KIA ‘foreigner of note’ heavily armed with a two-seam sweeper
Are they more picky than Will Crow, Yang Hyun-jong, and Lee Ui-ri?
In preparation for this season, the KIA Tigers signed a contract with right-handed foreign pitcher James Nail (31) for $700,000. However, the actual amount KIA spent was $950,000. This is because a buyout fee of $250,000 was paid to the Major League Baseball St. Louis Cardinals. Nail was a player on the St. Louis 40-man roster.
A player worth close to $1 million in real terms. Nail, who was watched at spring camp in Canberra, Australia, was as powerful as Will Crowe (30), who is attracting attention as an ace this season. He's the same right-hander, but his style is completely different. He seems to have a higher release point than Crow, but his velocity is slightly lower. He can't spray 150km.
He instead had a highly variable pitch at home plate. Not one, not two, but three. Two-seam, cut fastball, sweeper. Moreover, command and control are generally stable. Adaptation to ABS is another variable, but he is considered a smart pitcher. He is expected to have a smooth landing.
Although it is only a reference, the pace of the practice match was good. On February 28th, he took the mound as a starter against the Lotte Giants and pitched 2 innings, allowing 1 hit, 3 strikeouts, and no runs. And on the 4th, he took the mound as the second pitcher against KT Wiz and pitched 3 innings, allowing 2 hits, 3 strikeouts, and no runs.
He hit a two-seamer distance of 149 km in both games. Basically, the proportion for two-seam was the highest. He followed that with a cutter, sweeper, and changeup. This order did not change in both games. Even in Canberra, he said that the pitch he could throw best was the two-seamer. And Sweeper honestly confessed that he started throwing last year and is still in the process of practicing.
The reason why nails are smart is also evident in the sweeper. Crow and Nail use the same sweeper, but their grip methods are completely opposite. Nail, whose strength is not in speed, holds his hands almost together when holding the sweeper grip. His movements are movements, but he focuses on speed to some extent. He “closes and wraps his hands, giving a quick spin.” The highest speed of his sweeper on this day was 137km.
On the other hand, Crow, who has a fast ball, throws a sweeper with both hands open, focusing on movement rather than speed. Of course, Crow also achieved a sweeper maximum of 137km in the Lotte match on the 3rd. The two pitchers' similar yet different sweepers may be one of the important factors in determining success in the KBO League this season.
Nail pitched 5 innings in two practice games, allowing 3 hits, 6 strikeouts, and no runs. It's a smooth start. He plans to continue improving his condition through exhibition games. Manager Beom-ho Lee said that pitching coach Jae-hoon Jeong would decide the order of starting pitchers during the Canberra camp. How many nails are selected? Between Crow, Yang Hyun-jong, and Lee Ui-ri, it seems like he could fit in anywhere.
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