baseball pitcher-return
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| ▲ Doosan Bears pitcher Brandon Waddell throws in the bullpen at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on June 22, 2023, in this photo provided by the Bears. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ Doosan Bears pitcher Brandon Waddell speaks with reporters in the dugout at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on June 22, 2023, in this photo provided by the Bears. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ Doosan Bears pitcher Brandon Waddell throws in the bullpen at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on June 22, 2023, in this photo provided by the Bears. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ Doosan Bears pitcher Brandon Waddell (C) speaks with catcher Yang Eui-ji after a bullpen session at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on June 22, 2023, in this photo provided by the Bears. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ Doosan Bears manager Lee Seung-yuop (L) watches pitcher Brandon Waddell throw in the bullpen at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on June 22, 2023, in this photo provided by the Bears. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ Doosan Bears pitcher Brandon Waddell smiles after a bullpen session at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on June 22, 2023, in this photo provided by the Bears. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
baseball pitcher-return
Armed with new slider, Bears pitcher Waddell 'excited' about 2nd KBO stint
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, June 23 (Yonhap) -- Having reunited with the Doosan Bears after a half-season stint last year in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), American left-hander Brandon Waddell isn't just a year older and wiser.
The 29-year-old believes he is also a better pitcher.
"I've added another pitch that has helped me a lot. And so I'm just excited to go out and compete and get back again facing hitters in the KBO," Waddell told reporters Thursday after a bullpen session at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. Waddell signed with the Bears on June 13 and is scheduled to start Saturday against the Kiwoom Heroes.
"Last year, I had a slider, but it's more of a hard slider, so I still have that," he said. "But this year, I also added a slower, bigger slider that has helped me a lot against lefties."
Waddell first pitched for the Bears in 2022 as a midseason replacement for Ariel Miranda, the 2021 KBO MVP, who had been struggling with shoulder issues. In 11 starts,beginning in August, Waddell went 5-3 with a 3.60 ERA. In 65 innings, Waddell struck out 40 and walked 24.
It was a solid enough performance that could have merited a new deal, but the Bears went in a different direction. They replaced Waddell and another starter from 2022, Robert Stock, with Dylan File and their one-time ace Raul Alcantara.
Alcantara has come as advertised, ranking second in the KBO with 93 strikeouts and fourth with a 1.94 ERA. File, on the other hand, suffered a head injury after being struck by a comebacker during spring training and was released after just two starts in the KBO.
The Bears reached out to a familiar face in Waddell, who was pitching for the Rakuten Monkeys in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) in Taiwan this season. He ended his CPBL stint ranked fourth in the league with a 3.30 ERA and fifth with 60 strikeouts.
Waddell said he wanted to come back with the Bears, but he harbored no ill feelings over their decision not to sign him last winter.
"I had a very, very good time here, but outside of that, it's out of my control. All I can focus on is my pitching," he said. "There are things I definitely could have done better last year, and I'm glad now I get the chance to go and try and do better."
Waddell expected "a lot smoother transition" this year, having already been built up as a starter. Last summer, he had arrived in the KBO having pitched in relief in Triple-A. His most recent start either in the majors or minors had come in 2019.
This year, though, Waddell already threw 71 innings in a dozen starts for the Monkeys before rejoining the Bears.
"I think the No. 1 thing that stands out to me is my body feels a lot better conditioned for the kind of work that I'm going to do here," he said. "I feel very confident in how I feel and excited to get back out there."
The Bears are locked in a midseason dogfight for a playoff spot. After losing their fourth consecutive game Thursday, the Bears sit in sixth place at 30-33-1 (wins-losses-ties). The Bears are in a virtual tie with the Heroes, who occupy the fifth and final postseason spot after winning five games in a row. The Bears have five games in hand on the Heroes.
That the Bears have hung around the .500 mark in winning percentage despite getting zero wins from one of their two foreign starters is quite a feat, considering how heavily contenders lean on pitchers from overseas.
Waddell said he doesn't feel any added pressure of joining a potential playoff club in the middle of a better-than-expected season.
"My job is to focus on the field, and whether that's here or there or anywhere, every time I take the mound, I want to do the best that I can, and that's to get the team to win," he said. "So that's all I really focus on. Outside of that circumstance, it's out of my control, so I just try and get the best that I can."
In his first tour of duty here, Waddell's primary catcher was Park Sei-hyok, who caught him for 41 of his 65 innings. But Park left the Bears in free agency, and the Bears brought back former All-Star Yang Eui-ji, who signed on as a free agent after four seasons with the NC Dinos.
Yang first played for the Bears from 2007 to 2018, before Waddell came here. Over time, Yang evolved into the most complete catcher in the KBO, someone who calls a great game behind the plate and puts up big numbers with the bat in his hand.
"I'm excited that he's on our team," Waddell said. "I remember last year he was a really good hitter. He's a tough out. He fouls off a lot of pitches. He's now on our team helping our lineup, and then obviously (he's) very good behind the plate. It's exciting to have him here, and I'm excited to throw to him as well."
Waddell had better numbers when throwing to Park's backup, Jang Seung-hyun. In their 22 innings together last year, Waddell had a 2.86 ERA, and opponents batted only .158 against him. In comparison, Waddell pitched to a 3.73 ERA and a .244 opponents batting average when Park was his batterymate.
Jang, along with some coaches. watched Waddell's bullpen session closely.
"I think we worked really well together last year. I really enjoyed throwing with him," Waddell said. "It was nice to see him out here watching, and we were able to talk a little bit after. It's been a little bit since I was off the mound last, so just being able to get on the mound, you kind of get a feel for all the different pitches. It's nice to kind of have that as a tuneup to get ready for the game."
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