The professional baseball team Lotte Giants has seen a rise in rankings in April, becoming the 'glorious spring team.' On the first day of May, they continued their three-game winning streak, leaping to a tie for second place. They are now just 1.5 games behind the leader, LG Twins.
Lotte had struggled after the season opener, ending March with a record of 2 wins, 5 losses, and 1 tie, placing them 9th. However, they began to gain momentum in mid-April, recording 16 wins and 8 losses throughout the month, tying for first place overall with Hanwha Eagles.
Kim Tae-hyung, the manager of Lotte, noted on the 1st at the Gocheok Sky Dome that their performance in April was tied for first place in response to the media's remark. "The batting lineup is improving. And we have encountered some weaker teams. It’s important to secure wins against those teams, so it's crucial to accumulate as many wins as possible," he said.
Lotte secured two wins early in April against Hanwha when their batting lineup was struggling. However, they suffered losing series against Doosan Bears (1 win, 2 losses) and KIA Tigers (1 win, 2 losses), dropping as low as 9th place.
They later rebounded with a winning record against NC Dinos (2 wins, 1 loss) and swept the three-game series against Kiwoom Heroes. Riding a winning streak, Lotte recorded 2 wins and 1 loss against Samsung Lions, 1 win and 1 loss against Hanwha, and 2 wins and 1 loss against Doosan. At the end of April, they faced the last-place Kiwoom again and secured 2 more wins. They achieved a perfect record of 5 wins against Kiwoom in April. Looking at the matchup, the statement that 'we encountered some weaker teams' seems accurate.
Even with favorable matchups, solidifying victories against weaker teams is the hallmark of a strong team. Manager Kim remarked, "In the first game on the 29th, I rarely call for a bunt in the 2nd inning, but in this situation (first and second bases with no outs while trailing 0-1), I thought that if we bunted, we might at least score one point and turn the game around, which would make it easier for our players to perform. That’s why I called for the bunt." It was unusual to see a bunt in the 2nd inning from Kim, who generally prefers aggressive plays, particularly early in the game, indicating a strong desire to win.
At that time, Son Ho-young successfully executed a sacrifice bunt, creating a scoring chance with one out on second and third bases. Yoo Kang-nam hit a two-RBI double, turning the game around to 2-1. An hit by Jeon Min-jae followed, leading to a chance on first and third bases with one out, and Hwang Seong-bin's ground ball added another run, extending the lead to 3-1. The players well executed Manager Kim's intentions. Lotte did not falter in the early momentum, winning 9-3.
Kim emphasized, "While making comebacks can be difficult, we are gradually changing things as the players' batting improves. However, we still lag slightly in pitching compared to the opponents, and we need to navigate that well."
The early-season ranking competition does not hold much significance. It would be preferable to remain in the upper ranks until the serious ranking battles commence in the summer. Kim said, "I’m not concerned about the ranking. We have injured players and issues with our 4th and 5th starters. (Kim) Jin-wook is out due to injury, and it's crucial how well our starting pitchers perform upon their return. Although we are performing well in the standings right now, it's not that important."
During the nine-game stretch, Lee Min-seok is preparing as a substitute starter. Kim mentioned, "After a bullpen day, we have to make sure to switch at least two pitchers the following day. We are considering Lee Min-seok as a substitute starter since Yoon Sung-bin is not feeling well. Jin-wook was supposed to be used as much as possible on the scheduled days, but reports from the second team suggest that 'it's not a good time to use him.' I plan to continue with Park Jin as the 5th starter and manage the pitching accordingly."
Lotte won 5-0 against Kiwoom on the 1st in Gocheok. Starting pitcher Davidson led the victory with a perfect performance, allowing 3 hits, 1 walk, and striking out 6 over 7 innings without giving up a run. The batting lineup scored the first run with Na Seung-yeop's two-RBI clutch hit in the first inning with no outs and the bases loaded. They further secured additional points with stolen bases in the 8th and 9th innings, leading 3-0.
Lotte will have a three-game series against NC at their home ground in Sajik starting on the 2nd. They have announced Na Kyu-an as the starting pitcher. NC's starting pitcher will be Choi Sung-young.
[OSEN]