“The 1st Army is a war zone…” Kia’s first and last troops to the 2nd Army, no longer able to put it off.

Kia sent both the starter and the closer down to the second team at the same time. They decided they couldn’t put off the adjustment any longer.

On the 29th, with no games on the schedule, KIA removed five players from the first team roster. Pitchers Sean Anderson (29), Jung Hae-young (22), Kim Dae-yu (32), and infielders Hwang Dae-in (27) and Yoon Do-hyun (20) were removed from the roster all at once. The move comes after the team lost back-to-back series against Hanwha in Daejeon and LG in Gwangju last week.

The most notable names to watch are Anderson and Jung Hae-young. Anderson, a foreign pitcher, is the team’s No. 1 starter on the opening day, while Jeong Jung-young is a key part of the rotation, having been a full-time closer for three years. It’s unusual for a starter and a closer to be dropped to the second team at the same time during the season without an injury, but it was a decision that could no longer be delayed.

Anderson is 3-5 with a 4.12 ERA in 10 games (54⅔ innings) this season. In April, he settled into the league quickly, going 3-2 with a 2.58 ERA in six starts, but suddenly struggled in May, going 3-3 with a 7.71 ERA in four starts. His walks per nine innings spiked from 1.41 in April to 8.82 in May.

Kia manager Kim Jong-kook said of Anderson last week, “There is a small problem with his command. We’re talking to the power analysis team and the pitching coach, and he’s aware of it. If he takes care of that from practice, he will be able to get better.” However, on the 28th, Gwangju LG Electronics also collapsed with six runs (three earned) on four hits, three walks, one hit batter and two strikeouts in three innings. He’ll make adjustments and prepare to return to the first team.

Jung also hasn’t looked bad on 메이저놀이터 the surface with a 3-1 record and a 3.44 ERA in 20 games (18⅓ innings) this season, but his 1.58 WHIP and 2.9 K/9 ratio have been disturbing. His average fastball velocity dropped from 144.5 mph last year to 140.9 mph this year, a 3.6 mph drop from the previous year, and his pitches were not overpowering hitters.

Manager Kim Jong-kook also spoke about Jung, saying last week, “The power analysis team found the difference (between when he was good and when he wasn’t), and he knows it. I try to change my mechanics from the long toss, but it’s hard to think about that when I’m on the mound. The first inning is a war zone. It’s a timing battle with the hitters, and it’s hard to think about form when you’re in the game.”

The closer’s job is a tough one, with every pitch counting. It’s impossible to make mechanics adjustments in the first team during the season, so the second team has time to make adjustments before it’s too late. We’re not even halfway through the season yet, so in the long run, it’s better to find problems and eliminate anxiety once and for all.