Couldn’t LG have received more?
Ko Hyeong-wook, head of Kiwoom, said in a phone call on the 29th, “The past 2-3 days have been rushed. (Lee) Jung-hoo is out with an injury and (Choi) Won-tae is out, which is painful, but the selection can be supplemented. However, I thought that the beast would have a chance to win if he put on weight quickly.”
Head coach Ko Hyeong-wook continued, “Ronnie Dawson came and is doing well. Lee Joo-hyung, who will flesh out the attack, is the key. Kim Dong-kyu needs some time, but Kim Joo-hyung is a hitter who is fast and makes good contact. Of course, he also thought about the future.”
Kiwoom fell to ninth place due to line injuries and chronic batting problems. It is true that this time, even losing Choi Won-tae (LG), the competition for ranking became more difficult. However, they still have 5 starters (Ahn Woo-jin, Ariel Hurado, Ian McKinney, Jeong Chan-heon, and Jang Jae-young). And he brought a promising pitcher (inside and outfield multi-agent Lee Joo-hyung) who is close to immediate power, a pitcher worth scratching (Kim Dong-gyu), and a nomination for the first round of the 2024 draft. On the 29th, Lee Joo-hyung scored 1 goal and 1 hit in 4 at-bats against the Gocheok Samsung game.
If Lee Jung-hoo hadn’t been left out, this deal wouldn’t have happened. However, with the addition of Lee Jung-hoo to the all-time injury parade, it is true that Kiwoom lost energy in the ranking battle. Head coach Ko Hyeong-wook also commented that he saw the future, but emphasized that he did not give up the season.메이저사이트
Head coach Ko Hyeong-wook said, “There are many injured players, and some players have performed poorly. He prepared a lot for the season, but it is true that he did not achieve results. Still, there is no difference between 5th place and a few games (3.5 games). We will do our best until the end of the season. He didn’t give up on the season.”
If you describe it as a major league seller, you can understand Kiwoom. However, Kiwoom cannot openly declare ‘giving up the season’ considering Korean sentiment. And, as General Manager Ko Hyeong-wook said, Kiwoom is not at the stage of giving up the season at all. The current power of Kiwoom is not strong, but it is not a power that needs to be rebuilt openly. If that’s the case, you have to do a fire sale of the remaining main axes.
So it’s a bit of an unfortunate deal for Kiwoom. This trade does not need to check the background. It was a deal made because LG, who always lacked a starting pitcher, was in a hurry. LG went all-in to win the Korean Series from several years ago. For Kiwoom, Lee Joo-hyeong is a promising prospect, and the upcoming rookie draft is a golden fishing ground, but in the worst case, even if the deal is canceled, it does not lose money.
Moreover, Kiwoom is famous for its trade. Lee Joo-hyung is good, but couldn’t he have brought in at least one more main hitter from LG? The LG batting line is the best in the league. Director Ko Hyeong-wook said, “I requested it at first.” In the end, it seems that the coordination process was not successful.
In any case, you need to grow the resources you have received well. It doesn’t mean that we can’t fight in the top 5 without Choi Won-tae. And apart from that, you have to raise Lee Joo-hyung well. He is evaluated as a player with a lot of potential. And you have to do really well for the upcoming rookie draft. This is Kiwoom’s specialty, so Kiwoom’s fans have high expectations.
