Stop KIA's solo lead, LG will join the FA-level supporters if they hold out... Lee Ho-joon's inauguration gift is also coming late
Stop KIA's solo lead, LG will join the FA-level supporters if they hold out... Lee Ho-joon's inauguration gift is also coming late
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LG, which had enjoyed a long-term win by consolidating its championship title in 2023, was definitely picked as a candidate ahead of the 2024 season. LG even had confidence and experience in winning the title with relatively strong performance. Many experts predict that the team will make it to the second round with Kia, which has been selected as the dark horse of the championship by mobilizing its all-out efforts.먹튀검증
As a result, LG did not have enough time to lose two consecutive games. It had to watch KIA dominate in the regular season and finished the regular season in third place, falling behind Samsung in the competition for second place. They also did their best in the postseason, but eventually failed to reach the Korean Series and stopped at the playoff stage. Many said that the mound's power, which accounted for a large stake in the overall championship, was less than that of the previous year. With closing pitcher Ko Woo-seok advancing to the Major League, many of the trusted alternatives were sluggish.
Although he did well in the overall ERA ranking, he has been struggling to change his mind due to unstable pitching capability throughout the season. Of course, LG's goal for this year is to rebuild the mound. Some are suspending the evaluation for now. Although he strengthened the bullpen by recruiting Jang Hyun-sik from the free agent market, Choi Won-tae, a stable Korean starter, has moved to Samsung. New promising players need to open the lid to know.
However, some estimate that certain supporters will return if they wait a little longer. LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop and other coaching staff members are waiting for him. Right now, right-hander Lee Jung-yong (29), who is serving in the Korean Armed Forces athletic unit, is the hero. Lee contributed to his team's victory in the Korean Series in 2023 and joined the military in December 2023. He is scheduled to be discharged from the military in early June 2025. If he throws a ball normally in the military, he can join the first team immediately.
Lee Jung-yong, who graduated from Dong-A University and received LG's first nomination in 2019, has emerged as the core of LG's mound by playing in the first division games from 2020. He played as the pillar of the bullpen by recording 15 holds in 66 games in 2021 and 22 holds in 65 games in 2022. Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop, who took office in 2023, boldly gave him a chance to start, breaking the stereotype that "Lee Jung-yong is a bullpen," and Lee Jung-yong has responded to this, and has become a resource that can be used both as a starter and a bullpen now.
It is not known yet what kind of position he will perform after his discharge, and he will have to take a comprehensive look at everything from the team situation to the player's condition. However, for LG, it is very important that it gets a multi-purpose card that can be used anywhere, whether it be a starting pitcher or a bullpen. As neither of them is perfect setting, it is hoped that Lee will immediately return to full strength. Considering his performance in the 2023 season, he may be able to boost his capacity as an FA.
NC manager Lee Ho-joon, who has not received the "appointment gift" since his appointment, is also waiting for a player. Koo Chang-mo (28), the team's ace and once spotlighted as the left-hander ace of the Korean national team, will also join the military at the same time as Lee Jung-yong and be discharged from the military in the middle of this year. Of course, the premise is that "if he is healthy," but healthy Koo Chang-mo is as good as any other native ace in the league. For NC, he can really be an FA-class reinforcement factor.
Koo had a brilliant record of 10-7 with a 3.20 ERA in 23 games in 2019, 9 wins and no losses in 15 games in 2020, and 11 wins and 5 losses with a 2.10 ERA in 19 games in 2022. He also had a 2.96 ERA in 11 games in 2023. However, as you can see from the number of games played every season, injuries were too frequent. Even after joining the military, he played in only two Futures League games last year due to injuries.
However, it is expected that Koo will be a great help to NC, which has a weak native starting lineup, and is currently promising a healthy discharge by boosting his physical condition. NC is also paying keen attention to Koo's physical condition, as it has already signed a large amount of non-FA multi-year contracts (up to 13.2 billion won for seven years from 2023 to 2029).