So, who's responsible for the backdoor of the heroes that Cho Sang-woo (KIA Tigers) left.
As Kiwoom Heroes sends out Cho Sang-woo in a trade, attention is paid to how they will organize the bullpen in the 2025 season. Internally, there is no big stir even in the absence of Cho Sang-woo. This is not to say that Cho Sang-woo is a waste. It is read as meaning that there is enough future power to replace him. Even general manager Ko Hyung-wook said, "There is no worry about the mound in the future. Batters should come up."메이저놀이터
For the 2024 season, right-hander Joo Seung-woo was the most important pitcher except for Kim Jae-woong and Jo Sang-woo. He played in 55 games, the most, and won 14 saves, the most. Then, left-hander Kim Seong-min stood out in 46 games, with 14 holds.
In terms of ball power, Joo Seung-woo is the No. 1 replacement. Based on Statistics Korea, a baseball statistics site, Joo threw an average of 147.4 kilometers in the 2024 season. He also has two-seam, slider and folk ball. He prefers the bullpen to the starting pitcher, and has experience in finishing.
Kim Sung-min is relatively suitable for the 6th to 8th innings because he is the type to live by pitching trajectory and control rather than ball power. In addition, veteran Won Jong-hyun, who is preparing for full-time for the first time in three years, is a card to be noted in that he has the finishing experience. It is important that the starting pitcher goes down well to Joo Seung-woo after Kim Sung-min and Won Jong-hyun.
Actually, there is a secret weapon that Kiwoom secretly believes in. Lee Kang-joon pitched in 44 games at Sangmu in the 2023 season, recording 3 wins, 1 loss, 11 saves, 8 holds, and 0.76 ERA. At a practice game against the KIA Tigers in mid-October, the right-handed three-quarter hit that took a 160-km shot on the Gwangju KIA Champions Field electronic display.
Lee Kang-jun graduated from Seorak High School and joined KT Wiz as the 22nd pick in the second and third rounds of 2020. However, it did not see any light at KT and Lotte Giants. With Lotte recruiting Han Hyun-hee, who qualified as an FA from Kiwoom ahead of the 2023 season, Kiwoom recruited Lee Kang-joon as a reward player to prevent a flipping on the side. And Lee immediately joined Sangmu. In other words, Kiwoom waited for two more years.
He hasn't shown anything in the first team yet, but he is a player with great speed and ball power. This is a case where his ball power has improved as he slightly raised his arm height from the side arm to the third quarter. Expectations have swelled internally since Kiwoom pointed out Han Hyun-hee's reward player. Now, it is time to meet him in the first team after finishing his wait in Sangmu. Lee Kang-joon has been steadily building up in Goyang since being discharged from the military in November last year.
What Lee Kang-joon needs is a "success experience." The experience of success in Sangmu is the second division. It is important to establish a foothold for growth by enjoying success for the first time in this year's first team. Furthermore, if Lee Kang-joon establishes himself as a closing player representing the team one day, is there anything more that Kiwoom wants? When Kim Jae-woong returns next year, Kiwoom's mound will be more solid.