KIA closer Jeong Hae-young (22) set another Tigers’ first record. On the 8th, against Samsung in Gwangju, he achieved his 20th save of the season by allowing 1 hit, 1 walk, and no runs in 1 inning. He made 20 saves for the third straight year, following 34 saves in 2021 and 32 in 2022.
This is the first pure Tigers record. Lim Chang-yong (retired) won with 26 saves in 1997, 34 saves in 1998, 38 saves in 1999, and 30 saves in 2000. He had 20 saves for the fourth straight year and 30 saves for the third straight year. However, since he went to Samsung in a trade in 1999, the Tigers' pure record is a 20-save closer for two consecutive years.
Last year, Jung Hae-young became the first Tigers player to make 30 saves for two consecutive years, and through the game on the 8th, he made 20 saves for at least three consecutive years for the Tigers. There were ups and downs throughout the first half of this year. Because of this, the Tigers' first 30 saves for three years in a row was lost. However, his 20 saves for the third straight year are also significant. It is not uncommon for a closer to make 20 saves for three consecutive years regardless of his or her affiliation.
Former coach Seon Dong-yeol has a strong image as the ‘strongest closer’, but surprisingly, he failed to make 20 saves for two consecutive years. He never had a 20-save season, except for 31 saves and 33 saves in 1993 and 1995. Instead, he had 20 wins three times and an earned run average below zero five times.
Jeong Hae-young had a title that even the Tigers' legendary senior pitchers did not have, but he actually had a calm face. Rather, he did not spare 'self-criticism'. “Today, I couldn’t block it cleanly and ended up struggling. Still, the defense helped. Not satisfied. “There are few satisfactory saves this year.”
What Jung Hae-young is worried about ultimately refers to the content of the pitch. In fact, out of 20 saves this season, 9 were won without putting a single runner on base. In the remaining 11 instances, the game ended without allowing a tie or a comeback after sending out one or more runners with at least a hit or walk. The game on the 8th also sent out two runners.
All saves are the same save. However, Jung Hae-young said, “You have to go comfortably, but he goes nervously. He recently talked about something with his father (former KIA head coach Jeong Hoe-yeol). “He needs to do well this season and start anew next year.” I'm planning for next year in a big way, but I think I need change.
The KBO League also seems to have an increasing number of fastball pitchers in the early 150km range. Jeong Hae-young, whose speed is in the early 140km range and who competes with vertical movement and ball rotation, tends to get foul cuts from batters a lot. However, if it is difficult to drastically increase speed, it is necessary to increase survivability by adding pitch types. Currently, Hae-Young Jeong mixes fastballs with splitters and sliders.