I got through the curve that I learned from the interpreter. El Dong-won, with fighting spirit and emotion, will he overcome KIA Nail, Samsung Reyes, and Furado as a steady starting ace now

Jan 01, 2025

3rd playoff game between LG and Samsung at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 17th. Hernandez, who defended the victory by striking out three batters in the ninth inning, is cheering. Jamsil = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2024.10.17/

3rd playoff game between LG and Samsung at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 17th. LG Hernandez, Austin, and Park Dong-won, who won 1-0, are delighted. Jamsil = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2024.10.17/

In Game 3 of the playoffs held at Jamsil Baseball Stadium on the 17th, LG won 1-0. Hernandez and Park Dong-won cheering after the game. Jamsil = Reporter Heo Sang-wook wook@sportschosun.com /2024.10.17/

L Dongwon's renewal was natural. His performance in the semi-playoff against KT Wiz was impressive.

Eliaser Hernandez was the starting pitcher who left and brought in Casey Kelly, a former foreign pitcher representing the LG Twins. The shock was bound to be great if he failed.

In the regular season, there was a regret as strengths and weaknesses were revealed. But his status in the postseason has risen tremendously.

For a team with a weak bullpen, he went to the bullpen and showed his fighting spirit to take the mound in all five semi-PO games against KT. In particular, in Game 3, when closing pitcher Yoo Young-chan was sluggish after hitting a home run, he took the mound and defended his team's victory. Hernandez, who threw seven ⅓ innings and 117 balls in five games in seven days, became the top contributor to LG's advance to the playoffs with two saves and one hold average of 0.00.

LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop said after the semi-PO, `The MVP in my heart is Hernandez,' adding `I think Hernandez's heart was passed on to our players, so our players were able to play harder and advance to the playoffs. Hernandez played a huge role in leading the overall atmosphere."

Of course, he pursued renewing his contract and renewed his contract for a total of $1.3 million ($300,000 down payment, $800,000 in annual salary, $200,000 in incentives).

LG will recruit new foreign pitcher Yonny Chirinos along with Hernandez and try to win the title with four stable starters, including Hernandez-Chirinos' one-two punch and Lim Chan-kyu-Son Joo-young's first and second starters in Korea.

However, Hernandez's regular season start last year is not without worries. Hernandez sprayed various breaking balls on the fastball around 150km and saw the possibility of success as a style pitcher suitable for the KBO league due to his good ball control. He showed good pitching at the beginning of his recruitment.

3rd playoff game between LG and Samsung at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 17th. Hernandez, who took the mound after one out in the sixth inning and kept the 1-0 victory without losing a point, is cheering. Jamsil = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2024.10.17/

3rd playoff game between LG and Samsung at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 17th. Hernandez, who took the mound after one out in the sixth inning, is pitching by starter Lim Chan-kyu, who pitched scoreless. Jamsil = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2024.10.17/

LG Hernandez is pitching hard in Game 3 of the playoffs between Samsung and LG at Jamsil Baseball Stadium on the 17th. Jamsil = Reporter Heo Sang-wook wook@sportschosun.com /2024.10.17/

However, he pitched almost no-heater-class until the third inning, but after the batting order turned around, he was hit by batters and especially allowed long balls. The hit rate from the first to the third innings was only 186, but it increased significantly to 293 in the sixth inning of the fourth ￣. The slugging percentage was 0.302 in the first ￣ and three times, but increased to 0.453 in the fourth ￣ and six times.

Coach Yeom predicted Hernandez's chances for next season through the postseason. At the time, coach Yeom said "I think the addition of a curve is working as I raise the arm angle, more restraint came out." Hernandez asked Jeong Jong-min, an interpreter who plays social baseball, for a curve grip and was throwing a curve with that grip. Jung Jong-min learned the curve from Lim Chan-kyu, and as a result, Hernandez is throwing Lim Chan-kyu's curve.

The foreign starting lineup of KIA Tigers and Samsung Lions, which LG has to compete for the championship, is also strong. KIA re-signed James Nail, the No. 1 ERA, and recruited Adam Oler, a new foreign pitcher who played eight games in the Major League last year. Samsung re-signed Denny Reyes, who served as an ace with 11 regular season wins, two playoff wins and one Korean Series win, and recruited Ariel Furado, who won 10 games for the Kiwoom Heroes, to have a strong one-two punch.

For LG, which has to face them, Hernandez should lead well in front of them. If 'El Dong-won' shows its true value even in the starter, not in the bullpen, it can also be expected to regain the championship.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.