“That’s a good pitch…” 1-7 with a 5.62 ERA. A foreign pitcher who doesn’t change is sent to Game 2. This is his second warning.

This is a second warning. If it doesn’t change, there’s nothing to look forward to.

I’m talking about KT Wiz’s new foreign pitcher, Bo Schuler. KT removed Schuler from the first team roster on the 29th.

Acquired in a trade for Odrisamer Despaigne, Schuler was expected to provide a foreign one-two punch alongside Wes Benjamin with a fastball over 150km/h and a variety of changeups.

However, his early results in the KBO have been abysmal. In nine games, he’s 1-7 with a 5.62 ERA. His strikeout rate is a whopping 3.33.

Schuler made his debut on April 11 against the NC Dinos, and although he took the loss, he raised expectations with seven innings of four-hit, one-run ball, and earned his first win on April 16 against the Hanwha Eagles with six innings of four-hit ball. 메이저사이트

The nightmare began on March 22 when he took the loss against the Doosan Bears, giving up five runs (four earned) on 11 hits in seven innings. Since then, he hasn’t won a game and has lost six straight. On April 28 against the Samsung Lions, the only game without a win, he was on the verge of losing after giving up three runs in five innings, but a dramatic eight-run eighth inning tied the game at 8-8. That game was also a 9-10 loss for KT, meaning that in the nine games that Schuler has pitched, KT has gone 1-8.

There are many problems, but the first is that Schuler has not yet adapted to the KBO. He tends to stick to his own style. Against the LG Twins on April 17, Schuler asked the coaching staff if he could pitch with his lead, and manager Lee Kang-cheol agreed. In that game, Schuler pitched a scoreless third inning but gave up five runs on four hits and two walks in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Lee has been working on a solution ever since. On Nov. 21, Lee noted a change in Schuler’s pitching style when he worked with him out of the bullpen. Usually, foreign pitchers prefer to pitch with a fastball. If the fastball is so good that the opponent knows it and can’t hit it properly, it doesn’t matter, but otherwise, they have to mix up their pitches and face Korean hitters.

“Korean hitters have good fastballs,” Lee said, “so you need a mix, you need to be more precise with your pitches. He definitely has good stuff,” Lee said. “He doesn’t need more innings. He just needs to throw six good innings. You don’t need 100 in three or four innings,” he advised Schoeller, who was trying to throw too much. It was advice, but it was also his first warning. The fact that the coach himself told him that he had to change is a sign of patience.

On the 23rd, against the Kiwoom Heroes, Schuler clearly showed improvement. He gave up two runs on six hits in 6⅓ innings, his first quality start in over a month. The offense didn’t get the support it needed in the 1-3 loss, leaving Schuler the losing pitcher, but there is hope.

But in his very next start, hope turned to despair. On the 28th, he gave up six runs on eight hits in 3⅓ innings against Samsung Electronics. KT’s four-game winning streak came to an end after giving up an early run, losing 4-6.

Lee issued his second warning. He sent Schuler down to the second team. He told him that he needed to make a change in the second team. If Schuler didn’t change, KT would be forced to look for a new foreign pitcher.

It is not uncommon for a pitcher to insist on his own pitching in Korea and then get beaten up and leave. Lee also had to deal with William Cuevas and Despaigne before him and their pitching styles.

KT has Jang Sung-woo wearing a mask with a good lead. He has the ability to build on the good pitches of the day. It’s just a matter of adjusting to Korean baseball, where the catcher’s input is largely deferred to, unlike in the U.S. where the pitcher takes the lead. Now it’s up to Schuler.