The 15th anniversary of the late Choi Dong-won’s passing saw the recipient of the Choi Dong-won Award, Kim Jin-uk, unable to secure a victory on his special day. The Lotte Giants suffered a decisive loss to the KT Wiz, with Kim Jin-uk’s pitching performance failing to ignite a turnaround.
Kim Jin-uk’s Performance and the Choi Dong-won Award Legacy
Kim Jin-uk, the second recipient of the Choi Dong-won Award, was the central figure on the 15th anniversary of Choi Dong-won’s memorial. However, his outing on September 11th at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan was not enough to lead his team to victory. Facing the KT Wiz in a regular season game, Kim Jin-uk started on the mound. He pitched five innings, allowing four hits, four walks, and striking out three batters, resulting in three earned runs before exiting the game. He threw 102 pitches in total, but could not prevent the team’s 1-7 defeat.
The Choi Dong-won Award was established to honor the legacy of Choi Dong-won, a legendary pitcher renowned for his fierce competitive spirit and exceptional talent. The award recognizes young players who embody similar dedication and potential. Kim Jin-uk was selected as the award recipient in 2019 while attending Gangneung High School, having shown promise on the mound. He was subsequently drafted by the Lotte Giants in the second round of the 2021 KBO secondary draft, seen as a successor to Choi Dong-won’s legacy.
Despite the early recognition and the honor of receiving the award, Kim Jin-uk’s professional career has not yet met the high expectations set. Now in his sixth season, he has recently shown flashes of his potential. This season, he has begun to unlock his latent abilities, becoming a key pitcher for the Lotte Giants and earning a spot on the South Korean national team for the Asian Games in Hangzhou. His strong performance earlier in the season was a significant development.
Challenges in the Second Half of the Season
However, Kim Jin-uk’s performance has seen a notable decline in the latter half of the season. In his two most recent starts prior to the memorial game, he struggled significantly. On August 29th against the LG Twins, he was removed from the game after 4 1/3 innings, having given up nine hits, two walks, and three earned runs on four strikeouts. He was tagged for seven runs in total. Similarly, on September 4th against the Hanwha Eagles, he pitched 4 2/3 innings, surrendering seven hits (including one home run) and two walks, with three strikeouts and four earned runs. In these two outings, he allowed 11 runs over just nine innings, causing his season ERA to balloon from the 2-point range to 3.90.
His ERA in the second half of the season has reached a concerning 6.49. While his performance against the KT Wiz was somewhat better, with two wins, one loss, and an ERA of 1.89 in three previous starts this season, he faltered again in this crucial memorial game.
Detailed Game Analysis
In the game against the KT Wiz, Kim Jin-uk managed to get through the first inning without allowing a run. However, in the second inning, he gave up a leadoff walk to Shim Woo-joon, followed by a hit to Kim Hyun-soo, who drove in a run with a single. After recording an out via a sacrifice bunt by Kim Sang-soo, putting runners on first and second, he allowed a sacrifice fly to Ryu Hyun-in, resulting in another run. He managed to escape further damage by getting Han Sung-taek to hit into a line-out.
The third inning proved even more challenging. After striking out leadoff batter Jang Jun-won, he allowed a home run to Choi Won-joon, further extending the deficit. He then gave up a single to Kim Min-hyuk, followed by a walk to Ahn Hyun-min, putting runners on first and second. The situation worsened when he allowed a two-run double to Shim Woo-joon, resulting in three earned runs in the inning. He managed to end the inning by striking out Kim Hyun-soo, but the pitch count had significantly increased.
Despite the difficulties, Kim Jin-uk managed to navigate the fourth inning cleanly, retiring Kim Sang-soo, Ryu Hyun-in, and Han Sung-taek via fly outs. In the fifth inning, he allowed a leadoff single to Jang Jun-won but then induced a ground ball out. He issued a walk to Choi Won-joon and allowed a fly out to Kim Min-hyuk. Facing a bases-loaded situation after a single to Ahn Hyun-min, he managed to get Shim Woo-joon to hit into a ground out, ending the inning without further runs scored. He finished the game with five innings pitched, four hits, four walks, three strikeouts, and three earned runs, keeping his season ERA just under 4.00 at 3.95.
Lotte Giants’ Memorial Day Ceremony
Before the game, the Lotte Giants held a memorial ceremony to commemorate the 15th anniversary of Choi Dong-won’s passing. A tribute was held in front of Choi Dong-won’s statue located outside Sajik Baseball Stadium. Choi Dong-won’s mother, Kim Jeong-ja, was in attendance to pay her respects. The ceremony included the screening of a tribute video and a moment of silence. The players wore special patches on their helmets to honor the legendary pitcher.
Kim Jin-uk, as the current holder of the Choi Dong-won Award, likely harbored a strong desire to achieve a victory on this significant day, especially before heading to the Asian Games as a national team representative. However, his performance and the team’s overall effort did not align with this aspiration. Following Kim Jin-uk’s departure, the Lotte Giants continued to struggle with errors and pitching issues, ultimately failing to prevent the loss.
The team’s inability to secure a win on such an important commemorative day, coupled with Kim Jin-uk’s pitching struggles, cast a somber mood over the event. The Lotte Giants remain focused on improving their performance in the remaining games of the season.
