“I didn’t have the know-how yet, so I trained hard with weights.”
Kia’s 150km Rising Star, Choi Ji-min (20), improved her fastball in her second year. His velocity, which was in the low 140s, reached 150km. He also had the boldness and guts to use his high-speed slider against both left and right-handed batters. Even against right-handed batters, he kept his sliders full.
This is the first time Choi Ji-min has pitched full-time in a pitching duo. In her first year, she only played six games in the first team. Naturally, she doesn’t have the know-how to do it effectively. As expected, Choi’s performance started to decline as the temperature rose.
In fact, in eight games in July, he went 1-1 with a 6.14 ERA and three saves. His high-90s fastball disappeared, and he adjusted to the mid-90s. As his pitches became more monotonous, he got hit more often. The slider is good, but it would be nice to have one more pitch for the long haul.
However, Choi has been on fire since August. She went 1-4 with a zero ERA in nine games in August and 2-1 with a 2.57 ERA in eight games in September. His August-September stats are 17 games, 14 1/3 innings, 10 hits (1 HR), 11 strikeouts, 7 walks, 4 runs (2 earned), and a 1.26 ERA.
We asked Choi, who joined the Korean National Baseball Team for the Hangzhou Asian Games on Nov. 23, what his secret is. His answer was unexpected: “I didn’t have the know-how yet, so I worked hard on weight training. As my outings decreased, I gained strength.”
Weight training is an important way out when you’re feeling weak and your pitching balance is off. Eating well, resting well, and working out are pretty standard and obvious, but they’re really important for a second-year pitcher. Working hard and sweating without faking it is a universal recipe for success.
The next point about fewer walks is also a good one. Unlike the first half of the season, the second half of the season doesn’t rely as much on Choi Ji-min. Closer Jung Hae-young is back, and Jeon Sang-hyun is on fire. Lim Ki-young is still hanging in there. Unlike the first half of the season, when he and Lim were responsible for the eighth and ninth innings, there is plenty of quality.스포츠토토
As a bullpen pitcher, you can’t help but feel more comfortable when the frequency of your appearances and the weight of the situation decreases. Choi Ji-min’s exit from the slump was also aided by the strength of Debs. However, how the Kia bullpen fills the void left by Choi’s departure will be crucial to the team’s chances of reaching the top five.
“I’m not greedy for a changeup,” Choi said, “but I asked (Park) Young-hyun-i for a changeup earlier.” A left-handed pitcher, Choi Ji-min has a changeup that can give him wings against right-handed hitters. A change of scenery can change a player’s mindset. The Asian Games will be another boost for Choi’s growth.
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