Although a solid pitching rotation and bullpen is crucial in producing a winning team, without a balanced lineup and adequate run-support for the pitchers, a team will struggle.

The KIA Tigers is a perfect example of a team struggling due to unbalanced pitching and batting. Kia arguably boasts the strongest pitching lineup in the eight-team Korea Baseball Organization. However, its batting stats are nothing to be proud of as they are last in almost every category.

Over the weekend against the Samsung Lions in Gwangju, Yang Hyun-jong pitched eight scoreless innings to produce a 1-0 win on Sunday. The day before, Yoon Suk-min gave up a single run in nine innings but the team lost 2-1. The team’s ERA is currently 3.16, good enough to tie them for first with the SK Wyverns.

Kia boasts an impressive six-man pitching rotation consisting of Yoon Suk-min, Yang Hyun-jong, Seo Jae-weong, Kwak Jung-chul, Rick Guttormson and Aquilino Lopez. The bullpen is also solid with Yoo Dong-hoon and Han Ki-joo.

The problem is the lagging Kia offense. The team is averaging .225 as a team and has hit just five home runs this season, both league worsts. Weakening an already depleted batting lineup, the team’s most reliable hitter, Lee Yong-kyu will be out with an injury for six weeks. The team’s cleanup hitter, Choi Hee-seop has five RBI and all have come off home runs, indicating a lack of production in the batting order.

“The best solution for our unbalanced lineup is a trade. However, there weren’t many options available,” stated Kia manager Cho Bum-hyun.

They experienced a similar situation last season as the batters struggled to produce and the team languished at the bottom of the league standings.

“Our batters had a difficult time getting hits off Kia pitchers,” said Samsung Lions manager Seon Dong-ryeol. “They are the opposite of our team. Maybe we should do a trade with Kia.”


Article date: April 14, 2009
By Kim Seek, Jason Kim [jason@joongang.co.kr]