“I think I will be on track once I get my control back. Control is key.”
LG Twins coach Yeom Gyeong-yeop gave the last assignment to right-handed foreign pitcher Casey Kelly, who is aiming to return to the ace.
Kelly, who has been wearing an LG uniform since the 2019 season, is a right-handed pitcher who posted an average ERA of 2.89 with 58 wins and 31 losses in 114 KBO league games (697 innings) until last year. His strength is that he can use two types of fastballs, four-seam and cutter, as well as various breaking balls such as curveball, slider, and changeup.
However, Kelly fell into a deep slump this year. He started 5 times and digested 29.2 innings, but what he returned was a completely ‘unlike Kelly’ report card, with an earned run average of 5.76 with 1 win and 2 losses.
He said his average speed has dropped and the rotation rate of his pitches has also dropped. In addition, the main reason for his sluggishness was that at the decisive moment, the pitch was shaken and misfired and allowed a correct hit.
Fortunately, Kelly recently set the stage for a rebound. On the 25th, at home against SSG Landers (5-4 LG win), he climbed the mound as a starting pitcher and made his second quality start this year (starting mound and less than 3 earned runs in 6 innings) with 8 hits, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts, 3 runs and 2 earned runs in 6 innings. What has been achieved. He threw 95 and had a best velocity of 149 km.
In response, LG coach Yeom Kyung-yeop, who met ahead of the home SSG match (LG 3-5 loss) on the 26th, said, “(Kelly’s) restraint has risen. Tracking data is coming up little by little.”
Of course, considering Kelly in the past, it was still not a satisfactory result. On this day, the overall pitch was shaken, allowing 8 hits and 3 walks. His fastballs were driven to the middle and high places in the strike zone, and the difference between when he hit the ball well and when he didn’t hit it was big.
Nevertheless, he took the lead in the strength confrontation against the formidable SSG lineup and produced a not-so-bad result called a quality start. What else does Kelly need to do to perfectly revive as an ace after firing a flare to escape from sluggishness? 메이저놀이터
Coach Yeom said, “Because pitches are diverse, it is possible to adjust the pace. The most important thing is control,” he said, sending a clear message to Kelly, saying, “If control is raised to a certain extent, you will be able to get on your own track.”
At the same time, director Yeom said, “Kelly has a similar style to (Adam) Plutko. Plutko makes good use of the left and right corners (strike zone). Kelly also has to use the left and right corners, but (now) there are many balls formed up and down in the center, so it fits.”
Plutko mentioned above is a right-handed pitcher who has been playing for LG since last year. His greatest strength is his stable control, and as Yeom said, he makes good use of the border line course on both sides of the strike zone. Plutco, who put these advantages at the forefront, posted an average ERA of 2.39 with 15 wins and 5 losses last year, and is cruising with an ERA of 0.77 with 3 wins and undefeated this season.
Manager Yeom said, “There are pitchers who use the top and bottom (strike zone), and there are pitchers who use the left and right, but Kelly and Plutko are pitchers who have to use the left and right well.” , curves, etc.,” he emphasized again.
Will Kelly be able to return to ‘Jamsil Jesus’ by refining her control after accepting Yeom’s homework? Amidst a lot of attention, he is scheduled to start in the home game against the KIA Tigers at Jamsil Baseball Stadium on the 30th.