The bar was high for the first professional team. Kim Dong-kyu (Kiwoom Heroes) struggled against his hometown team in his first professional first-team start.
Kim Dong-kyu took the mound for the Kiwoom Heroes against the LG Twins of the 2023 KBO Baseball League at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on the 13th.온라인카지노
Standing at an imposing 195cm and 100kg, the right-hander was selected by LG with the 17th overall pick in the second round in 2023. He is known for his powerful fastball and flexible delivery from his height.
Kiwoom’s Kim Dong-gyu makes his professional start against LG in Jamsil on the 13th. Photo (Jamsil Seoul)=Chun Jung-hwan Reporter
After making his first-team debut out of the bullpen (0.1 innings, two runs, one earned) against the Daejeon Hanwha Eagles on 10 June, he was sent to Kiwoom via trade on 29 June along with utility man Lee Joo-hyung and a first-round pick in the 2024 rookie draft. In exchange, Choi Won-tae would wear the LG jersey.
And with Kiwoom’s ace Ahn Woo-jin recently demoted to the second team due to poor form, the opportunity to make his debut start came up for Kim Dong-kyu. Coincidentally, the opponent was LG.
“He’s a pitcher with potential,” said LG manager Yoon Kyung-yeop, Kim’s “former teacher,” in a pregame interview. When I looked at the future, I thought that if he gained physical strength, he could throw 150 kilometres consistently for our team,” and encouraged him, saying, “Kiwoom saw that and took him.”
Manager Hong Won-ki also said, “It’s his first first-team start, so I want him to throw until the third inning. I want him to show his stuff,” he said, hoping that Kim Dong-gyu would do well.
Kiwoom’s Kim Dong-kyu, who made his starting debut against LG in Jamsil on the 13th, was unable to avoid struggles. Photo (Jamsil Seoul)=Chun Jeong-hwan Reporter
Of course, his first start wasn’t perfect. In the bottom of the first inning, he gave up a straight ball to Hong Chang-ki and a single to Shin Min-jae. Shin Min-jae stole second and Kim Hyun-soo walked to load the bases, and Kim Dong-kyu quickly gave up two runs on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly by Austin Dean. Oh Ji-hwan and Moon Bo-kyung got out of the jam with a fly to centre and a fly to left, respectively.
In the bottom of the second inning, they couldn’t avoid a run. The first batter, Park Dong-won, gave up a solo arch over the left field fence. He then gave up a single to Lee Jae-won and a stolen base to Park Hae-min, but a wild pitch and a Hong Chang-gi single left runners stranded at first and third. In the next at-bat, LG’s double stealing plan paid off, as Shin Min-jae singled up the middle to score Kim Dong-gyu’s fifth run of the game.
Kim Dong-gyu then drove in Kim Hyun-soo with a fly to right field, and Shin was thrown out trying to steal second, ending the inning. In the bottom of the inning, Kiwoom called up right-handed sidearm reliever Yang Hyun to the mound.
The final line was two innings, four hits, one run, three walks and five runs. Out of a total of 49 pitches, she utilised her fastball (40 pitches), which was measured up to 148km/h, with a fork (5 pitches) and curve (4 pitches).
Kim Dong-kyu, who finished the job with his team trailing 2-5, will suffer his first career loss if Kiwoom fails to tie the game and loses this way. Yang Hyun added seven more runs in the bottom of the inning and Kiwoom is now 2-12 against LG.