Lotte’s Jin Seung-hyun, best known as the son of former catching legend and Kia head coach Jin Gap-yong, has been pitching a perfect game in June, posting a 0.00 ERA.
A second-round pick of Lotte last year after graduating from Kyungpook High School, Jin made 10 appearances in his rookie year, going winless with a 9.00 ERA. This year, he has been even more reliable. In six appearances, he is winless with a 3.68 ERA. In seven and a third innings, he allowed just one walk. He’s struck out seven.
Notably, he hasn’t allowed a single run this month. On the 9th, he was the second pitcher in the eighth inning after starter Na Kyun-ahn at Daegu Samsung Electronics and threw two clean innings. Lotte, which had been struggling with pitching availability at the time, was pleased with Jin’s multi-inning outing.
“It was a very impressive pitching performance. Jin Seung-hyun is growing every time he pitches. His pitches are good and his mound presence and confidence have grown. We had a limited bullpen and he pitched well.” Manager Larry Sutton said.
“I don’t dwell on it, I just throw my pitches and work hard in the situation,” Seung-hyun Jin said of his June scoreless streak.
I was curious to know the secret behind the noticeable drop in strikeouts. “I’m paying more attention to my pitches than I am to my control. Even if I throw a fastball, if it’s in the middle of the plate, it’s bound to get hit. I try to throw it to the corners as much as possible.” He also said, “Senior (Yoo) Kang and senior (Park) Se-woong have given me a lot of good advice, which is helping me a lot. I can’t disclose the specifics because it’s a trade secret.”
Thanks to the guidance of pitching coach Bae Young-soo and bullpen coach Kang Young-sik, the power of his curveball has also improved. “I used to miss a lot when I threw my curveball, but with the tips from Coach Bae Young-soo and Coach Kang Young-sik, I definitely improved,” he said.
Seung-hyun, who speaks to his father, head coach Jin Gap-yong, every day, said, “He always praises me for doing well. Even when I’m not doing well. He emphasizes that I should play more confidently and not avoid the ball because it’s good.” 토토사이트
Jin Seung-hyun had a ceremony with Yoo Kang-nam after the match on the 9th. Head coach Jin mimicked the victory ritual after a save with Oh Seung-hwan, the “end zone captain” at Samsung. “I’ve always wanted to do it (if I had the chance),” he said, “and even though it wasn’t a save situation, it was refreshing to do it once because I finished the game.
“Like all players, my goal is to finish the season with the first team without any injuries. Personally, I want to record an ERA in the three-run range. I’m a second-year pitcher, so I have to do well.”