KIA officially announced on the 4th that it had announced a waiver for right-hander Adonis Medina (27), who was brought in with great expectations this year. Considering the unannounced transfer fee, it was a desperate betrayal of the expectations of a new foreign player who had virtually filled up the annual salary of 1 million dollars.
It was KIA that gave up renewing the contract after much consideration with two foreign pitchers (Sean Nolin and Thomas Panoni) who pitched relatively well ahead of this season. It was a stable card, but I didn’t see it as a ‘game changer’ that could drastically improve the team’s performance. Last year, there was a constant opinion that the pitch was not at a level that could overwhelm the opponent due to the lack of pitch, and accordingly, the digestion of innings was regrettable. It was an adventure, but it had a cause.
So this year, we recruited right-hander and strong thrower Sean Anderson and Medina, but one card failed. Medina, who was expected by some to be better than Anderson in the long run, had a combination of a two-seam with a speed of 150km and a slider with good movement. He was still young, so his growth potential was noteworthy. However, he failed to show his strengths properly amidst anxiety about control and game management.
Medina pitched 58 innings in 12 games for the season and had an average ERA of 6.05 with 2 wins and 6 losses. His batting average was high at 0.283. It was not a pitch with such a high hit rate, but in the end, it was evaluated that the command was shaken and the ability to cope with the situation was insufficient. He was also not solid during the psychological part of the game. Eventually, on June 21, after an early defeat against Hanwha in Daejeon (3 runs in 2 innings), he went down to the 2nd team and went through the withdrawal procedure.
KIA picked Mario Sanchez, who played in the Taiwan Pro League this year, as a new foreign pitcher and is in final negotiations. KIA coach Kim Jong-guk also admitted that negotiations with Sanchez would end soon ahead of the Incheon SSG game on the 4th (cancelled in rainy weather). It is known that the final stages of the transfer fee negotiations are currently underway. It is expected to be officially announced on the 6th at the latest. Sanchez was one of the best pitchers in the Taiwan League this year. He throws a fast ball that can reach 150 km, a curve, and a changeup well. Above all, his walk rate is low.
However, it is unclear whether Sanchez can become a ‘first starter’. He has no major league career, and his four-seam pitch is not overwhelming in the KBO League. His throwing line is said to be clean, and the level of other breaking balls other than the curve needs to be opened to know. In fact, finding a sense of ace in the substitute foreign player market is picking stars from the sky. KIA’s expectation should be seen as a right-hander ‘much better than Medina’.
So, the player who gets attention is Shawn Anderson, who survived. KIA, which is in ninth place, needs a foreign pitcher to play an active role, and Anderson must show his ability as a foreign ace to make it possible. Conversely, if this mission is impossible, Anderson can also be promoted as a replacement. Now I am standing between those boundaries.
In fact, he seemed capable of doing that share by April. He pitched well through April, going 3-2 with a 2.58 earned run average, pitching 38⅓ innings in 6 games. Inning digestion, pitch, and ERA were all passing points. However, he has been sluggish since then. The pitching balance was shaken, and the monotonous pattern of the four-seam fastball-slider was also pointed out. He was recruited under the evaluation that he could throw other pitches, but his reliance on the slider is too high.
However, it is ambiguous to decide to replace him. There are two reasons. Anderson’s pitching isn’t as bad as Medina’s. He also has fond memories of showing April. Crucially, there’s no guarantee he can bring a better pitcher than Anderson. These days, foreign scouts in the KBO League lament, “The seeds of players have dried up in the United States.” The amount of money available for replacement foreign players gradually decreases over time. At the level of 400,000 dollars, foreign players better than Anderson are not suitable. Or he should venture out altogether.토토사이트
Anderson recorded an ERA of 2.95 in three games in June after adjusting the pitching balance. In his first game in July, against Jamsil LG on the 2nd, he pitched not badly with 3 runs (2 earned runs) in 6 innings. KIA coach Kim Jong-guk also commented on Anderson’s pitching against Incheon SSG on the 4th (prior to cancellation of rain), “Honestly, I could have thrown a little better, but in a way, there are parts that we couldn’t help. It should be considered that he threw well.” In terms of evaluation or nuance, there is no coldness as much as the one that went to Medina.
However, it is clear that the uneasy part continues. The inning digestion was not as strong as in April, and the refreshing taste that overwhelmed the opponent was also lacking. Opponent batters persistently followed Anderson’s pitching pattern, increasing the number of pitches and the hit rate. Shim Jae-hak, head of the KIA, went to the United States with several tasks such as listing foreign players. It is noteworthy whether there will be a pitcher better than Anderson, and if so, whether KIA will make a bold decision.