Every time I take the mound, I pitch with the resolve that it is the last inning.
Professional baseball Samsung Lions pitcher Kim Dae-ho is playing the role of filling the starting gap left by foreign pitcher Denny Reyes, who was removed from the first team roster due to symptoms of inflammation in his right shoulder.
On the 19th, Kim Dae-ho pitched well against the Daegu Lotte Giants, achieving 2⅔ innings, allowing 2 hits, 3 walks, striking out 2, and not allowing any runs. At that time, Manager Park Jin-man praised him, saying, "He effectively handled the lineup rotation as we expected. Thanks to that, the mound operations went smoothly as planned."
Reflecting on his appearance against Lotte on the 19th, Kim Dae-ho said, "Compared to my first start of the season (March 27 against Daegu NC), my control has improved, and I have gained confidence in my pitches. I had been preparing well in the Futures League, and it went well as planned."
He added, "Every time I take the mound, I pitch with the resolve that it is the last inning. I am trying to pitch confidently, even if I get hit, to feel it for myself, in order to adapt to the ABS system."
In the 3rd inning, with a significant lead of 7-0 and 2 outs, Kim Dae-ho was replaced by left-hander Lee Seung-min. There must have been a strong sense of regret about his first win debut. He stated, "In fact, since the score difference is large, I had a desire for winning pitcher. To win, I have to take responsibility for many innings. I’m disappointed, but I will do my best in the next game."
Taking on the role of replacing Denny Reyes as the starter also means that the club has high expectations. Kim Dae-ho said, "I still have many areas that are lacking. I need to provide definite trust. Many people have high expectations, and I have to perform well to meet them. I will work hard to become a pitcher who continuously improves and develops by addressing my shortcomings."
Kim Dae-ho will face NC Dinos again on the 25th. In their first confrontation of the season, he left with regrets after pitching 3⅔ innings, allowing 6 hits (1 home run), 3 walks, striking out 4, and giving up 4 runs (3 earned). He is eager for redemption, saying, "I plan to focus on the areas I lacked during my first start and pitch confidently, trusting my own pitches. At that time, I lacked faith in my own throws."
Having yet to enjoy the joy of his first win on the first team, he said, "Sometimes I dream about achieving my first win. I’ve even had dreams of pitching 5 innings without allowing any runs and coming off the mound." It is said that dreams come true. Will Kim Dae-ho's earnest wish become a reality?
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