Raul Alcantara (31, Doosan Bears), the ’20-win pitcher’ we used to know, is back perfectly. He showed that now he doesn’t have to doubt anymore.

Alcantara started in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League home game against the Hanwha Eagles held at Jamsil Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul on the 2nd and pitched 3 hits, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts and no runs in 7 innings.

The ace, who had been trusted by coach Lee Seung-yeop ever since the opening day, was sometimes shaken, but he tried to play the minimum role as a starter, and on this day, as a starter with calculations, he kept the team’s victory.

Although he is a pitcher who does not need verification, having won 20 wins three years ago, his performance in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) over the past two years has been somewhat disappointing. It’s not that he didn’t have concerns about whether he could perform as well as he did in the past.

He was dropped to start the opening game, but collapsed after giving up 4 runs in 4 innings. But since then it has gotten better. On the 26th of last month, after giving up 1 run in 6 innings against the Samsung Lions and taking the loss without support from the other line, coach Lee Seung-yeop said, “Even after yesterday’s game, the pitching coach told Alcantara, ‘It’s too bad, but don’t be heartbroken’, and he said it wasn’t that mindset and it was okay. He said, “He also has a very large-scale personality. All judgments will be made after the season, but looking at it now, he is not a pitcher that will collapse in an instant.”

There was no crisis until the 5th episode on this day. In the first inning, it was finished in 8 pitches with a catch-up pitch, and in the second inning, he used a slider and a forkball as the deciding pitch to catch two strikeouts and once again recorded a three-way offense. He didn’t even allow a single batter to get on base in the 3rd and 4th innings.

With efficient pitching, there was a lot of power in the 5th inning. With his powerful fastball, he struck out Hanwha’s center line. In the 5th inning with 2 outs, Lee Yu-chan failed to catch a ground ball and the perfect was broken. He recorded it as an error and was able to continue the no-hit, no-run challenge, but it was a defense that left regret. Afterwards, even Lee Jin-young struck out and finished the inning with KKK.

I ran into a crisis 6 times. He easily caught two outcounts, but was hit by Oh Seon-jin and Jung Eun-won, and was driven to 1st and 2nd base with 2 outs. Embarrassed himself, he showed his apologies by hitting his chest at Noh Si-hwan, who had reached first base after spraying a pars.

However, he did not waver in the face of the game. He met Chae Eun-seong, the strongest hitter in Hanwha, at bases full, but he sighed as he turned around with a straight hit to the second baseman. In the 7th inning, Oh Seon-jin with 2nd out, 1st and 3rd base turned right fielder into a floating ball, and finished the mission with the 92nd pitch. At the end of the 7th inning, the batting line added 2 runs, and was able to pass the ball to Cheol-Won Jeong. He was able to take his 3rd win (2 losses) of the season.

The top speed of the fastball that day was 154 km/h, and the average reached 151 km. The power of the ball was so good, and 72.8% (67/92) of the pitches were recorded as strikes, putting the Hanwha batting line to rest. Although he also mixed the curve (3 pitches), he cooked the Hanwha batting line with a slider (21 pitches) and a forkball (20 pitches) centered on a powerful fastball (48 pitches).

Coach Lee Seung-yeop said with a satisfied smile after the game, “Alcantara consistently pitched powerfully like an ace. His chemistry with catcher Eui-ji Yang was also good.”

After faltering a bit at the beginning of the season, Alcantara seemed to be back to the good times in 2020. He pitched 35 innings in six games with an earned run average (ERA) of just 1.80. He is also third in the league in strikeouts with 44. Above all, it is nice to see that the quality start (6 innings or more – 3 earned runs or less) reached 3rd place in the league with 4 times. Except for the first game and one game where there was bad luck due to a defensive mistake, all of them did their part in all four games.

Have you gotten used to it now? Alcantara said, “The problem of adaptation is not about Korean baseball, but it was one of the processes of adapting to the body again as a starter because I played an active part in the middle of the game when I was in Japan.” You can look forward to Tara.”

The experience of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) stage, which plays more detailed baseball, was a great help. He said, “It seems to have had a good influence. I think I experienced how and when to throw not only fastballs and forkballs, but also other pitches as I watched various pitches and learned that baseball.”

Alcantara, who threw a lot of forkball and slider as the deciding ball in the beginning of the day, said, “The forkball is important, but I have a fastball, which is just as good as it is, so I use it a lot.” The feeling of throwing is very good,” he said.안전놀이터

The two sons watched their proud father from behind throughout the interview. Alcantara showed a special attachment to his family. He said, “Kids are always happy when I am in Japan or Korea,” and added, “When I come to Korea, my children sometimes come to the baseball field to play baseball together and come to the stadium on the day I play, so I feel great happiness in being with my family.” .

Do their two sons, Roman (6) and Victor (4), know that their father is a pitcher in the KBO League? He said, “I think I know. Every morning they come and say, ‘Daddy is the best,’ and these kids are a great motivator for me.” I want to become a better player and I have a desire to become a good player.”

The Dylan file, which was closed after the opening of Doosan, will also return. The starting lineup is running so well that manager Lee Seung-yeop couldn’t hide his disappointment when he moved Choi Seung-yong, who was good at pitching, to the bullpen. Director Lee Seung-yeop can’t help but be more pleased with Alcantara’s exemplary performance as the central axis.