By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Aug. 20 (Yonhap) -- 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 said 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.

"Playing a lot of years in Australia, there is not a lot of publicity, and it is pretty small crowds," Kennedy continued. "So it is just exciting to be in the whole new environment."

The 31-year-old began pitching in the Australian Baseball League (ABL) in 2012 as a teenager and has had 13 seasons Down Under. He has also pitched across different levels of the American minor leagues over parts of four seasons, reaching as high as Triple-A.

Kennedy had stints in independent ball in Japan and the upstart Czech league. He has now joined the team that is 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 so far at the 23,750-seat Jamsil. The KBO is on pace to break its single-season attendance record of 12.3 million set last year.

This is not Kennedy's first rodeo through Jamsil. He got his first look at the ballpark in 2012, when he represented Australia at the 2012 International Baseball Federation U-18 Baseball World Championship. His team played three games at the Seoul stadium.

"It was impressive then, and it is just as impressive now," Kennedy said with a smile.

When asked if he was aware that Jamsil will be torn down after this year, Kennedy nodded and said: "I did hear that. So I am happy I at least get to play here this season."

Earlier Wednesday, Twins manager Youm Kyoung-youb said he would put the new left-hander in high-leverage situations right from the get-go, and he would count on Kennedy to pitch on consecutive days and go multiple innings at a time.

Kennedy said he would be ready for anything the team asks him.

"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."

Youm lived up to his word and threw Kennedy into the fire Wednesday night. He came on with one out and a runner at first in the eighth inning, as the Twins were clinging to a 1-0 lead before about 15,000 fans.

Left-handed Kwon Dong-jin was due up for the Wiz, but the right-handed Oh Yoon-suk pinch-hit for him. Kennedy then got Oh to bounce into an inning-ending, 3-6-1 double play. The Twins went on to win the game 1-0.

"It was good to experience the pressure cooker early," Kennedy said. "My pitches were moving the way I wanted them to. My big goal was just making sure to throw strikes and attack the hitters. I have been trying to stay calm the whole time, and I am glad to just get the first one out of the way now."

Kennedy, listed at 203 centimeters tall, said his long arm will be an asset.

"I have long arms, and I throw from an unusual slot. So I think that is probably going to be my biggest strength," he said. "I changed a couple of years ago from a curveball to a slider to pair it up better with my fastball. My pitches tunnel better, and I think the fastball has a better complement now."

Kennedy is the fourth member of the Australian national team at this year's World Baseball Classic to end up in the KBO. Shortstop Jarryd Dale, also Kennedy's cousin, and pitcher Jack O'Loughlin played for the Kia Tigers and the Samsung Lions, respectively, though both have since left the league. Kennedy is replacing Lachlan Wells, who had pitched well early in the season but had struggled in recent weeks before a shoulder ailment knocked him out.

Kennedy said Dale had sent him some KBO balls beforehand so he could start his acclimatization process early, and Wells had offered him some advice on how to handle his new surroundings.

Kennedy, who inherited Wells' number, 68, said there is no awkwardness between the two after one took over from the other.

"Lachlan and I are good teammates. I have known him since we were both teenagers," Kennedy said. "We go a long way back. He told me LG is a really good organization and teammates look after us, and that is exactly true."

jeeho@yna.co.kr

(END)

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