. This is how the Lotte Giants’ monthly performance changed from April to August. Their glorious spring was short-lived. Since early summer, the team has been on a downward spiral. The Giants went from the top of the standings to the middle of the pack.안전놀이터
4.75(9위)→3.13(2위)→4.85(8위)→5.14(8위)→3.99(3위). Team ERA from April through August. In April, when we were #1, we were #9 in team ERA. The month-to-month variation was jagged. However, the numbers show that the mound has stabilized somewhat in August. This is due to the addition of foreign pitcher Wilkerson and a revitalized Barnes.
0.262(3위)→0.255(5위)→0.252(9위)→0.251(9위)→0.281(4위). Monthly team batting averages have also been trending upward after crashing in June and July. There is a silver lining in all of this.
Acting manager Lee Jong-woon, who took over Lotte after the departure of Larry Sutton, said on Monday that the team’s recent slump was due to a “lack of pitching balance.” Looking at his batting record, he’s clearly climbing past the low point.
From August 18 against the Kiwoom Heroes to August 27 against the KT Wiz, Lotte lost seven straight games. After a refreshing four-game winning streak, the losing streak came like a thief. This came after a three-game sweep against SSG Landers.
Three of the seven losses were by one point. Six games were decided by two points or less. The details, as explained by acting manager Lee
Ahn Chi-hong hits a home run in the fifth inning against KIA on Aug. 11. Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com
Jeong Hoon high-fives his teammates after the 7-1 win over KI on Aug. 11. Jae-geun Jung Reporter cjg@sportschosun.com
Jeon Jun-woo hits a two-run home run in the fifth inning against the Heroes on August 10. Park Jae-man 기자pjm@sportschosun.com
Lee Jong-woon, acting manager of Lotte. Sports Chosun DB
There was disappointment. Luck didn’t cooperate.
Lee asked the players to “do their best until the end of the game in the bottom of the ninth inning” and said that if they don’t feel responsible for the current situation, they don’t deserve to be professional players. Larry Sutton’s declining health and resignation must have come as a shock and a surprise to the players.
Lee said he doesn’t plan to make any changes to the lineup. He’s going to have to get the best out of his existing squad. That’s what they did in April.
Can Lotte rebound in the remaining 36 games?
Lee points to Jeon Jun-woo (37), Ahn Chi-hong (33), and Jeong Hoon (36) as key players. It’s a call for the veterans to step up during a difficult time for the team. The three players have the leadership skills to serve as the core of the offense and the centerpiece of the defense.
As of Sept. 29, the team is in seventh place, five games behind the fifth-place KIA Tigers. There are still plenty of games left to play in the fall. There is plenty of time for a rebound. But the road is long. It is urgent to end the losing streak quickly and revitalize the atmosphere.
Sutton is the former manager of Lotte. Jae-man Park 기자pjm@sportschosun.com