SSG Landers Eni Romero expressed his anticipation for the season with a new league and new teammates.
SSG, which had parted ways with Wilmer Font and Sean Morrimando, acquired Romero last year for a total of $1 million. Born in the Dominican Republic, Romero joined the Tampa Bay Rays in 2008 and made his first major league debut in 2013. Until 2018 he went through the Washington Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals.
Since 2019 he has experienced the Asian League. After moving to Chunichi Dragons in Japan in 2019 in 2019, Romero played an active role as the team’s starting pitcher that year, recording 8 wins and 10 losses in 21 games, 116⅓ innings, and an average ERA of 4.26. In 2021, he moved to the Chiba Lotte Marines and appeared in 20 games, posting an earned run average of 3.36.
According to coach Kim Won-hyung, Romero is still not in much better shape than Kirk McCarty. Romero had his second bullpen pitching on the 10th (local time). The following is a Q&A with Romero.
– How do you feel after finishing your second bullpen pitching?
Since it was my second pitching, I think I was in a much better shape than my first pitching. He is still adjusting to the team. The ball is also different from major league balls or Japanese baseball balls, so I am in the process of getting used to it.
– How are the new colleagues?
We don’t know each other well yet, but we’re slowly getting to know each other. Choo Shin-soo approached first. When I was at the Tampa Bay Rays, Choo Shin-soo was at the Texas Rangers, and then he talked to me first while talking. Kim Gwang-hyeon of ‘KK’ also approaches me in a friendly way and talks to me first.
-If there is a fellow pitcher who impressed you.
The first is Kwang-Hyun Kim. He is a player with major league experience, and he is the best pitcher in the Korean league. I have my strengths, but I want to contribute to the victory of the team by learning the strengths of Kim Gwang-hyun메이저놀이터, who is considered the best pitcher here. The second is beneficial. I was surprised that the 20-year-old player had good control.
-He played in Japan until last season. If there was something he was satisfied with or something that he regretted.
Each country’s league has its strengths, and I think it was the biggest experience in my baseball life because there were strengths that could only be learned in Japan. Unlike in the major leagues, the fourth hitter now bunts, or the part where he moves a lot and is distracted is very different. I also learned a lot about how to play the game in that way.
-Is there a difference between spring camps in the US, Japan, and Korea?
In the case of Japan, once you enter the spring camp, there is no day off and you train all day long. There was no consideration for physical fitness. In Korea, I think it would be nice to be able to arrange my stamina so that I can play in full condition rather than being exhausted when I enter the season.
– Has anyone recommended going to Korea?
I hadn’t heard about the Korean league before the contract, but Ivan Nova contacted me after the contract. Nova explained Korean culture in detail. Nova also wants to come back because she likes Korea, but she couldn’t do that, so she told me to be good.
-What do you want to achieve in the Korean league? If there is anything else you would like to experience.
First of all, my goal is to contribute to the team’s victory by showing my abilities to the fullest. There is no set number. I want to do my best in every moment. What I want to experience is various cultures and foods.
– There is also a question mark attached to durability.
100% ready. I believe so, but since I am a human, not a robot, I do not know when and where I will get injured. I will do my best with the goal of ending the season in good health.