The 2020 season was literally the worst year that did not match the image of an ‘eagle soaring high into the sky’. This is because it left the worst performance except for the first year in 1986, when it participated as the 7th team of the KBO League.
With 46 wins, 95 losses, 3 draws, and an odds rate of 0.326, it was the 7th lowest win rate in 34 years. Shocked by this, Hanwha officially declared team rebuilding in 2021, released a large number of veteran players and recruited coach Carlos Subero, who was evaluated as an expert in rebuilding in the United States. In addition, American coaches were appointed for all key positions in the coaching staff, such as pitcher and batting.
However, even the past two years먹튀검증 did not live up to expectations. In 2021, there were 12 draws without overtime due to Corona 19, but the win rate was still in the 30% range (49 wins, 83 losses, 12 draws, win rate 0.371), and even more so in the 2022 season. It was disastrous, and it fell to the lowest win rate (0.324, 46 wins, 96 losses, 2 draws), the most losses in history, and suffered the humiliation of being in last place for 3 consecutive years and 9th in total.
Accordingly, in preparation for the 2023 season, Hanwha recruited Chae Eun-seong for 6 years and 9 billion won, Lee Tae-tae for 4 years and 2.5 billion won, and Oh Seon-jin for 1+1 years and 400 million won as external free agents. Hesitantly sat down. In addition, outfielder Lee Myung-ki was accepted as a sign-and-trade. It’s like a power boost.
Despite this external blood transfusion, Hanwha is still a low-ranking candidate in the 2023 KBO League. This is because it is unreasonable to have the power to rise from the bottom for three consecutive years to the top ranks at once with only the recruitment of four outside power.
However, Hanwha has a corner to believe. They are Moon Dong-ju, a second-year student, and Kim Seo-hyun, a newcomer. Moon Dong-joo and Kim Seo-hyun are both so-called fire-bullers who can easily throw 156-158km, and are ‘special top prospects’.
2nd year Dongju Moon gave up 4 hits in 3 innings (1 home run), 2 walks, 4 strikeouts and 1 run against Daejeon Kiwoom Heroes on the 18th, followed by 4 hits in 4 innings, 4 hits, 7 strikeouts and 1 run against Sajik Lotte Giants on the 25th. He started on both occasions, giving up one run each. In the match against Kiwoom, Lee Jeong-hoo hit a superior home run in the first inning, and in the match against Lotte, in the second inning against Lotte, Noh Jin-hyeok allowed a sacrifice fly to left fielder in the second inning and conceded a run.
Moon Dong-ju, who has made a mark as a large-scale pitcher by throwing balls over 150 km since his childhood, left an average ERA of 5.65 with 1 win, 3 losses and 2 holds in 13 games last year, his first year as a pro. He’s below expectations. However, if you look closely, you can see that he has changed day by day.
He was mainly out of the bullpen in the first half. He focused on getting his professional feel in one or two innings. And he was a starter in his last four games. In his first start against Doosan on June 9, he only allowed 4 runs in 2 innings, but in the following 3 games, he pitched 5 innings each as a starting pitcher. He went 1-3 in 4 starts, with 8 earned runs in 17 innings, with an earned run average of 4.24.
And this year’s demonstration game, but after starting twice, the average ERA is 2.57 with 2 runs in 7 innings. In particular, against Lotte on the 25th, he threw a total of three fast balls with a maximum speed of 157 km, and his slider and changeup reached a maximum of 148 km. He struck out all three batters in the first inning, and from the second to the fourth inning, he sent all the lead batters out with hits and errors, but he struck out at every turn and showed his ability to manage crises with one run. It means that there is a certain way to run the game. It is not a native ace right away, but it showed a comparable appearance as a 4-5 starter.
To Dong-ju Moon, a new player who can be of great help to the bullpen came in. Kim Seo-hyun, who was selected as the first overall pick in the 2023 rookie draft, is the main character.
Kim Seo-hyun made his first professional appearance before the KIA Tigers on the 14th. He took the mound in the 8th inning behind 3-5 and showed a fast ball that reached 158 km, recording 1 inning, 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 strikeout and no runs. Then, in the match against Kiwoom on the 18th, when Moon Dong-ju, a 1-year senior, started, he went to the bullpen in the 4th inning in the 7th inning with a lead of 5-2, striking out 2 batters in 1 inning, striking out 2, and making the first hold.
And in the match against SSG on the 20th, in the 7th inning with a 5-0 lead, he gave up his first run with 2 hits, 1 walk, 1 strikeout and 1 run in 1 inning. Even in a crisis situation, Kim Seo-hyun still threw a fast ball over 150km. It was impressive how he never flinched.
In a press interview, Kim Seo-hyun also expressed her strong desire, “I want to finish with 50 saves.”
Looking at the pitch, of course, he is a starting pitcher, but Kim Seo-hyun is rather greedy as a closer. However, he is still more likely to play in the middle bullpen rather than closer.
If Moon Dong-joo is selected and Kim Seo-hyun is the finisher, it is a combination of the best fire-bullers ever in the KBO League. If this card succeeds, Hanwha can prepare an opportunity to escape from the lower ranks and jump to the upper ranks. When can we see this card?