I'm the best among all players...159km Light Speed Zone Urgent Recruitment, How Did the Master See It?

May 14, 2025

Lotte Giants new foreign pitcher Alec Gamboa. Courtesy of Lotte Giants

Lotte manager Kim Tae-hyung is preparing for the match between Lotte and KIA at Gwangju KIA Champions Field on the 13th. Gwangju = Reporter's book@sportschosun.com/2025.05.13/

"He's the best among athletes who are willing to come to Korea, and he can come quickly."

Lotte Giants manager Kim Tae-hyung talked about Alec Gamboa, a new foreign pitcher, before the match against the Gwangju KIA Tigers on the 14th. Gamboa is expected to be a left-handed pitcher who can throw a 159km fastball with a maximum speed.

Lotte recruited Alec Gamboa, a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers Triple-A in the Major League, as a substitute for Charlie Barnes earlier in the day. The club announced that it has signed Gamboa for a transfer fee of $100,000 and a total annual salary of $330,000 ($300,000 a year, an option of $30,000)."

Inside Lotte, from the moment he confirmed his separation from Barnes, he decided to recruit Gamboa. Gamboa was the final candidate that Lotte agonized over until the end when it hired a new left-hander Tucker Davidson this year. Lotte chose to accompany Davison first, but as Barnes left, Gamboa was held in turn.

Gamboa is a left-hander who is 185cm tall and weighs 92kg and has a lot of experience in starting. His strength is his average fastball of 151 kilometers, which he plays at high RBIs. He played in 131 games in the minor leagues with 359 ⅔ innings and a 4.23 ERA, and is 28-21 in 41 games as a starter.

The Lotte club expressed expectation that `as a left-hander, he will perform well in the KBO based on his fast arrest, slider and change-up, and that he will be able to quickly adapt to the KBO League as a good player with a walk-esque who puts the team first.'

Coach Kim Tae-hyung said it is difficult to evaluate what kind of player Gamboa is right now. I watched the pitching video, but in the end, I have to watch him throw directly from the KBO League mound to make a judgment.

Coach Kim said, `I don't know what kind of player he is. I heard the speed limit is 150km, but the video is of no use. Only good videos come out..." he said calmly.

Lotte-Kium match held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 29th. Barnes, who pitched well with one run until the sixth inning, is entering the locker room. Gocheok = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.4.29/

Lotte-Kium match held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 29th. Lotte manager Kim Tae-hyung, who won 9-3, is welcoming winning pitcher Barnes. Gocheok = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.4.29/

Lotte quickly took the strand as a replacement on the 5th when Barnes was removed from the first-team entry due to left sub-scapular muscle damage and hospital examinations showed that it took eight weeks to recover. Considering the process of preparing to return to the mound eight weeks later, he judged it difficult to accompany him.

Lotte's recent rise to third place led to its first expectation of entering autumn baseball in eight years since 2017, and it had to fill the vacancy of foreign pitchers quickly to maintain the top ranks. Lotte had to wait until after June to recruit a better pitcher who has yet to give up on the major league challenge, so Lotte joined hands with Gamboa, who had been watching for a long time.

Coach Kim said, `He was the best and fastest player who was willing to come to Korea. There was also a slightly better player video, and Gamboa was the fastest player to choose among them because of his Major League contract."

When Gamboa will make her debut is yet to be confirmed. First, it is expected that a detailed debut schedule will be set only after entering Korea on the 16th and completing necessary administrative procedures such as visa issuance.

Coach Kim said, "(The schedule) will be known only when Gamboa comes." You have to look at this and that, and look at the player's schedule and status. We have to throw it in the second-tier game as well," he said, predicting that he would need a little time.

Barnes was notified of waivers by the club on the 12th, and packed his bags after greeting the team on the 13th. Coach Kim gave Barnes "A lot for the team. I hope there will be good things again."

Gamboa is very happy and proud to be able to take on a new challenge for Lotte, the most popular club in the KBO League, through the club. I will play my role as a starting pitcher so that I can quickly adapt as a member of the team and contribute to the team's advance to the postseason rather than individual performance"I vowed.