 |
| Lotte Giants starter Brooks Raley pitches during a game against the SK Wyverns in this June 7, 2016 Korea Times file photo. |
Giants starter Raley breaks out of slump
By Kang Hyun-kyung
The season so far has been a rollercoaster ride for Lotte Giants pitcher Brooks Raley.
As a third-year Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) League player, the start of his season was not so bad. He lost the opening game against the SK Wyverns on March 31, but his average April ERA was 3.12.
The slump came in May. He had been mired in dismal performances for several weeks. Raley pitched in five games in May and his average ERA for the month was 6.75.
In June, his pitching became even worse. He was replaced twice without completing the fifth inning, an insult for starting pitchers. Until May 18, he achieved three wins and seven losses with a 5.63 ERA.
His teammates also struggled during those weeks and led the Giants to lose six games in a row. Some baseball analysts called the Giants' losing streak "a disaster driven by the meltdown of starters."
Raley and another foreign-born pitcher Nick Additon were some of the pitchers who were described as being partly responsible for the scathing characterization. Raley was sent to the minor Futures League.
The struggling Raley had worried Giants' coaching staff. Some baseball analysts cautiously speculated he might be let go. The Giants were portrayed as the team that failed in scouting foreign baseball talent.
Raley successfully quelled such worries about him in June with his successful return to the KBO League. His pitching has since become solid and consistent.
Raley achieved a quality start Thursday during a game against the Samsung Lions at Pohang Baseball Stadium in the southeastern coastal city.
The American-born pitcher allowed six RBI hits, two walks and struck out nine Lions during the seven innings in which he had pitched. He struck out Lions rising star Koo Ja-wook three times. His ERA so far is 4.47. The Giants were able to end the two-game losing streak.
Raley has rebounded from the weeks-long slump since he won the game against the Doosan Bears on June 24 by putting the brakes on his three-game losing streak. He allowed 4 RBI hits during seven innings. His pitching on June 30 against the NC Dinos was near perfect. He pitched seven scoreless innings. In three recent games, his ERA average is 1.71.
Giants manager Cho Won-woo lauded Raley Thursday, commenting he was one of the key players who helped the Giants break the two-game losing streak.
The situation facing his teammate Additon is slightly different. He is under pressure to perform better.
Additon is portrayed by some baseball analysts as the "Man of Crisis." His performance so far has fallen below the club's expectations for him.
His ERA in the 14 games he has pitched this season is 6.12 and he has had two wins and seven losses. His team's assessment of the foreign-born pitcher is not so positive. His ball control is questionable and his pitches are not fast enough to threaten batters of opposing teams.
A stone-faced Additon throughout the game against the Lions on Wednesday seemed to have reflected such an atmosphere toward him in the club. All during the game, Additon looked serious and was resolute.
Coach Kim Won-young visited the mound in the middle of the sixth inning against the Lions at Pohang Baseball Stadium to deliver his message to Additon as slugger Darin Ruf appeared at home plate.
Giants Manager Cho in the dugout was captured on the TV camera making a gesture toward the coach to replace Additon. Looking at Cho, the Giants coach shook his head to indicate the American-born pitcher was still eager to continue to pitch. Additon's request got a nod from the manager.
He lived up to his commitment. He outplayed Ruf and another slugger Lee Seung-yuop one after another and left the mound after pitching 5 and 2/3 innings of the game.
Lions starter Zach Petrick was portrayed as another Man of Crisis that day. The showdown against the Giants was his first game since his traumatic game against the Kia Tigers on June 29. Petrick set a disrespectable record that day_ he allowed 14 RBI hits, including one home run and three walks, during the two innings in which he had pitched. It was the largest number of RBI hits a single pitcher allowed in a game.
His pitching against the Giants showed he completely overcame the nightmare. Petrick had a quality start that day. He allowed three RBI hits and struck out four Giants during the six innings in which he had pitched. The Lions won 6-5 after a tug of war game.
![Biden takes office as 46th president [PHOTOS]](http://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/newsV2/images/a001_3244e8e107351.jpg/dims/resize/268/optimize)
