Professional baseball has changed with the return of Ryu Hyun-jin Ryu, who opens at five stadiums across the country today , returns against LG for his first win since his professional debut. Chae Eun-seong, expected to have 10 or more wins and 2 earned runs this year, says, “If I don’t make it to the top 5, I’ll have to go to Taean Sea.” LG-KT-KIA are among the top three favorites, and Doosan and Lotte are likely to compete for the top five as well.
“Our team’s starting pitcher for the opening game is Ryu Hyun-jin, who ‘doesn’t exist on any other team.’”
Hanwha coach Choi Won-ho said this at the 2024 Korean Professional Baseball Media Day held at the Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 22nd. Ryu Hyun-jin, who returned to the domestic stage after 12 years wearing his home team's Hanwha uniform last month, will start the regular season opening game against LG at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 23rd. It has been 12 years since Ryu Hyun-jin's starting pitch in the opening game of the Korean professional baseball season since 2012, the year before he advanced to the United States. Ryu Hyun-jin played in the Major League Baseball (MLB) for 11 years from 2013 to last year, leaving a record of 78 wins, 48 losses, 1 save, and an ERA of 3.27.
Ryu Hyun-jin's return is considered a variable that will shake up the entire professional baseball landscape this season. Over the past five years until last season, Hanwha ranked 9th, 10th, 10th, 10th, and 9th out of 10 teams. However, this year, with Ryu Hyun-jin joining, Hanwha is evaluated as a 'top 5' force by most experts. KBSN commentator Jang Seong-ho said, “Even before Ryu Hyun-jin arrived, Hanwha’s young players were steadily growing and their power was improving. “With Ryu Hyun-jin joining us, we quickly became a top 5 team,” he said. Commissioner Jang also said, “Kim Gwang-hyun, who played in MLB, led the team to the Korean Series championship as soon as he returned to SSG in 2022, and Ryu Hyun-jin is a pitcher who performed much better than Kim Gwang-hyun in MLB.”
With Ryu Hyun-jin taking over as the first starter, Hanwha now has a strong 1st to 4th starters, including two foreign pitchers, Ricardo Sanchez and Felix Peña, and last year's rookie of the year, Moon Dong-ju. SPOTV commentator Seo Jae-eung said, “Although the contract with Hanwha was late, Ryu Hyun-jin has really built up his body well. “He will be able to win at least 10 games this year and have an earned run average in the 2-point range,” he predicted. Commissioner Seo said, “It is clear that Hanwha has the power to compete for a place in the top 5, but its offensive power must be supported in order to stably advance to the top 5. “In particular, the ranking will rise and fall depending on the performance of the table setter who sets the table.”
It is also unfortunate that Ryu Hyun-jin's opponent in his return match is LG. Ryu Hyun-jin earned his first win in his debut against LG in Jamsil on April 12, 2006, when he was a rookie, pitching 7 1/3 innings, allowing 3 hits, no runs, and 10 strikeouts. It was against LG on May 11, 2010 that he recorded 17 strikeouts, his personal highest in one game. Ryu Hyun-jin, who has a total of 98 wins in the domestic league, won 22 wins (8 losses) against LG. His average ERA against LG is 2.36.
The Hanwha team is also feeling confident. Hanwha captain Chae Eun-seong said at Media Day, “Our goal is fourth place. “If we don’t make it to the top 5 this year, the seniors have decided to swim in the waters off Taean in December,” he said jokingly. LG will select newly recruited foreign pitcher Dietrick Enns as the starter in the opening game against Hanwha.
This season's top three, as unanimously chosen by experts, are 'defending champion' LG, last year's runner-up team KT, and KIA, with new coach Lee Beom-ho at the helm. All three teams have a thick player base and a solid mound.
Doosan and Lotte are also evaluated as having the potential to compete for the top five. Doosan set an undefeated record for the third time in history with 8 wins and 1 draw in this year's exhibition games. Lotte, with coach Kim Tae-hyung as its new head coach, can also aim for the top rankings if it gets on a good trend. Commissioner Seo said, “So far, Lotte has not been able to achieve good results due to a lack of cohesion compared to its power. “But this year, Coach Kim’s strong leadership will bring about big changes in the players.” While Coach Kim was the head coach of Doosan, he made it to the Korean Series for seven consecutive years and won three of them. 일본야동
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