“Kim Myung-shin struggled a lot”
Since Kim Tae-hyung took the helm in 2015, the Doosan Bears have become the first KBO team to reach the Korean Series (KS) for seven consecutive years. During that time, Doosan lifted three KS trophies and finished as runner-up four times, making it a “dynasty” team. However, last year, Doosan won 60 games, tied two and lost 82, finishing ninth for the first time in its history, and after the season, the team began retooling.스포츠토토
When Kim Tae-hyung’s term ended, Doosan decided not to renew his contract and started looking for a new manager, handing the reins over to Lee Seung-yeop, who was known as the “national hitter” during his playing days. The team went into the new season with a total of 15.2 billion won ($15.2 million), including all foreign players, and the heart of Yang Ji, who was called the “biggest fish” in the free agent market.
The start wasn’t bad. Doosan won 12 games, tied one, and lost 11 in April for a winning percentage of 0.522, and cruised through May with 11 wins, 11 losses, and a winning percentage of 5.5. It wasn’t a huge gap, but Doosan was consistently in the middle of the pack for a postseason berth. However, the team began to slide in June, going 10-14 and sitting in sixth place at the end of the month.
But July was a different story for Doosan. Starting with a win over the Lotte Giants in Ulsan on July 1, Doosan went on a tear, sweeping the Samsung Lions and Kiwoom Heroes before taking down the SSG Landers on July 12, extending its winning streak to nine games and closing in on the franchise’s longest winning streak of 10 games.
The only changes to Doosan’s roster from the beginning of the season were the return of Lee Young-ha to the mound after being acquitted in the first trial for bullying, the release of foreign pitcher Dylan Pyle, and the re-signing of Brandon Waddell. With no major changes to the roster, how did Doosan manage to finish the first half of the season with an impressive 42 wins, 1 tie, and 36 losses?
Of course, the credit goes to all of the players, but Lee doesn’t hesitate to point to Kim Myung-shin as the best performer in the first half. Kim has appeared in 35 games this season, pitching 43⅓ innings, with a 2-2 record and a 2.91 ERA in eight appearances. While his stats don’t really stand out, it’s clear why he was chosen. It’s his role.
The 20th overall pick in the second round of the 2017 Korean Baseball Organization draft, Kim’s biggest strength is his versatility. In the bullpen, Kim can be used as a “chaser” to come in early and close out long innings, as a “bridge” between starters and more established bullpen arms, or as a multi-inning reliever with the game on the line.
In April, Kim went 1-0 with a 6.30 ERA in 10 appearances, breaking out of a very poor start. In May, he went 1-0 with a 2.30 ERA in 11 appearances and 15⅔ innings pitched. In June, he went 1-0 with a 3.12 ERA. July was “perfect” with a 1-5 record and a zero ERA in seven games. His multiple roles helped Doosan have a great first half.
Manager Lee Seung-yeop said, “Kim Myung-shin is a pitcher with good control. He has a lot of power compared to his speed. I don’t know the Trackman numbers, but even with the naked eye, he has power at the end of the ball and a good delivery, so it’s not easy for opponents to hit back-to-back pitches. There’s not a high probability of not getting a hit, so when Kim Myung-shin is up, you can watch with confidence.”
Kim’s fastball has been a big plus for Doosan, as it’s one of the things that impressed Lee. “Nowadays, there are a lot of pitchers with high speed, but there are a lot of players who don’t have accurate control and location, so they can give up walks and long hits, but if they are in control, the probability of getting a long hit is low,” the manager said, adding, “The thing I like most about Kim Myung-shin is his control.”
At this rate, Kim could very well have a “career-high” season this year. He’s having the best year of his career, so let’s take a look at what he’ll have on his resume at the end of the season. After the All-Star break, he’ll need to get through the summer heat.