The world record for the 1500 meters in men’s track and field is 3:26, set by Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouz in 1998. At the time, Gherouz was averaging 13.73 seconds over 100 meters. The 1500 meters is not a race for sprinting. It’s a race that requires a combination of endurance and speed. For this reason, the 1500 meters is classified as a “middle distance” event, neither a sprint nor a long distance.
KT’s momentum in the second half of the 2023 season is scary. As of the 23rd, KT has a 0.815 winning percentage in the second half (22-5). While the winning percentage might make it seem like they’ve been sprinting like they’re running a 100-meter dash, KT’s second half hasn’t been a sprint. Rather, it was a pattern of slowing down like a 1500-meter runner.
KT has been on an upward curve since June, and rather than hitting a plateau due to the so-called winning streak aftereffect, the team has been improving its winning percentage. In fact, after rebounding to a 0.652 winning percentage (15-8) in June, the team posted a 0.688 winning percentage (11-5) in July and is holding its head high with a 0.833 monthly winning percentage (15-3) in August.
KT outfielder Park Byung-ho has been battling some calf discomfort and has only been playing as a designated hitter recently. He’s been showing signs of wanting to start, but KT manager Lee Kang-cheol hasn’t pushed him too hard because he doesn’t think it’s “time” yet. So, since the Suwon NC game on the 12th, Park has been playing as a ‘one-hitter’, batting at the crucial moment in every game. Despite this, Park has been able to produce seven hits, three doubles (one home run), and three RBIs as a pinch hitter.
It’s a time when KT is resting its lineup and putting pressure on its opponents. KT is 8-1 in its last nine games since Park started pinch-hitting in the last 12 days.
Preparing for the “long haul,” KT’s bullpen has been relatively light on depth and has been fairly efficient considering their winning percentage.
The team also seems to be doing a good job of maintaining a consistent number of winning starts, 토토사이트 which almost automatically follows when the winning percentage goes up. In the second half of the season, there are 12 pitchers in the entire league who have pitched 15 or more games. The only KT player with 15 games is Park Young-hyun. KT’s Son Dong-hyun has the most bullpen innings in the second half of the season, but he has only appeared in 12 games (17 innings), adjusting his appearances according to the number of innings he needs to pitch.
In the long run, baseball is a battle of cost-effectiveness and efficiency. The team that gets the most wins with the least amount of power will go the furthest. This is where pre-season predictions and results change. It’s been almost three months since June, and KT is playing that kind of baseball.