Top 5 contrasts created by substitute outsiders include 12 wins for Cuevas, 11 wins for Brandon, 0 home runs for Goodrum, and 3 wins for Sanchez.
This season also saw a lot of foreign player turnover. The roster started with 30 foreigners, but midway through the season, 13 players unfortunately ended their ties to Korea and left, while 12 players came to Korea, totaling 42 players in the KBO. The Samsung Lions brought in Taylor Widener from the NC Dinos as a replacement, bringing the total to 13.
The two players who have made the biggest impact and “brought the house down” are William Cuevas of the KT Wiz and Brandon Waddell of the Doosan Bears. Bringing them in was a blessing in disguise.
KT brought back Cuevas, who had to leave the team last year due to injury, to replace Bo Schuler, who was 1-7 with a 5.62 ERA. As soon as he was healthy, the team signed him to a contract, and the results exceeded expectations. In 18 games, he went 12-0 with a 2.60 ERA, which was better than the previous Cuevas, both in terms of winning percentage and return to form. With Cuevas as the undisputed number one starter, Wes Benjamin, who had been erratic under pressure, settled down, and the homegrown pitchers clearly benefited from the “ace effect,” pitching well under pressure. Cuevas came to Korea from the bottom of the standings and was able to pull off the miracle of climbing to second place.
Doosan also brought back Brandon, who was not re-signed last year due to Dylan Pyle’s injury. Brandon, who went 5-3 with a 3.60 ERA as a substitute last year but was forced to part ways to bring in a fireballer, is now needed again. Brandon was eager to come to Korea and showed his quality as soon as he returned to Doosan. With 13 quality starts in 18 games, he went 11-3 with a 2.49 ERA to lead Doosan alongside Alcantara and Kwak-Bin, and with a solid trio of starters, Doosan was able to move up from 9th place last year to 5th.
Every team has dreamed of such a ‘big break’, but some have fallen short: the Kia Tigers and Lotte Giants, who ultimately fell out of contention for the top five. The Tigers made a big move by replacing both Shawn Anderson and Adonis Medina, 온라인카지노 two fastball pitchers with good command. The Giants brought in Mario Sanchez to provide stability on the mound alongside Thomas Pannoni, who pitched in relief last year. The proven Panoni hasn’t been bad this year. After going 3-4 with a 2.72 ERA in 14 games last year, he went 6-3 with a 4.26 ERA in 16 games this year. It wasn’t a dominant performance, but it was a solid one.
Sanchez was disappointing. After looking very impressive in his first game, with his unique stopping movements, Sanchez was unable to follow up on his first impression as he was sidelined with an injury. In 12 games, he went 4-4 with a 5.94 ERA. The difference between good and bad was too great.
The Lotte Giants, who finished first in April and third in May, also brought in Aaron Wilkerson and Nico Goodrum to replace the shaky Dan Streeley and the injury-plagued Jack Rex for the top five. Wilkerson, who cost $350,000, was a “steal,” but Goodrum, who cost $400,000 because of his major league experience, was a “hollow bargain. Wilkerson’s 7-2 record with 11 quality starts in 13 games and a 2.26 ERA has solidified his role as a late-season ace. That’s the only thing that gives me hope. He’s a lock to re-sign next season.
But the more I watched Goodrum, the more I sighed. In 50 games, he batted 2-for-9 with no home runs and 28 RBIs. His early adjustments were frustrating, as he made a lot of defensive mistakes. I wasn’t in the best shape and was missing a lot of time. I came in at the end and got a hit, but the bus had already left.
This shows how much the performance of foreign players can affect the fate of a team. When the existing players are not good or injured, how quickly you react and bring in good players will determine whether you can play baseball in the fall.