“We're not in a position to use Kwang Hyun-i in the middle...” Lee's epic misjudgment
“We're not in a position to use Kwang Hyun-i in the middle...” Lee's epic misjudgment
Blog Article
“We're not in a position to put (Kim) Kwang-hyun or Anderson in the middle....”
SSG manager Lee Sung-yong revealed his tiebreaker pitching plan before the game yesterday (Jan. 1).
The plan was to basically trust Elias, but to closely monitor the timing of relievers Noh Kyung-eun and Cho Byung-hyun if the game went in their favor. In the top of the eighth inning, SSG's plan seemed to be coming together as planned, as Choi Jung-jeong took down KT's key card, Go Young-pyo.
However, in the bottom of the eighth, things took a turn for the worse when Kim Kwang-hyun took the mound instead of Cho Byung-hyun, the expected closer.
With the bases loaded and no outs, Kim gave up a single to right to pinch-hitter Oh Jae-il. He then threw a 137 mph changeup to Mel Rojas Jr. for a game-winning three-run home run. The moment the ball hit the bat, Kim realized it was a home run and shook his head.
“Before the game, I heard that KK (Kim Kwang-hyun) would be waiting in the bullpen, so I wasn't too surprised by SSG's pitching staff,” Rojas told KBS after the game. KT had already planned for the possibility of Kim's surprise appearance.
Crucially, Kim's stuff wasn't powerful enough to carry out Lee's game plan. His slider didn't work against left-hander Oh Jae-il, 토토사이트 and he didn't have enough feel for his fastball to turn into a one-bound ball against Rojas. His fastball's top speed was only 145 km/h.
In the end, Lee's “Kim Kwang-hyun Smoke Screen” didn't panic or pressure his opponent. Rather, it became a self-inflicted wound that was not even utilized due to the poor timing of the closer, Cho Byung-hyun.
Choo Shin-soo's ninth-inning pinch-hitting appearance was also disappointing.
Lee, who said before the game, “Shin-soo Choo seems to have improved in practice batting,” and “Shin-soo Choo himself said to me, ‘Don't be fooled,’ but I'm trying to figure out how to utilize him on my own,” eventually sent Shin-soo Choo to the plate in the top of the ninth inning for the final comeback opportunity. He still had Shin Bum-soo and Park Ji-hwan on the lineup card.
With the game on the line, Choo Shin-soo dropped to his knees on a fastball from KT closer Park Young-hyun, but eventually struck out swinging. It was a moment that effectively ended Shin-soo Choo's career and SSG's 2024 season.