"I wasn't scared of finishing."
A message of hope has arrived at the LG Twins' backdoor. Rookie Kim Young-woo recorded a shining save in a spring camp practice game. Although it is an unofficial record, it was a valuable and precious save. It offered hope that the backdoor anxiety caused by the injury of Jang Hyun-sik, who was designated as the closer, could be alleviated.
On the 27th, Kim Young-woo appeared in the 9th inning with a 3-1 lead against the champion KIA Tigers at the Kin Baseball Stadium in Okinawa Prefecture, handling three batters neatly and securing the victory. The first batter, Hong Jong-pyo, made a groundball out to second base, Byeon Woo-hyuk popped out to center field, and Kim Seok-hwan induced another groundball out to second base, resulting in three outs.
The number of pitches was just 9. He mixed fastballs and forks. The highest speed of his fastball reached 154 km/h, and his average speed was recorded at 151 km/h, showing exceptional pitching ability. After the game, Manager Yeom Kyung-yeob named him the player of the game and noted, "It is hopeful that Young-woo is showing good speed and demonstrating potential."
With Jang Hyun-sik sidelined due to a foot injury, an emergency was declared. Currently, it seems difficult for him to be involved in the opening game. Eventually, they pondered who would handle the backdoor early in the season, and they designated a rookie with strong speed as the temporary closer. They planned to test him as the closer through exhibition games.
Before the game that day, Manager Yeom said, "I will conduct a closer test for now. Depending on what result is produced in the exhibition games, I may push forward and use him. However, I must be certain. If situations do not arise, we will take a slow step-by-step approach to growth. For now, we will put him in. If it doesn’t work out early in the season, we still have time to recover. I will be bold in the early stages."
Thus, the first game's appearance was crucial. If he failed, being a rookie could lead him to falter. Manager Yeom, while designating him as the temporary closer, said, "How you experience success at the beginning is important." He was expected to pitch as the last pitcher that day, and with a two-run save situation given, he succeeded brilliantly. Continuing that momentum, he could become the real closer.
After the game, he said, "Playing against another team made me feel that I have entered the pro league. Rather than feeling pressure, I tried to enjoy the situation. I was okay from the warm-up. I wasn't scared of finishing. It is a position with a heavy responsibility. I am grateful to the manager for giving me such an opportunity. I prepared to seize it as much as possible," he smiled.
He continued, "I have to know how to pitch it down the middle. I aimed to gain an advantageous count by throwing down the center. Today, I threw one forkball as a breaking ball. It’s not 100% perfected. During bullpen pitching, I threw some decent pitches, and the manager suggested I practice. I didn’t have a timing to throw a curve. The fastball was good, so I threw it down the center."
Lastly, he stated, "I didn't know my speed reached 154 km/h. I think my pace is okay. From now on, I am trying not to overdo it. What I threw well today is in the past. I will rest and strive to do well in the next game. I will conclude today’s game as a good performance." showing strong determination to prepare for the next.
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