“My brothers were also disassembled.”
KIA’s Lee Yi-ri said he was notified of his elimination just before the KBO announced the final roster changes. The club contacted the KBO in advance. Lee didn’t hear about it from the KBO or national team officials beforehand, but rather from the club, which he said was upset about the news.
Lee improved to 11-7 on the season after pitching seven innings of three-hit ball, striking out three and walking one in the second game of a doubleheader in Changwon against NC. He lowered his ERA to 4.20. It was his best pitch of the season. It was almost as if he was protesting his elimination from the national team with a show of force.
Lee was all smiles after the game when asked why he didn’t feel any pain in his chest. Although he and his team proved that he wasn’t sick against Hanwha on the 21st, the Korean National Team decided that Lee wouldn’t be able to perform at the Asian Games.
Initially, the team had a policy of not substituting players for non-injury reasons. In addition, Ryu Jung-il, the head coach of the team, explained that he made the change because he didn’t think Lee would be able to complete 80 pitches as a starter. However, Lee ended up throwing 77 pitches in the seventh inning. In fact, he proved that he could throw 80 pitches.메이저사이트
Lee said, “Honestly, I didn’t know if I should go out, but I didn’t feel good when I heard it through the club. You can be eliminated because you’re not good, or you can be eliminated because you’re sick. It was a bit disappointing to hear it through the team.” If he had held himself to a different standard, he would have hoped that the national team would have contacted him directly to apologize.
“You’re a professional when you don’t show it,” Lee said, “and the moment you think about it, it’s an embarrassment to the team. It’s bad and negative. You have to show it in the results. But I don’t think it’s going to go away in my life. I think it will remain in the back of my mind.”
KIA players and members were also reportedly saddened by Lee’s exit. In particular, Na Sung-bum, who is out for the season, contacted Lee Yi-ri directly to console him. Lee said, “Sung-bum contacted me and (the late) Young-pyo (KT). They said it was an experience to become a bigger player. I will pitch for KIA now.”
Lee pitched his best game of the season that day. When asked if he was in his best form, he said, “My form has been good all season.” It was an unexpected answer. Last year, he had game-by-game ups and downs, and this season, he’s had in-game ups and downs, but he thinks it’s all about mind control. “The more I think about my pitches, the worse it gets. It’s psychological. Mind control is important,” he said.
Trials are the medicine. Now Lee will play for KIA to secure a top-five finish and a postseason berth. KIA is also answering the call. With Lee Yi-ri out of the Asian Games, they have a dramatically full starting lineup. If Lee can pitch like this, it will be a huge boost for the team in the final stretch of the season.