‘The ball is the same, but the trajectory has changed’…Kelly’s game-changer…’I changed my grip’ to ‘escape the slump’

Casey Kelly, the LG Twins ace for the past four years, has struggled this year, going 7-7 with a 4.59 ERA in 23 games.

With no sign of breaking out of his slump, Kelly did something different: he changed his grip, which changed his velocity and trajectory. It’s rare to see a player change their grip during the season, but Kelly did. 

On the 22nd, the Lotte Giants and LG Twins were scheduled to play in the Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League 2023 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. However, the game was canceled due to rain that started falling earlier in the day. The on-and-off rain made it difficult for the players to train.

During a brief rain break, Kelly took the field and threw some practice pitches. She threw the ball with her new grip and talked a lot with the bullpen catcher. As she alternated between her old and new grip, the catcher asked her what the difference was, and with a satisfied smile, she kept throwing until she got the hang of it.

Pitchers have a lot of different grips. Pitchers have a basic grip, but each player uses their own grip to create and throw their own pitches. The way they grip the ball can change the trajectory and speed of the same pitch. 

Kelly, who first stepped foot on Korean soil in 2019, had four straight years of double-digit wins before last year, compiling a 58-31 record with a 2.89 ERA in 114 career appearances, including a career-high 16 wins last year. This season, however, he’s been a completely different pitcher.

Kelly is a pitcher who throws a variety of pitches with consistent command. He’s been dominating the KBO for the past few years with a variety of pitches, but he’s only in his fifth year. Korean hitters have already learned to recognize his pitches and read his delivery. It’s inevitable that he’s going to struggle against them.

온라인카지노 There are many reasons for Kelly’s struggles, but it all comes down to his pitches. His changeup, his go-to pitch against lefties, has struggled this season. Last year, Kelly’s BABIP was .179 against the changeup, but this season it’s .377. 

When the changeup was working, he increased his curveball rate. But it’s hard to face hitters with just a fastball and a curve. As a result, his four-seam fastball BABIP increased dramatically. Last year, his BABIP was .240, but this season it’s .341.

So Kelly chose to change his grip to improve his changeup and other pitches. ”Throwing the ball with the new grip, I was able to throw strikes consistently,” he says. That means he’ll be able to regain his command of his pitches.

He even asked to meet with manager Yoon Kyung-yeop ahead of the second half of the season to reinforce his determination to make a comeback. ‘Jamsil Jesus’ Kelly is desperate to make a comeback.