, and his pitching is coming up. I asked him directly, and he said he was in the process of picking up his pace in time for the opener. I'm really worried," she confessed.

Before Kim's emergence, Chung Chul-won, the former Rookie of the Year, seemed to be the favorite to close for Doosan this year. With the recent news that he's going to be a dad, it was expected that he'd get a "formula buff." But then 19-year-old Kim exploded onto the scene, showing off his uncharacteristic pitches and boldness to really ignite the closing competition.

"When you look at her pitches, the fastballs go hard toward home plate," Lee said. He has a good delivery that doesn't look like a rookie. "It's important for him to keep his pace well and not get excited because the crowd will be bigger now," Lee said.

The team plans to finalize their finish with three remaining exhibition games. Doosan will wrap up the exhibition games against SSG in Incheon on the 17th and Hanwha in Daejeon on the 18th and 19th. Lee said, "It's better to be stimulated than to go steady. When you see your competitor's pace picking up, you'll be on your toes. It's a good synergy," he smiled with satisfaction.

Meanwhile, Jung Chul-won, the 20th overall pick in the second round of the 2018 rookie draft out of Doosan, has made the leap from active military service to the core of the Bears' bullpen in 2022. Despite never having pitched on a first-team mound before, his gutsy demeanor and solid stuff earned him a spot in the must-win group, a KBO record for most holds in a rookie season (23) and a one-time Rookie of the Year award.

Chung returned to his home team last year to fulfill his dream of finishing the job after first wearing the Korean flag at the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC).

Kim, who was selected by Doosan in the second round of the 2024 KBO First-Year Player Draft out of Incheon High School, is a right-handed fireballer with a four-seam fastball that can top out in the low 150s. Last year, he was dominant in the amateur ranks, going 7-1 with a 1.13 ERA, 97 strikeouts, and a 0.66 WHIP in 64 1/3 innings over 13 games and 97 innings pitched, and he led the Korean youth national team to a bronze medal at the U-18 Baseball World Cup, throwing 247 pitches in five straight games over eight days.

Kim was known more for his hard work than for his pitching, and he focused on recovering from elbow and shoulder injuries under the care of the Doosan organization. Fortunately, he recovered quickly, and along with teammate Jeon Damin (outfielder, 6th round), he headed to Sydney, Australia, for the first team's spring training camp to prepare for his debut season. At the second spring training camp in Miyazaki, Japan, which consisted of scrimmages, he showed exceptional grit and guts, and was named the 2024 Spring Training MVP.