LG Twins pitcher Lim Chan-kyu is aiming to become the third pitcher in the franchise's history to reach 100 wins. Lim, who has been an LG fan since childhood, said, "I am already sufficiently happy just to be among the seniors I looked up to as idols."
LG returned to South Korea on the 23rd after completing the first spring camp in Scottsdale, Arizona. On the 24th, LG departed for Okinawa, Japan, to enhance their competitive readiness through practice games.
Lim Chan-kyu, who met at the Arizona camp, mentioned, "Having suffered an injury last year, I focused on strengthening and weight training to minimize concerns about injuries from the camp. I think I have prepared my body quite stably for now," highlighting his achievements from the first camp. He added, "There is no such thing as perfect preparation, but I believe I have worked steadily and well."
Lim Chan-kyu pitched in 25 games last year (134 innings), recording 10 wins and 6 losses with an earned run average of 3.83. A back injury in late May caused a month-long absence, which was disappointing. In 2023, Lim recorded 14 wins and 3 losses with an earned run average of 3.42 over 30 games (144⅔ innings), achieving 10 wins and a sub-3.00 ERA for two consecutive years.
He has shown consistency as a starting pitcher for two consecutive years. Lim stated, "I was particularly focused on continuity, and I feel that continuity has been achieved, which is good. I believe it can serve as a foundation for doing better this year and next. I aim for three to four years of consistency, so I will focus a bit more on continuity moving forward. However, rather than casually saying, 'I've got the feel, I've arrived,' I think to some extent that I can achieve it."
What is the secret to achieving 10 wins and a sub-3.00 ERA for two consecutive years? Lim responded, "In the past, I focused a lot on my pitching abilities and endurance, but now I think I have focused more on command and how to get batters out. The manager also emphasized this, and the Director General always told me to concentrate on control, so I think I followed the Director General's guidance quite well."
During the interview, when Director General Cha Myung-seok walked past and glanced over, Lim particularly mentioned Director General Cha. Cha jokingly said, "Hey, aren't there other players? Why are we interviewing Lim Chan-kyu?"
Lim Chan-kyu has recorded a total of 75 wins. The 100th win is starting to come into view. In LG franchise history, Kim Yong-soo (126 wins), Jeong Sam-heum (106 wins), and Kim Tae-won (85 wins) are ranked 1st to 3rd in all-time wins among LG (including former MBC) pitchers.
Lim stated, "Just because 100 wins are within reach, if I set that as a goal, it would cause stress if I suddenly lose wins or fail to win. If I focus on helping the team win from my starting position, sometimes I'll secure wins, and sometimes the team will win even if I don't pitch well. If I focus more on team victories, just like how I didn't aim for 75 wins but achieved it, I think 100 wins could also be possible. I don't want to set that as a goal. If I pitch a lot for the team, as I have so far, it would be better to maintain this approach."
If I achieve 12 to 13 wins each year, I might reach 100 wins by the end of the 2026 season. Lim said, "That would be great. It would be nice to achieve it quickly. But since it's not as easy as it sounds, it seems more important to take it slow and build towards it."
Lim stated, "I became serious about baseball as an LG Twins fan in 2002. I am still playing for LG, and if I achieve 100 wins with this team, it would be incredibly satisfying. Meeting the team I loved since childhood and achieving such results is an indescribably happy experience."
Excluding my time with MBC, Kim Yong-soo's 99 wins are the most for LG. If Lim achieves 100 wins, he will become the first pitcher to reach 100 wins while playing solely for LG.
Lim stated, "I want to include records from my time with MBC, and rather than focusing on being number one, it is an honor to be among the top contributors. Being ranked in earned run average, strikeouts, and Wins Above Replacement (WAR) itself is an honor. Just being among the seniors I looked up to since I was young is already enough to make me very happy."