“I asked a lot of questions during the postseason and regular season, but I still have one question.”
Merrill Kelly (35, Arizona Diamondbacks), the “KBO’s reverse export myth,” was asked about Korea again.
Kelly appeared at a press conference before Game 1 of the 2023 World Series against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on Aug. 28 (KST).
Arizona will start ace Zack Greinke in Game 1, with Kelly, the No. 2 starter, taking the mound in Game 2 on the 29th. Kelly faced reporters before his Game 2 start.
“I’ve asked you a lot of questions during the postseason and regular season, but I still have one question.
I want to know how you’ve adjusted to pitching in a different league, how long did it take you to get used to it, what was the hardest thing for you?”
“I think I’m still adjusting,” Kelly said. This game in general, and the major leagues in particular, is a game of adjustment.
The first couple years, the first year when I first took the mound in the big leagues, it was definitely a whirlwind.
“Like I said, when you get to the big leagues, you’re affected by external factors that you never expected.
Not only do you have to work harder to face the best big league hitters in the world, but you also have to deal with the expectations of your family, and you have to talk more to the media about your game.
After those two years, I started to feel more confident and comfortable as a major league pitcher.”
Prior to Game 5 of the National League Championship Series against the Philadelphia Phillies on April 22, Kelly was asked, “When you were playing in South Korea, did you dream of starting a big league postseason game, or was it a distant dream that you couldn’t even imagine?”
“There wasn’t a day that I thought I wasn’t going to play in the major leagues while I was in Korea,” he said, adding that he is happy to have realized his dream.
Before taking the mound for Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 7, Kelly reminisced about his time in Korea.
As he was about to make his big league postseason debut, reporters asked him about his ‘big stage experience’.
“I won the Korean Series in the KBO in 2018. The stadiums are smaller than here, but I think that playoff experience and the incredible support that I had back then definitely gave me the experience to play in a big game like this.”
Kelly was a big part of Arizona’s miraculous run to the World Series after finishing fall baseball as the No. 6 seed in the National League.
Arizona defeated the Milwaukee Brewers (two games to one in the Wild Card Game), the Dodgers (three games in the Division Series), and Philadelphia (four games to three in the Championship Series) to reach the World Series for the first time in 22 years since 2001.
In three postseason appearances, Kelly went 2-1 with a 2.65 ERA in 17 innings pitched.
He was the hero in saving Arizona from elimination.
On April 24, Kelly started Game 6 of the Championship Series against Philadelphia and pitched five innings of one-run ball in a 5-1 win.
At the time, Arizona was down 2 games to 3 in the series and one loss away from elimination, but Kelly’s performance set the stage for a comeback that saw them take Games 6 and 7 and continue their run to the World Series.
The American media has naturally been very interested in Kelly. 바카라사이트
Kelly is a completely different player before and after his time in the KBO, and as one of the most successful KBO players to come out of the league, there are always questions about Korea.
Kelly spent four seasons as an ace for the SK Wyverns (now the SSG Landers) from 2015 to 2018, compiling a career record of 119 games, 48 wins, 32 losses, 729⅔ innings, 641 strikeouts, and a 3.86 ERA.
Ahead of the 2019 season, Arizona offered him a two-year, $5.5 million contract, and he has since established himself as the No. 2 starter in five seasons, with a 48-43 record, 750⅔ innings pitched, 681 strikeouts, and a 3.80 ERA in 127 starts.
He’s steadily rising up the ranks. Kelly has six years and $33 million guaranteed from 2019 to 2024.
The first two years of his deal were 2+2, with a $4.25 million team option for 2021 and a $5.25 million team option for 2022.
He signed a two-year extension prior to the 2022 season.
He is guaranteed $18 million through 2024. His signing bonus is $1 million, and his salary for 2023 and 2024 is $8 million.
There is a $7 million team option for 2025, and if the team declines to exercise the option, Kelly will receive $1 million in buyouts.