“All we want is to win, WIN NOW.”
Professional baseball is a 144-game race. Everyone starts with a big picture, but it’s hard to stay on track. You never know what’s going to happen. From unexpected injuries to slumps to exhaustion, there are variables lurking around every corner. You have to be able to withstand all of them to be crowned king. It’s a backdrop that emphasizes the importance of a thick player base. If the cards you’ve got aren’t good enough, sometimes a quick fill-in is the way to go. This is especially true for teams with championship aspirations.
SSG aiming for a second straight title
SSG are the defending champions. They won the overall title last season. They even made history by winning the wire to wire in the regular season. They’re aiming for the top again. This year, they are in the thick of the race. As of the 29th, they have 28 wins, 1 draw, and 16 losses in 45 games, boasting a winning percentage of over 6% (0.636). The team is not satisfied and is constantly trying to strengthen its lineup. Outfielder Kang Jin-seong is a prime example. He was acquired through a one-for-one trade with Doosan on the 25th. SSG reportedly requested him first.
They want to fill in the gaps. Kang is a resource with both power and contact ability. Most importantly, he has shown to be strong against left-handed pitching. 메이저사이트 He hit .290 against them in his career. That’s higher than his career average (0.265). He even maintained a .400 batting average against lefties in the Futures (second division) league this season. SSG, on the other hand, has struggled against lefties this year. Their team batting average of 0.233 ranks seventh in the league. That’s lower than the overall team average (0.256). He’s also versatile. He can play first base as well as the outfield.
Lotte looking to open the fall
Lotte is the team that has been the ‘surprise’ of the season. They”ve been on the march since the beginning of the season. After finishing April at the top of the leaderboard, they continued their good run in May. They even went on a nine-game winning streak for the first time in 15 years since 2008. The team’s aggressive moves in the Stobriga are paying off. Lotte added catcher Yoo Kang-nam (4 years, 8 billion won), shortstop Noh Jin-hyuk (4 years, 5 billion won), and pitcher Han Hyun-hee (3+1 years, 4 billion won) in free agency last winter. A stronger center field.
The team is also moving quickly during the season. The team is trying to erase question marks in various ways. They recently signed outfielder Kook Hae-sung, who was playing in the independent league. Hwang Sung-bin, Jack Rex, and others have suffered injuries, and rookie Kim Min-seok is in his first year in the outfield. We decided that reinforcements were needed. It is also expected to strengthen the right-handed batting depth. On the 19th, they acquired pitcher Shim Jae-min through a one-for-one trade with KT. He has a wealth of experience. We believe he will give our bullpen a boost in the second half of the season.
Enthusiastic fans
Thirsty to win. It’s another treat for the fans. SSG is the second team to exceed 300,000 fans after LG. Last year, they drew more than 980,000 fans (981,546) to the stadium, becoming the first Incheon-based team to top the KBO League in attendance. There’s no doubt about it. They are creating a stir wherever they go. In their three-game home series against NC on March 23-25, they drew around 15,000 fans in each game despite it being the middle of the week. They sold out the Gocheok Sky Dome for two consecutive days on the 27th and 28th against Kiwoom.