After an 11-game winning streak in July, the Doosan Bears have been on a downward spiral and have been unable to hold on to fifth place.
As of the 30th, Doosan has 54 wins, 1 draw and 53 losses (0.505) and is 0.5 games behind the fifth-place KIA Tigers. After winning both games against the Gocheok Kiwoom Heroes on the 22nd and 24th, Doosan turned things around with a win against the SSG Landers in Jamsil on the 25th, but lost to SSG on the 26th and 27th to fall into a two-game losing streak.
The biggest problem is the mound. With the exception of foreign pitcher Raul Alcantara and homegrown ace Kwak Bin, who have been pitching consistently well in the starting lineup, many pitchers have been injured or struggling. The struggling Choi Won-jun has been reassigned to the bullpen, while Kim Dong-joo and Kim Min-kyu, who were given starting opportunities, are effectively out of contention. Left-hander Choi Seung-yong, who had been the fifth starter, was sent down to the second team with blisters on his left middle finger.
The bullpen is also in trouble. Hong Gun-hee, who was dropped to the closer’s spot, is still not performing at 100 percent, and Chung Chul-won, who was moved from setup man to closer, has also struggled. The rest of the pitchers, including Park Chi-guk and Kim Myung-shin, are also in poor shape.
The good news is that the batting lineup is getting closer to being ‘complete’. Several players have returned from injury. Catcher Yang Yang-ji and outfielder Jeong Soo-bin have both returned, giving the team a boost. Moreover, the absence of veterans made the gap even bigger for Doosan.
“The good news is that Kim Jae-ho continues to perform well, Yang Ji-soo wears the catcher’s mask normally, and Jeong Soo-bin is back to batting first and playing center field,” said Doosan manager Lee Seung-yeop after the team’s away game against the LG Twins was canceled due to rain on the 29th.
In the mid-2010s, young players in their mid-to-late 20s were now middle-aged and expected to lead the younger members of the team. The coaching staff is counting on the veterans, as they have not only played fall ball for years, but have experienced both the highs and lows of the team.스포츠토토
“I think the veterans know how to handle the game and how to handle the younger guys when it gets tough, so I don’t think we’ve really had to tell them anything, and I don’t think we need to. I think we’re just going to have to trust them and let them do it in practice and in games.”
Outfielder Jung Soo-bin was nicknamed “Autumn Soo-bin” and “Jung Ga-young” (Jung Soo-bin’s autumn hero), and he was especially strong in the fall. Coach Lee Seung-yeop said, “They say he’s so strong (in the fall), so I’ll expect more from him.” “I think physical fitness management became natural when he was sidelined with a thigh injury. Even when I was out with an injury, I was in good shape, so I went out as a substitute and designated hitter. I don’t have any problems with my physical condition.”