Winning streak after late-season awakening last year
Pitching in every June crunch, contributing to the team’s six wins
A staunch competitor of her teammate Ahn Woo-jin
“I want the top title after next year”카지노사이트
The best pitcher in the KBO this season is still Ahn Woo-jin (24 wins). Despite his recent slump in his last three games, he is still performing admirably. His 2.44 ERA is first among Korean pitchers and fourth in the entire league. Just like last year, the ERA battle this season seems to be between the foreign aces and Ahn Woo-jin.
The picture changes slightly when we look slightly outwards. Doosan Kwak-Bin (24-photo), who has yet to complete the required number of innings (84), is a scary prospect. He has a 2.08 ERA in 65 innings pitched. He is right behind NC Eric Peddy (1.73) and teammate Raul Alcantara (2.03). In just 12 starts, he already has eight wins, leading the nation in wins. His Wins Above Replacement (WAR) of 2.54 also ranks 10th among pitchers.
Before Doosan’s winning streak, Kwak-Bin appeared in every crunch in June. He served as the “streak stopper” and prevented the team from falling apart. In early May, he voluntarily stepped off the mound after complaining of back pain while pitching, and it took him nearly a month to return, but since then, he has been unstoppable. Doosan has won all six of his starts since 31 May against the NC. Kwak-Bin himself has also won all but one of his starts since his return. On his recent winning streak, Kwak said, “First of all, I’ve been lucky. I’m only throwing according to the catcher’s signature,” he said, adding, “I think my experiences from last year and the year before are working out.” As he gained experience, he became more confident and was able to throw his pitches without wavering.
The biggest change in Kwok’s delivery this season has been a significant increase in his curveball percentage. From 11.4 per cent last season to 19 per cent this year. His performance started to improve in the second half of last year when he started to throw more curveballs, and this year he has a solid arsenal. The “two-handedness effect” can’t be ignored either. “I don’t usually throw more than three of the same type of pitches, but (Yang) will order three or four of the same ball if he thinks it’s good. I’m learning that there is a way to throw like this,” he said.
Kwak Bin is the same age as Ahn and was motivated to turn pro. He shook his head when asked if he had any aspirations of becoming the top starter in Korea. His ERA record is meaningless because he hasn’t pitched a full game yet. “I have to do well for at least three years before I can think about grades or titles,” he said. It was last year that Kwak Binh turned into an ace. His strong second half earned him a spot on the WBC team. Applying his ‘three-year standard’, next year is the ‘promise year’. “If I’m good by next year, I can be really greedy,” Kwak said in a low voice. “We’ll see after next season.”