“People have changed.”
LG coach Yeom Gyeong-yeop left this story after winning the KIA game in Gwangju on the 28th and briefly passing by the reporters. Lim Chan-gyu this season is really not the Lim Chan-gyu of previous years. On this day, he won 5 wins (1 hold) of the season with 4 hits, 5 strikeouts and no runs in 7 innings. He dropped his earned run average to 1.97.안전놀이터
Lim Chan-gyu is not superior in terms of physique or ball speed. Director Yeom Gyeong-yeop emphasized that in the future, Lim Chan-gyu should pay attention to the first pitch and furthermore to become a finesse pitcher. Lim Chan-kyu is no longer greedy for speed.
According to Stats, a baseball statistics website, this season Lim Chan-gyu uses 42.1% of fastballs, 32.9% of changeups, 18.4% of curveballs, and 6% of sliders. He increased the proportion of changeups and decreased the proportion of sliders compared to last year. He especially started to use his changeup toward the body of right-handed hitters as well. As his inside fastball started to dominate, he reached a situation where he induced a hit with his changeup.
Lim Chan-gyu said, “The ratio by pitch type is meaningless. It depends on the quality of my ball, my condition, and the opponent hitters. Dong-Won tells his older brother to loosen up and throw. This is because throwing it with force when it is good can have the opposite effect. The curve and changeup seem good to me.”
In the past, Lim Chan-kyu only used half of the strike zone. “I threw a lot out there. I didn’t even throw a fastball toward the body.” It’s different now. He said, “It is practice. Even in two-ball, he boldly throws toward his body. Since he throws his changeup on the same trajectory, he is easily fooled. He needs to practice more.”
He pays attention to commands, throws, and starts using both the inside and outside, and rarely gives up the initiative in a match with a hitter. He also pays attention to commands, so his speed naturally rises slightly. Lim Chan-gyu’s fastball speed was 147 km that day. He averaged up to 143 km. He averaged more than 140.7 km this season.
Director Yeom Kyung-yeop said, “I adjusted the mechanics. His two-seam is good and the ball doesn’t stray too far from the strike zone. Trying to win in the zone. If you look at the pitching mechanic, it is a mechanic that can improve command. As sliders and curves get better, they get better. If he averages 145 km/h, he will be a better pitcher. He only needs to climb an average of 2 km more, but I think he just needs to keep working hard and practicing.”
Lim Chan-gyu started this season as an alternate starter and long relief. However, due to Lee Min-ho’s injury, he quietly took over the position, and now he has become a clear 3rd starter, following Casey Kelly and Adam Plutko. Kim Yun-sik also has a poor pace compared to last year, so it is still LG’s Achilles’ heel that the 4th and 5th starters lose weight slightly. Even so, it is clear that Lim Chan-kyu’s presence will be a great help to LG, which dreams of ‘happy autumn’.