It was Kim Young-woo if he won, but Heo Jun-hyuk and KKK in the 50th to 9th inning.From the practice game to the regular season. Why LG's bullpen's strong ball drive?

Mar 02, 2025

LG Huh Joon-hyuk is pitching hard in a practice game between LG and Samsung at Akama Stadium in Okinawa, Japan, on the 1st. Okinawa (Japan) = Reporter Heo Sang-wook wook@sportschosun.com /2025.03.01/

LG Kim Young-woo, who took the mound in the bottom of the ninth inning, is pitching hard in a practice game between LG and KIA at Kin Stadium in Okinawa, Japan, on the 27th. Okinawa (Japan) = Reporter Heo Sang-wook wook@sportschosun.com /2025.02.27/

LG Jung Woo-young is pitching hard in the bottom of the third inning in a practice game between LG and KIA at Kin Stadium in Okinawa, Japan, on the 27th. Okinawa (Japan) = Reporter Heo Sang-wook wook@sportschosun.com /2025.02.27/

[Okinawa (Japan) = Reporter Kwon In-ha of Sports Chosun] We're losing, but the winning team comes out and the closing pitcher takes the mound. He is winning, but young pitchers come out one after another.

This is a scene that can be seen in practice games and exhibition games.

However, this practice game between the LG Twins is different. He is running the bullpen in real-world mode.

Most teams usually set the order, innings, and limit number of pitches for pitchers to throw in practice games. After the starter pitched two innings, bullpen pitchers threw one inning each. So, you can know who comes out in advance every inning, and the players also receive delivery through pre-match meetings and prepare accordingly.

You can see from the Samsung Lions' mound operation against the LG Twins on the 1st. After starting left-hander Lee Seung-hyun pitched two innings, Hwang Dong-jae, Lee Jae-ik, Yuk Sun-yeop, Lee Seung-hyun (right-hander), Kim Tae-hoon and Kim Jae-yoon each pitched one inning. Right-handers Lee Seung-hyun, Kim Tae-hoon, and closer Kim Jae-yoon, who are in the must-win group, took the mound and threw the ball while losing 0-5. This is because the players are asked to take the mound according to their schedules regardless of victory or defeat or game conditions.

But LG was different. Pitchers who will take the mound. In other words, there are certain pitchers in the game group, but there is no set order for them to take the mound. The game situation determines the mound. It operates as it does in the actual regular season.

Kim Young-woo is a good example. Kim Young-woo waited as the closing pitcher in his first practice game against the KIA Tigers on Feb. 27. Even if LG is losing on this day, Kim Young-woo is expected to take the mound at the bottom of the ninth inning as they agreed in advance to attack KIA in the bottom of the ninth inning. LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop also said, `Kim Young-woo will take the mound in the ninth inning.'

However, Kim Young-woo thought he would not take the mound when he was losing 0-1. I didn't get any notice in advance that I was going to appear in the 9th episode. Later, it was tied 1-1 in the seventh inning and 3-1 in the eighth inning, and only then did he prepare to take the mound as a closing pitcher after being instructed to warm up by the coaching staff and finished with three outs in the ninth inning to save.

LG Woo Kang-hoon is pitching hard in a practice game between LG and KIA at Kin Stadium in Okinawa, Japan, on the 27th. Okinawa (Japan) = Reporter Heo Sang-wook wook@sportschosun.com /2025.02.27/

LG Lee Woo-chan is pitching hard in a practice game between LG and KIA at Kin Stadium in Okinawa, Japan, on the 27th. Okinawa (Japan) = Reporter Heo Sang-wook wook@sportschosun.com /2025.02.27/

LG Shim Chang-min is pitching hard in a practice game between LG and KIA at Kin Stadium in Okinawa, Japan, on the 27th. Okinawa (Japan) = Reporter Heo Sang-wook wook@sportschosun.com /2025.02.27/

In the match against Samsung on the 1st, coach Yeom also said "If you lead, Kim Young-woo will take the mound at the end of the ninth inning." And LG started the bottom of the ninth inning with a 5-0 lead, but the pitcher who took the mound was Heo Jun-hyuk, not Kim Young-woo. Since it is not a save situation, he posted Heo Jun-hyuk, not Kim Young-woo. In a margin of five points, Heo Jun-hyuk struck out all three batters and finished the game.

Of course, the starting pitchers are taking the mound according to their schedule.

The reason why LG makes bullpen pitchers according to the situation without setting the order in advance is because it is a situation where bullpen pitchers have to be raised.

Yoo Young-chan and Ham Deok-ju will not be available until the middle of the season, and Lee Jung-yong will only return from Sangmu in mid-June, so there is no room in the bullpen. Jang Hyun-sik, Kim Kang-ryul, and existing setup man Kim Jin-sung, who were brought to the FA, will have to take the bullpen frame and Jung Woo-young, Baek Seung-hyun, and Park Myung-geun will have to establish themselves as a must-win group. In addition, young players such as Woo Kang-hoon and Kim Young-woo and veteran players such as Shim Chang-min, Lee Woo-chan and Kim Dae-hyun can create a strong bullpen.

It is not meaningless to go as set, but to prepare for the regular season by taking the mound suitable for one's position depending on the situation even if it is a practice game. If you build confidence by taking a successful mound in practice and exhibition games and continue a good atmosphere in the regular season based on this, you can completely transform the bullpen, which was unstable last year.

The result was good. LG came from behind to win 3-1 against KIA on the 27th with only two hits, and in the match against Samsung on the 1st, it gave up two hits only to Kim Ji-chan and won 5-0.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.