Turning starter into reliever worked magic for Korean Series champions: manager

▲ Ko Young-pyo of the KT Wiz pitches against the Doosan Bears in the bottom of the seventh inning during Game 4 of the Korean Series at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Nov. 18, 2021. (Yonhap)

▲ Ko Young-pyo of the KT Wiz pitches against the Doosan Bears in the top of the seventh inning during Game 2 of the Korean Series at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Nov. 15, 2021. (Yonhap)

▲ KT Wiz manager Lee Kang-chul waves to fans after winning the Korean Series title with an 8-4 victory over the Doosan Bears in Game 4 at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Nov. 18, 2021. (Yonhap)

▲ Members of the KT Wiz celebrate winning the Korean Series after defeating the Doosan Bears 8-4 in Game 4 at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Nov. 18, 2021. (Yonhap)

Korean Series-pitcher

Turning starter into reliever worked magic for Korean Series champions: manager

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Nov. 19 (Yonhap) -- How do you tell a national team-caliber starting pitcher he should be coming out of the bullpen in championship games, away from the limelight?

As far as KT Wiz skipper Lee Kang-chul is concerned, it just takes persistence on the manager's part. That, plus the buy-in from the pitcher in question, helped the Wiz capture their first Korean Series title this month.

In the Wiz's four-game sweep of the Doosan Bears in this year's Korean Series, which concluded with an 8-4 victory Thursday, right-hander Ko Young-pyo was an unsung hero in his surprise shift to the relief role.

The sidearmer enjoyed the best regular season of his career as a full-time starter, going 11-6 with a 2.92 ERA in 166 2/3 innings. The win total, ERA and innings pitched were all personal-best marks for the 30-year-old, who also pitched at the Tokyo Olympics in the summer.

Including Ko, the Wiz had the luxury of five good, or even very good, starting pitchers lined up for the best-of-seven Korean Series. Teams often rely on just four in postseasons, and Lee decided he would need one of his five to move to the bullpen and serve as the bridge between the starter and the closer.

Ko ended up pitching in each of the final three games in relief and allowed two earned runs in 4 2/3 innings with two strikeouts. He came on with at least a three-run lead every time.

Speaking after the title-clinching win Thursday, Lee revealed his decision didn't sit well with Ko at first.

"If I hadn't been able to convince him, I wouldn't have used him out of the bullpen," said Lee, a former Korean Series MVP-winning pitcher. "I knew that, unless he completely bought into our plan, he wouldn't be able to pitch to his full capabilities. I kept talking to Young-pyo about it, and then I got (catcher) Jang Sung-woo to sit down with Young-pyo. Luckily for us, he finally changed his mind."

In the Wiz's regular season rotation, which also featured William Cuevas, So Hyeong-jun, Odrisamer Despaigne and Bae Je-seong, Ko was the only one whose average fastball velocity didn't touch even 140 kilometers per hour (kph).

"In the Korean Series, I think it helps the team to have a starter who can throw hard. Also, we needed someone who could cover sixth, seventh and eighth innings," Lee said. "When I saw Bae Je-seong get guys out with 150 kph fastballs today (in his Game 4 start), I knew I'd made the right call."

Ko wasn't entirely a stranger to this role, having been a reliever earlier in his career. After saving Ko in a Game 1 victory, Lee said he would have to find the right moment to use Ko so that putting him on the mound meant it was a game they just had to win.

Ko made all of his three outings at the start of an inning, with no one on base and the Wiz holding a lead. It was with a 6-0 to start the seventh in Game 2, a 3-0 lead to begin the seventh in Game 3 and then a 6-3 advantage to open the seventh in Game 4.

Lee couldn't have asked for more from his pitchers the whole series. His starters were so effective that, in the first three games, Lee only used six pitchers in total -- three starters, Ko and a lefty specialist Jo Hyun-woo, and closer Kim Jae-yoon.

The Wiz became the first team ever to have four starters each win a game in a Korean Series sweep.

(END)

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