“I have to organize it.”
Lee Seung-yeop,스포츠토토 head coach of the Doosan Bears, announced another starter reorganization. On the 13th, Doosan recruited foreign pitcher Brandon Waddell (29) for a total of 280,000 dollars (approximately 300 million won). Dillon Pyle (27), who was dropped as the second starter, left due to a bone injury during the spring camp, and as a result of not properly preparing for the season, even his elbow was not good, so a breakup was inevitable. He had already spent 650,000 dollars (about 800 million won) on Dylan, and he had only played two games in the first team, but Doosan quickly recruited a replacement and headed toward a more stable goal for the quarterfinals.
When Brandon comes, we have to organize the starting rotation. Coach Lee had already made one five-start clearance when Dylan was preparing for his KBO League debut. Raul Alcantara (31), Kwak Bin (24), Choi Won-jun (29), and Dylan were fixed, but only one of the young guns Kim Dong-ju (21) and Choi Seung-yong (22) had to be left in the starting lineup. chose which one to use.
This time, it is a fight between Kim Dong-ju and Choi Seung-yong. The addition of veteran left-hander Jang Won-joon (38) is a different point. Coach Lee said, “He fixed Alcantara, Brandon, Kwak Bin, and Choi Won-joon, and he is contemplating the remaining position.” Kwak Bin recently returned after taking a break due to a back injury, and Choi Won-joon, who is taking a break due to accumulated fatigue, is accompanying the 1st team to start against the Changwon NC Dinos on the 15th.
Manager Lee said, “If you add two foreign pitchers, Kwak Bin and Choi Won-joon, you have one spot left. It will be a fight between Jang Won-joon, Kim Dong-ju, and Choi Seung-yong. It worries me,” he said.
▲ Jang Won-joon ⓒReporter Kwak Hye-mi
The most advanced pitcher in the 5th starting competition right now is veteran Jang Won-joon. On the 13th, Jang Won-joon led an 11-4 victory with 6 scoreless innings against Changwon NC, and recorded a quality start 1865 days after the Jamsil LG Twins match (6 scoreless innings) on May 5, 2018. On the 23rd of last month, his first appearance this season, he reached 130 wins in his personal career against the Samsung Lions in Jamsil (5 innings, 4 runs), and is running for 3 starts in a row. He shows off the stability of a veteran by recording an average earned run average of 2.76 in 3 games and 16⅓ innings.
It is true that Kim Dong-ju and Choi Seung-yong were first-class contributors who filled Dylan’s vacancy when he left due to injury. However, the pace has fallen as both players have problems with their physical strength. Choi Seung-yong, who went back and forth between starting and bullpen due to team circumstances, is in a state where his strength is inevitably weakened. Kim Dong-joo is currently spending time reorganizing in the 2nd team, and Choi Seung-yong is guarding the rotation due to a lack of starting pitchers.
Regarding the direction of the selection arrangement, Manager Lee said, “Kim Dong-joo is missing, and Choi Seung-yong is at a time when his physical strength is declining. I will discuss with the pitching coaches and use a player in good condition as a starter. I’ll see. I’ll finalize this after Brandon arrives.”
As of now, it is likely that Jang Won-joon will be in the 5th starting lineup, but the player himself intends to be faithful to his current mission of ‘sweet bread’. He said, “Rather than competing, Choi Won-joon, Kim Dong-ju, and Choi Seung-yong are all good pitchers. They are down (to the 2nd team) because they are out of strength, but my job is to help them go into the pitch and take a break so that they can come up in good condition and throw. C. I don’t think of competing. Right now, I am satisfied with just throwing (the ball). I have no other greed at all.”
Brandon will arrive in Korea on the 16th to resolve the visa issue and prepare for the first team appearance as soon as he receives the visa. There is no problem with the sense of the game as he has been in the starting rotation for the Taiwan Professional Baseball (CPBL) Rakuten Monkeys this year. In Taiwan, he started 11 games, going 5-4 with a 2.69 earned run average in 67 innings pitched. Brandon is aiming to appear in the series next weekend unless there are unexpected variables. There are now less than 10 days left for the candidates in the 5th selection competition to prove their worth.