The Kiwoom Heroes have begun the second leg of their spring camp in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
On the 18th, Kiwoom announced, “The team arrived in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, the location of the second camp on the 17th. On the 18th, we started our first training session.”
Kiwoom, which finished runner-up in the 2022 Korean Series, signed Lee Hyung-jong, Won Jong-hyun, and Lim Chang-min last year to challenge for the Korean Series title once again. However, injuries to key players such as Lee Jung-hoo and Won Jong-hyun caused the team to struggle from the start of the season, eventually finishing at the bottom of the league with 58 wins, three draws, and 83 losses for a .411 winning percentage.
The outlook for Kiwoom is not as bright this season, as the team just signed slugger Lee Jung-hoo to a six-year, $113 million contract with San Francisco. 카지노사이트 Ace Ahn Woo-jin has begun his military service as a social service worker after undergoing Tommy John surgery (elbow ligament repair), and young pitchers like Lee Seung-ho, Kim Sung-jin, and Kim Jae-woong have started or will enlist in the military.
Still, Kiwoom is sharpening its knives to make a splash.
Last year’s trade acquisition Lee Joo-hyung, the “post-Lee Jung-hoo,” is awaiting his first full-time season, and the batting lineup was bolstered by the acquisition of big infielder Choi Joo-hwan through the second round of the draft.
On the mound, the league’s best closer Cho Sang-woo is back from military service, and young pitchers Jang Jae-young, Kim Dong-kyu, Kim Sun-ki, and Joo Seung-woo will compete for the starting job. Ariel Hurtado, who showed promise last season, and new foreign pitcher Enmanuel De Jesus are also expected to contribute.
Kiwoom has been in spring training in Taiwan since Nov. 11 with the Future Team. Kim Sun-ki, Jang Jae-young, Joo Seung-woo, Lim Byung-wook, Shin Jun-woo, and Kim Dong-heon from the Futures Team camp, as well as rookies Kim Yoon-ha, 메이저사이트 Kim Yeon-ju, Lee Jae-sang, and Ko Young-woo, and Lee Won-seok from Korea, have joined the first team camp.
Coach Hong Won-ki said, “In the Taiwan camp, the training is centered on practice matches. We prioritized players who needed to be checked through matches. We have an important season ahead where we need to make our player base even thicker. Since most of the players are in Taiwan, we will check out a number of players,” he said, sharing the blueprint for the Taiwan camp.
Kiwoom will play a total of six scrimmages with Taiwan Professional Baseball’s Zhongxin Brothers and Tung Yi Lions.