Seoul: After years of pitching in front of sparse crowds in his native Australia, the United States, Japan, and the Czech Republic, new LG Twins pitcher Jon Kennedy says he is excited to have a chance to play before thousands of fans in South Korea. "Definitely just the opportunity to be in a league that has the excitement and the fanfare," Kennedy remarked before Wednesday's game against the KT Wiz at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, when asked about what he most looked forward to about being in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). Kennedy signed with the Seoul-based club Saturday and was placed on the active roster earlier Wednesday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Kennedy has spent 13 seasons in the Australian Baseball League (ABL) and has had stints in the American minor leagues, Japan, and the Czech Republic. Now, as part of the LG Twins, he joins a team leading the KBO in total home attendance this year with nearly 1.28 million fans. The Twins have sold out 36 of their 57 home games at the 23,750-seat Jamsil, and the KBO is on track to break its single-season attendance record of 12.3 million set last year.

This is not Kennedy's first experience at Jamsil; he first visited the stadium in 2012 during the International Baseball Federation U-18 Baseball World Championship. "It was impressive then, and it is just as impressive now," Kennedy noted with a smile. Despite learning that Jamsil will be torn down after this year, Kennedy expressed happiness at getting the chance to play there this season.

On the field, Twins manager Youm Kyoung-youb intends to use Kennedy in high-leverage situations right from the start. Kennedy, who has transitioned between roles throughout his career, expressed readiness for any challenge. "I am really excited," he said. "My whole career in the States, I was a reliever, and then my time in Japan as well. It was actually only just this past year that I retransitioned back to a starter. So I am pretty confident as a reliever."

Kennedy's debut for the Twins was a success, as he contributed to a 1-0 victory by inducing an inning-ending double play in a critical moment of the game. Reflecting on his performance, Kennedy said, "It was good to experience the pressure cooker early. My pitches were moving the way I wanted them to. My big goal was just making sure to throw strikes and attack the hitters."

Kennedy is optimistic about his future in the KBO, citing his unusual pitching mechanics and recent adjustments to his pitch selection as key factors. "I have long arms, and I throw from an unusual slot. So I think that is probably going to be my biggest strength," he explained. His transition to the KBO is also supported by connections with other Australian players, including his cousin Jarryd Dale and advice from fellow pitcher Lachlan Wells, whom Kennedy is replacing on the Twins roster.

Kennedy, who inherited Wells' number, 68, emphasized the camaraderie and support among players. "Lachlan and I are good teammates. I have known him since we were both teenagers," Kennedy said. "He told me LG is a really good organization and teammates look after us, and that is exactly true."