“Thanks to your help.”
One of the records that excites baseball fans is the no-hitter. It means not giving up a single hit to the opposing team until the end of the game. It’s a testament to the power of a strong battery. While it’s impressive for a single pitcher to accomplish it (14 times), it’s no less impressive for a group of pitchers to do it together. It’s not an official record, but it has only happened twice in the history of the Korean Baseball Organization until last season. It was done by LG in October 2014 (against Jamsil NC) and SSG in April last year (against Changwon NC).
Lotte accomplished the elusive feat. It was on April 6 against SSG in Busan. Starting pitcher Aaron Wilkerson (7 innings), Koo Seung-min (1 inning), and Kim Won-joong (1 inning) pitched in relief. They pitched nine innings without allowing a hit and only two walks. A first for the club. Aside from the pitching staff, there was someone else who caught the eye: catcher Son Sung-bin (21). He wore a starting mask on this day. He held down the fort until he was replaced by Yoon Dong-hee in the eighth inning. Against the second-ranked SSG, he maintained a stable pitch mix and lead.
Son Sung-bin was drafted by Lotte in the first round of the 2021 draft. He doesn’t have much first-team experience. He appeared in 20 games in his rookie year before joining the Korean Armed Forces Athletic Corps (Commerce) to fulfill his military obligations. He was discharged in June and has played 21 games this year. He hasn’t even played 50 games yet, so he has a lot to work on. But his potential is clear. Most impressive are his strong shoulders. His throw to second base is in the mid-to-high 1.8s. His fastball sits in the mid-90s. He’s thrown out just one of six opponent stolen base attempts.
The hope. Lotte has been plagued by bullpen issues over the past few years. That’s why they signed outside free agent (FA) Yoo Kang-nam (4 years, 8 billion total) ahead of this season. Unfortunately, Yoo was sidelined late last month with a left adductor muscle injury. He will be out for two to three weeks to recover. It was a big blow in the middle of a tight race. The youngest member of the team’s rebellion is something to look forward to as the team is once again faced with a catcher problem. It’s also a confidence booster. It’s also worth noting the system of competition with Jung-in-geun.스포츠토토
He is determined. “Even when I wasn’t on the field, I talked a lot with (battery) coach Choi Kyung-chul. We analyzed the reactions of the opposing batters, their condition, and which pitches they hit well,” he said. “Even during the game, Coach Kyung-chul gave me a lot of coaching on ball placement, and Wilkerson didn’t shake his head and threw what he signed up for,” he said. “Above all, I think the fact that I was able to perfect my pitches on the course I was asked to do led to my good record,” Son said with a bright smile.