The recent rise of the KIA Tigers is unusual. KIA won the match against SSG Landers in Incheon on the 3rd, winning eight consecutive games in 751 days since August 13, 2021. As a result, KIA, which had been in fifth to sixth place, has succeeded in rising to fourth place in 117 days since May 9, raising the possibility of advancing to the postseason.
The index is naturally good as it was a period of winning consecutive games, but KIA ran first with a team batting average of 0.337 for eight consecutive wins, and the team’s ERA also ran second with 2.75. The good balance between pitching and hitting can be seen as a direct result of good performance, but the most brilliant thing during the winning streak was “firepower.” The losing game felt like it could be reversed at any time. 온라인카지노
The team’s atmosphere is at its peak as it has won eight consecutive games. In particular, there is no concern about hitting as the batters are exploding throughout the second half. The bullpen is also solid. The only stumbling block is the starters. Currently, KIA’s Mario Sanchez is out of the lineup due to an injury, and Lee Eui-ri, who recently returned from shaking off his injury, left a little disappointing result in the previous appearance.
Head coach Kim Jong-kook said before the game was canceled due to rain on the 5th, “The team atmosphere is good overall. It is also encouraging that there are no injured players except Mario Sanchez. However, I am a little worried about the selection due to Mario’s absence. Lee Eui-ri also joined last Sunday, but needs to get in shape a little faster. “I don’t think I have anything but concerns about starting pitchers,” he said with a smile.
The head coach continued, “I have a lot of faith that the players can win now. Pitchers also believe that “if I add a little, the batters can turn the tables,” and hitters also seem to have a mindset that “they can win if the pitcher doesn’t lose a point,” he said. “In particular, I think (the batter’s) has gained a little bit of momentum and gained confidence.”
Even if it is not a winning streak, KIA’s bat is very hot this season. KIA has a team batting average of 0.274 as of the match on the 5th, which is second among 10 clubs. Of course, KIA’s bat did not heat up all season. Rather, there were many concerns at the beginning of the season because the batters did not explode, but it was the result of the blow to 0.306 in the second half, with Na Sung-bum and Kim Do-young, who had been out due to injuries, returning, and Park Chan-ho and Kim Sun-bin swinging fire bats.
When he lifted the Korean Series trophy in 2017, KIA’s team batting average was 0.302, ranking first among 10 clubs. In 2017, there were 33 players with a batting average of more than .300. In KIA, Kim Sun-bin won the title of the “hitting king” with a batting average of .370, and Choi Hyung-woo (0.342), Lee Myung-ki (currently NC, 0.332), Roger Bernadina (0.320), An Chi-hong (currently Lotte, 0.316), and Kim Joo-chan (0.9).
Of course, it is definitely different from 2017 of Tagotujeo, but how is it compared to the recent trend. The head coach said, “The batting line was incomparably better then. In 2017, the team had a batting average of .300. However, now young players are added. “It’s not comparable to that time, but I think it’s the best since 2017 with the texture.”
In order for the team’s batting line and pitchers’ good performance to pay off, supporting the team’s performance is essential. If you don’t get a ticket to the postseason, everything will be meaningless no matter how good the indicator remains throughout the regular season. Head coach Kim Jong-kook is not unaware of this, so he intends to build as many wins as possible before the players who play for the Asian Games national team are called up.
The game was canceled due to rain on the 5th, but head coach Kim Jong-kook, who had to play seven games, including a doubleheader this week, said, “I think I need to win four games in seven games to go up a little further. But what matters now is not the ranking. Currently, the median gap is not large. “By the time of the Asian Games, we have to accumulate as many wins as possible in games that we can win,” he stressed.
In reality, KIA can also aim for a leap to third place depending on the situation. However, manager Kim Jong-kook is not looking far into the future. He said, “There is still a month left before the ranking is set. Except for Kiwoom, the rest of the teams have about late 20 to early 30 games left, and no one will know the ranking until the end of the Asian Games. “I don’t think it will be outlined until early October,” he said, expressing his intention to do his best in every game.
