“We’ve decided on Jong-Hoon Park.”
The SSG Landers had a vacant spot in their starting rotation this week. The starting pitcher for the upcoming game against the Incheon Hanwha Eagles on April 29 has been uncertain for various reasons. In recent weeks, Lee Eun-wook and Lee Roon were set to start, but the plans were revised due to a rainout, and with Kirk McCarty returning from injury, a spot had to be decided for Hanwha.
Kim Won-hyung had a lot to think about from the start of the second half. There was a frontrunner. Submarine pitcher Jong-hoon Park. Jong-hoon was the “natural” choice for the starting rotation this season, but his first half wasn’t so great. He struggled and was sent down to the second team. After returning to the first team in late June, he kept hopes alive with a solid five innings of one-run ball against the LG Twins before collapsing with five runs in 2⅔ innings against the KIA Tigers on July 5. He was sent back to the second team the very next day for a readjustment period.
Jong-hoon, who returned to action in the second half of last year after elbow surgery, has yet to show his best form. He went 3-5 with a 6.00 ERA in 11 games in the second half of last year, and is 1-3 with a 6.31 ERA this season. Especially this year, he has been struggling with his pitches, and he is constantly worried about walks.카지노사이트
Manager Kim Won-hyung, who knows Jong-hoon well, feels sorry for him. “He is a player who does what he is supposed to do. He works so hard in terms of attitude and training. That’s why I feel more sorry for him,” he said, adding, “Now we have to show it with results. He’s not a young player, and I hope he has the spirit to show the manager what he can do. He should play the baseball he wants to play.”
Although he has been a strong pitcher for Hanwha, there is no ‘unconditional’ given the recent momentum of the Hanwha batting lineup and Jong-hoon’s current form. However, the manager, coaching staff, and teammates are eager for Jong-hoon to use this outing as an opportunity to rebound.