On the 13th, the last day of the first half. LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop had an interview with Casey Kelly (34). Kelly asked for an interview first, and Yeom prepared Kelly's data in the first half accordingly. He discussed with Kelly, presenting the ball mix and mis-put, which were disappointing parts in the first half, and the particularly high hit rate of certain pitches as data.
The answer was clear. Over the past few years, he has conquered the Korean stage with a variety of ball combinations, but diversity has become toxic this season. The batters hit long balls as if they saw through Kelly's ball combination. The change-up, which was used as a decisive ball against the left-handed batter, led to a timely hit. The four-seam fastball and change-up, which are paired with each other, increased significantly, recording hit rates of 0.330 and 0.349, respectively. Last year, the hit rates of the two pitches were 0.240 and 0.179, respectively.
It was the same in the last game of the first half against Hanwha in Daejeon on the 12th. At the top of the first inning with two outs and runners on first and second base, Kelly hit a two-run timely hit after a nine-ball match with Moon Hyun-bin. The change-up, which tried to induce a swing, flocked to the middle and led to a long hit. The nightmare of allowing six runs in 1.2 innings against Hanwha in Daejeon on the 11th of last month seemed to be coming again.
LG starter Kelly is listening to coach Kim Kyung-tae after allowing a timely hit to his opponent Park Byung-ho in the top of the fourth inning of the 2023 KBO League KT at Jamsil Baseball Stadium on the 6th.July 6, 2023. 스포츠토토탑
There were no nightmares. Trying to change the ball mix, he did not lose any more runs until the seventh inning. The ratio of changeups was lowered from the second inning. He quickly competed against the batter using four-seam, two-seam, and cut-fast ball sliders. It was also right to use curves rather than changeups as a decisive ball. He completed his mission with two runs in seven innings.
Before the interview with Kelly, head coach Yeom said, "The change-up has the highest hit rate since the second strike, and the probability of swinging is the lowest." In the end, for Kelly, change-up is not a decisive ball, he said. "We will discuss it by delivering these data to Kelly." "I think we need to change the pitching design, but we will talk about how to change it and how to use the change-up in the future," he said.
Kelly has established himself as the best foreign pitcher in LG history with diversity and sophistication. The five pitches were mixed freely, and the batters would stick their tongues out at Kelly's unpredictable ball mix. KT manager Lee Kang-chul said, "There are so many pitches. "Three of the five things are good enough to be used as a decider," Kelly said.
However, the number of games, innings, and pitches that accumulate nonstop came familiar to the opposing batters and the opposing power analysis part. Until the first half of this season, he played in 132 KBO League games and 804.1 innings. The number of pitches reached 12,444.
As much as the thickness of the accumulated data, the pros and cons have become clear. A habit that you don't know may have been exposed to the other person. He finished the first half of this year with a 4.44 ERA, which was 2.54 ERA in the 2022 season and 2.89 ERA in his career until last year. From the winning icon, expectations for a rebound and anxiety that it could collapse have been reduced to a pitcher.
It was the same three years ago. The 2020 season, when the opening was postponed to May due to COVID-19 and preparations for the season were also disrupted. Kelly struggled with a 4.38 ERA in the first half. However, he drew an upward curve again with a 2.57 ERA in the second half.
From August to November, he threw more than six innings in the last 13 games of the regular season, showing his strength with 11 wins and 1 loss. He also achieved one shutout victory that was not achieved in the U.S. The unusually long hair and beard became symbols of the ace, and fans began to be nicknamed "Jamsil Jesus."
LG finished first in the first half in 26 years since 1997. It's undeniable time to win. In order to make the possibility a reality, the resurrection of Jesus in Jamsil is necessary. The head coach and the club believe in his revival, dismissing the possibility of recruiting alternative foreign pitchers. Coach Yeom sat face to face with Kelly on the afternoon of the 13th, saying, "I'm looking forward to the second half."