One of the players that SSG coach Kim Won-hyung, an expert in pitcher training, nagged the most during the two years he took office may have been Choi Min-joon (24‧SSG). Choi Min-joon became a first-team player amid coach Kim’s sudden appointment. I don’t think it’s because I don’t like it when I think about the past. Manager Kim emphasizes that he can become a better pitcher with a little more tweaking.

Choi Min-joon is small, but has a variety of pitches and stamina. If he wasn’t a strong SSG starter, he is a resource that could be tested even as a starter. Director Kim paid attention to Min-jun Choi’s strengths and utilized them in various positions, including long relief. That’s how he played 89 games for two years, and digested 154⅓ innings, which was decent. He became an imposing first-team player. It is a day that he could not have thought of before his enlistment.

However, Choi Min-joon is not very happy with the past two years. Although he managed to establish himself in the first team, he was not a pitcher to be satisfied with on his own. He had, above all, the thought that his own restraint had not come out sufficiently. He wanted to throw a stronger ball. If he wants to survive the fierce competition, he has to tackle those challenges in order to live the first-team life he dreams of going forward. So his last offseason went into redemption and fighting.

Choi Min-joon’s average velocity over the past two years was in the early 140 km/h range. Last year, he was only at the level of 140.5 km. Compared to the speed, the ball was heavy and the result was not bad, but since there was no speed, there were often cases where I had to rely on a breaking ball at a crucial moment. This is the reason why the number of pitches continues to increase on days when changing pitches and control pitches do not listen. Besides, velocity can be a confidence boost for a pitcher. Choi Min-joon worked hard on his off-season training to find that confidence.

Originally, he was not a player who threw such a slow (?) ball. When he was in the Armed Forces Sports Corps (Sangmu), he had the experience of shooting up to 148 km in the middle of the game. So, it was not a sudden problem. He kept thinking about this task, and he wandered for two years. Fortunately, we are now in the process of finding the answer. He faithfully followed the path, and little by little tangible results began to emerge.

Choi Min-joon acknowledged that the task he put the most emphasis on in the offseason was improving velocity, and explained, “I did a lot of related exercises such as core with the goal of increasing velocity,” adding, “The past two years have been a process of finding balance. Pitching balance is managing director. I think I liked the beginning of the second season of “I was the best. Now, it’s about the end of my 2nd year as a managing director”, he diagnosed himself. It’s not 100%, but it can be interpreted as meaning that I’m feeling better than last year.스포츠토토

Choi Min-joon laughed and said, “I’ve thrown 148 km, so I’ll aim for 150 km.” Of course, it’s not that I’m going to be greedy for redemption, but it’s a symbolic declaration that I’ll do my best to throw a stronger ball when it’s important. As a player who has many things, such as senses, even if he increases by 3 to 4 km from last year, he can see a tremendous effect than expected.

The face is good. It was Choi Min-joon who took the mound as a starter in the first round of the team’s own practice game held in Florida. This means that he is currently the best pitcher on the team. Even though it was his first appearance and he didn’t throw at all, his highest velocity was 142 km. He has higher restraints than at this time last year. If Min-Jun Choi can work through the challenges slowly, he could see some hope bloom in the bullpen, which is pointed out as SSG’s weakness.