“I wanted to challenge the selection once.”
Even when LG nominated left-handed pitcher Kim Yoo-young (29) as a compensation player for catcher Yoo Gang-nam, who transferred to Lotte as a free agent at the end of November last year, it was evaluated as ‘reinforcing the bullpen’. Kim Yoo-young, who made his professional debut in 2014, was a typical bullpen pitcher who played 196 out of 197 first-team games as a relief. His only start was against Sajik KIA on June 14, 2017 (5 innings and 1 run).
However, LG revealed the background of Kim Yoo-young’s nomination, saying, “It can also be used as a starting pitcher if necessary.” LG coach Yeom Gyeong-yeop saw Kim’s potential as a starter or long relief as well as in the bullpen, and had him compete as one of the five starting candidates in the Arizona spring camp.
On the 26th of last month (Korean time), which was LG’s first real match, he started a practice match against the Dutch World Baseball Classic (WBC) national team. At the time, he pitched two innings, giving up only one walk, striking out two, and shutting the game cleanly with no runs. He also struck out Roger Bernardina, a native of KIA, by looking for a slider with two outs and first base in the first inning. 메이저사이트
Kim Yoo-young said, “It’s a process of preparing for the season, so he doesn’t care much about the results, but he thinks it’s good because it’s not bad. I didn’t even know (the opposing team) had Bernardina,” he laughed, adding, “I checked not only the slider, but also the curveball and changeup.”
Last year, Lotte threw short pitches with the bullpen and was close to a fastball and slider two-pitch, but this year, while preparing as a starter, he is also paying attention to diversifying pitches. He said, “I thought the slider was very important after the fastball. Now, he believes that he must improve the perfection of all pitches, including the curveball and changeup, to qualify as a starter.”
Like most pitchers, Kim Yoo-young had a dream to start. “It was a place I wanted to try once. Kim Yu-young, who said, “It is exciting and fun to be given this opportunity as a starter,” said “There are many tight situations in the middle, so if you have to block it by shouting, the game management is important for the selection. That’s the charm of a selection different from the middle, and I think it suits me too. I try to throw long innings while playing aggressively on fast counts,” she said. Even against the Netherlands, the number of pitches was only 27 in two innings.
After graduating from Gyeongnam High School and joining Lotte in the first nomination in 2014, Kim Yoo-young, who had been with Lotte for 9 years, shed tears as she said goodbye to the team. She left her beloved hometown team in tears, but she took the opportunity to fulfill her starting dream with her new team, LG.
In her Lotte days, the last 2017 semi-playoffs were all about the fall baseball experience, but this year LG is a team aiming to win. In many ways, it motivates Kim Yoo-young. He said, “LG is a team looking to win. There is a lot of energy in the training atmosphere and the posture of the players. I also feel good in a lively atmosphere,” he said, “I will improve the completeness of the breaking ball and improve my physical condition in line with the April season.”