The SSG Landers closed out July on a four-game winning streak, which pushed them to fourth place in the Korea Baseball Organization at 48-46-4 (wins-losses-ties).
With the calendar having flipped to August and injured players on their way back, manager Lee Sung-yong said the Landers are ready to separate themselves from the crowded middle of the standings.
Before their road game against the Doosan Bears at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Friday, the Landers were in a virtual tie for fourth with the KT Wiz (50-48-3), only ahead of them by the winning percentage, .511 to .510. The Landers are only two games ahead of the eighth-place NC Dinos but sit five games back of the third-place Lotte Giants.
"I keep telling my players that we have to play our game and stay locked in, and then the rest will take care of itself," Lee said in his pregame media scrum. "I think we have to be sharper with our fielding. Our middle relievers have been outstanding and they have to make sure they can stay healthy in August. I've always thought August would be the most crucial month of the season for us, and we have to give it everything we have."
Lee is particularly encouraged by the imminent returns of injured players. Shortstop Park Seong-han had been slated for a return on Tuesday from his thigh injury, but Lee said Park could be ready by as early as Sunday. Catcher Cho Hyeong-woo and outfielder Han Yoo-seom, sidelined with back and left shoulder injuries, respectively, are expected back next week.
"We want to keep climbing up the standings," Lee said. "We have to stick to fundamentals and keep doing what we do best."
Lee will also need key reliever Lee Ro-un to keep up what he's been doing all season. The third-year right-hander boasts a 1.21 ERA over 52 innings in 52 outings this year, after finishing each of the last two seasons with an ERA over 5.00. In July, Lee allowed just one earned run in 10 innings while striking out 13.
"Honestly, I didn't expect him to be this good," the manager said with a smile. "He has worked so hard to get to this point. He can throw breaking balls for strikes, even with two balls in the count. He has really solidified our bullpen."
Asked about the reasons behind the 20-year-old pitcher's breakout, the skipper said, "He has a whole new approach to the game. He spends more time in the gym and he just takes his craft more seriously."
