The so-called ‘squat’ checks have been at the centre of controversy. What is the position of Korea’s only foreign manager?
The Lotte Giants will play the final game of the weekend series against the KIA Tigers at Sajik Stadium in Busan on the 13th.
It’s a matchup that features two foreign pitchers. Charlie Barnes will take the mound for Lotte and Mario Sanchez for KIA.
바카라사이트 This will be Sanchez’s first start against Lotte since joining the KBO in July. Lotte is managed by Larry Sutton, the only foreign manager in the KBO. He has a lot of experience in American baseball as a player and coach. He also lives in the Dominican Republic in the off-season, so he is familiar with so-called “Latin baseball,” including the Winter League.
Sanchez made an impressive debut on 9 July against the KT Wiz, pitching 6⅓ innings and allowing one run. But it was his unique catching move that made him more famous than his performance.
Facing first base, he folds his knees wide and half-sits down, as if he were doing a squat. He twists towards first base, then looks back at the batter and throws the ball.
However, this move has been the main object of protest from KBO managers, starting with KT manager Lee Kang-chul. They say that by leaning towards first base, the pitcher deceives the runner.
One of the main points of criticism was that it was an “inconsistent routine,” as he would do it when a runner was on first base, but not when a runner was on second or third base.
The 2023 KBO League game between the KIA Tigers and NC Dinos was held at Changwon NC Park on the 26th. KIA’s Sanchez heads to the dugout after pitching in the fifth inning. Changwon = Heo Sang-wook 기자wook@sportschosun.com/2023.07.26/
In response, the KBO Umpires Committee issued an interpretation that said, “It is prohibited to place the right foot on the pitching plate, lean down, and push towards first base. However, Sanchez has often made this move a habit. On the 6th, commentator Lee Soon-cheol, who was broadcasting Sanchez’s game against the Gwangju Hanwha Eagles, said, “The motion is not consistent. If I don’t block, I don’t know, but I also block. This is not only a problem with Sanchez doing that, but the KBO not regulating it is more of a problem,” he said.
Sanchez, on the other hand, is full of complaints, saying, “The move was not pointed out in the United States or Taiwan, but only in Korea.”
On the 9th, Lotte and LG played at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan. Lotte manager Sutton answers questions from reporters before the game. Busan=Song Jung-heon 기자songs@sportschosun.com/2023.07.09/
Sutton said, “They have a variety of pitches that are different from foreign and Korean pitchers. I prepared enough by watching videos,” he said.
“In the (Dominican) Winter League and the U.S. (minor leagues), there are pitchers who do a lot of unusual things. “It’s not new,” he said. “It’s not about the motion itself, it’s about whether you’re doing the same motion consistently or if you’re doing two or more motions with variations. If you have two pitches, one of them is a balk.”
Sanchez has struggled in August, giving up seven runs in four innings (against the Samsung Lions on the 1st) and four runs in 4⅓ innings (against the Hanwha on the 6th). Maybe it’s the pressure of not being able to do anything unusual.
