Over the course of five years, he’s seen a lot of foreign players come and go, and while he doesn’t deny the reality of the situation, he’s determined to stick to what he can do and believes there will be a happy ending in the end. Year 5 of the KBO League. LG starting pitcher Casey Kelly (34), who is having a particularly tough season, opened up about the reason for his slump.
On April 28, Kelly threw 101 pitches in a game against Doosan in Jamsil, giving up two runs on eight hits and zero walks in seven innings with three strikeouts. His pitch count was high, but he settled down as the innings went on. He limited his curveball after two strikes in the third inning, which was an issue early in the game, as it was getting into the strike zone and leading to hits. He also threw a curveball that induced swings and misses, but he stayed on the mound.
With Kelly winning the start against Alcantara, LG defeated Dusan 9-2. Kelly picked up his seventh win of the season. Here’s what Kelly had to say after the game.
-It’s been a while since you’ve spoken to the media after a win.
It’s always nice to win. We got the team win, which is the most important thing, and I pitched my best. It was a satisfying, uplifting game.
-You’re having an unusually tough season. I heard that you had a meeting with the coach and I know that you are trying to make a breakthrough in many ways. What are you focusing on to get out of your slump?
I think the most important thing is to believe in myself, that’s the first solution. Obviously, this season hasn’t gone the way I wanted it to. The more so, the harder I have to work on my training and prepare better for the matches. I think I have to stick to what I need to do, no matter when I start.
Of course, I also thought about the problems with my pitches. I don’t think it’s a matter of pitching mechanics or technique. I think it’s more of a mental thing, so I’m trying to work on that.
-If you’ve been playing in the KBO for five years, you’ve seen a lot of foreign players come and go. Foreign players always have to do well. Didn’t you feel this season that it’s difficult to survive?
Baseball is a business after all. That’s why I understand that teams replace foreign players. No team wants to lose. Every team is trying to win. If they need to replace foreign players to win, they should do it. But I’ve been playing here at LG for five years. I’m throwing the ball in front of great teammates, a great ballpark, and great fans. I’m grateful for that and will always be very grateful.
-The manager and general manager have always put their trust in me. They said they’re going to go the whole season without replacing him. How do these words mean to you?
I don’t really know what the article says because I don’t read Korean very well, but I’ve had a couple casual meetings with the coach and the general manager, and they’ve both been very supportive. They’ve said, ‘Go out there and do what you can do, and you’ll be fine,’ and I’m grateful for that.
-What was the cause of your self-reported slump?
I don’t think it’s my fastball, it’s my curveball and slider not working. I wasn’t throwing strikes when I needed strikes, and I wasn’t getting swings and misses when I needed to get swings and misses. I think that’s why I struggled. During the All-Star break, I worked on my curveball and slider. I think I’ve been getting better since the last SSG, and I think I was better today. If I want to do better in the second half, I need to make sure I throw my curveball and slider.
-In his five years in the KBO, Kelly has thrown a lot of pitches and faced a lot of hitters. I feel like hitters have gotten used to him a lot. There are a lot of times this year when you throw a curveball and they seem to anticipate it. Do you feel that way yourself?
I think it’s just a matter of throwing the ball the way I want to. The hitters I’m facing in the first team now are all professionals. If I get two strikes and throw a curveball in the low zone, they know it and hit it. That’s how most of the at-bats I had today went, so to do well in the second half, I have to be more precise and throw the pitches I want. You have to throw a curveball that’s so far away that they’re not going to swing at it. 꽁머니사이트
-Getting to the Korean Series, something they’ve wanted for the past four years. And to have the closest season to a championship. Kelly’s rebound in the second half of the season will be crucial to achieving your goals, what are your thoughts on that?
I don’t have any big plans, I just want to focus on one game at a time and do well. I believe that focusing on each moment instead of looking too far ahead will lead to good results. We have a very good squad right now. The atmosphere is good. We keep it light and fun, but when we’re focused, we’re scary focused. I feel like we’re all playing for each other. If we do our best every time we step out on the field, we’ll get to where we want to be.
You’ve had your struggles this year, but you’ve played well in all three games against Doosan until today. Is there a special secret?
I don’t think there’s a special secret, it just feels special to play with Doosan and it’s more fun to play baseball with them. We know each other well, so it’s fun to play against them. Most of all, there’s a special atmosphere with Doosan because they have a lot of spectators. I love pitching against Doosan, it’s special.
(Austin Dean joined the press afterward, and the press invited him to ask a question).
-People don’t seem to like the LG first baseman because he’s so angry and mean. What do you have to say about that as a pitcher (Austin)?
Yeah. The LG first baseman is very angry and excited, but Oh Ji-hwan and Kim Hyun-soo try to calm him down a lot. Thanks to that, he seems to be in control.