“Choi Hyoung-woo 0-for-4, Díaz 1-for-6” ... KIA’s 156-km/h secret weapon against left-handed sluggers has a memory of that day

[Financial News] Just eight pitches were enough. Koo Ja-wook, Choi Hyoung-woo, Lewin Díaz. Their names alone strike fear into pitchers, yet the left-handed core of the Samsung Lions’ lineup went down with startling ease.

In a regular-season game against Samsung in Gwangju on Aug. 11, Lee Eui-lee of the Kia Tigers came on in relief in the top of the ninth with his team leading 3-1. Relying on a fastball that reached 156 km/h, he flawlessly retired Samsung’s key left-handed hitters and earned the first save of his career. It was a perfect three-up, three-down inning on just eight pitches, with no hits or walks. Now, about two months later, the memory of those eight pitches is proving to be a compelling playbook for KIA’s dugout ahead of the postseason.
The mountain KIA must climb in the playoffs (best-of-five) is Samsung’s trio of 100-RBI hitters. This season, the three left-handed sluggers Díaz (129 RBIs), Choi Hyoung-woo (106) and Koo Ja-wook (102) have combined for a remarkable 337 RBIs. If KIA cannot contain Díaz, whose power and run production are at their peak, and veteran Choi Hyoung-woo, who is eager to face his former team, the entire series could be thrown into turmoil.




Lee Eui-lee is unquestionably the ‘hidden card’ manager Lee Bum-ho can turn to in a key moment. Lee’s numbers against Samsung this season are intriguing. He posted a 3.24 ERA against them, second-best among the nine teams behind Doosan. He also dominated Koo Ja-wook (1-for-4), Díaz (1-for-6) and Choi Hyoung-woo (0-for-4). Against Samsung’s prized left-handed sluggers Choi and Díaz, he allowed just one hit in 10 at-bats, for a .100 batting average against.
In the Aug. 12 game, he also overpowered Choi Hyoung-woo with a 154-km/h fastball, striking him out swinging with two outs and runners at first and third in the eighth. It was the only stretch in which Lee, after moving to the bullpen and undergoing short-term training in Japan, showed his most positive changes in velocity and command.



Of course, his chronic command issues remain a concern. Under the pressure of the postseason, even allowing a single baserunner could lead to a devastating result. Lee Bum-ho would inevitably find it very difficult to entrust him with a long outing.
But changing how he is used can minimize that weakness. The idea is to deploy him intensively for a short but powerful stint against ‘the most dangerous batter’ or for ‘one inning’—when runners have reached base late in the game and the most dangerous left-handed hitter steps up. In fact, Lee Bum-ho reaped a handy reward when Lee Eui-lee got Park Hae-min, who had been in the best hitting form of the series, with two outs and the bases loaded in Game 3 of the Semi-Playoff against the LG Twins. It was proof that Lee Eui-lee could be used as a ‘clutch-moment sniper’ to stop the momentum in a short series.



The playoff stage is different from the regular season. Victory or defeat depends not on how many innings the starter pitches, but on who puts out the fire in a desperate crisis.
Lee Eui-lee is considered a key option, alongside Kwak Do-gyu, for facing Samsung’s left-handed hitters. KIA doesn’t need Lee Eui-lee as a starter to shoulder a long outing. The ‘156-km/h fastball reliever’ who overpowered the heart of the Lions with just eight pitches is waiting to take the mound in Daegu.

[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter