“Even if a knife gets into the boat, we must block it unconditionally.”
She doubted her ears. I wondered if I had heard it right. As much as that, the will of Choi Choong-yeon (26, Samsung Lions) was determined. As a pitcher with a key role in the bullpen, he was only supposed to help a team on the rise.
On the 26th, Choi Choong-yeon met with reporters ahead of the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO league demonstration game with Doosan Bears at Jamsil Baseball Stadium, Songpa-gu, Seoul, and said, “If the team asks me to go on the mound at such an important moment, I must block it unconditionally.”
Samsung was evaluated as weak ahead of this 토토사이트season, but it is running alone in first place with 10 wins and 2 losses in demonstration games. The role of Pil Seung-jo is bound to grow.
There were many twists and turns. A native of Gyeongbuk High School, he was a promising prospect in the spotlight during his high school days. In the 2016 rookie draft, he joined his hometown team Samsung after receiving the first nomination, and in 2018, his third season, he soared with 2 wins, 6 losses, 8 saves, 16 holds, and an ERA of 3.60. After wearing the Taegeuk mark at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games held during the season, he contributed to the victory and enjoyed military service exemption.
It’s been good so far, but I haven’t been able to continue the upward trend. After suffering extreme sluggishness in 2019, he was punished for 150 games due to drunk driving without being able to accompany the training camp in 2020. In the fall of that year, he underwent surgery to reconstruct the medial ligament in his right elbow and took two full seasons off.
For Choong-yeon Choi, who recorded 1 loss and 4.70 ERA in 38 games after returning last year, this spring camp was different. He had a strong desire to restore his honor. He constantly sprayed the ball and constantly shouted “fighting” as a link between rookies and veterans.
He pitched five times in a practice game played in Okinawa, Japan, and posted one save without a win or loss in 5⅔ innings. His earned run average (ERA) was 3.18. Coach Park picked him as the best pitcher (MVP) and said, “Choi Choong-yeon digested more than 1,000 pitches he promised himself and showed good performance in actual matches.” Thank you,” he praised.
Choi Choong-yeon said, “He prepared hard and threw a lot of balls. It’s more exciting than burdensome.” He is also in good shape. Choi Choong-yeon said, “I’ve been really good since Okinawa,” and “Honestly, my body is much better than during the Asian Games.”
But there are challenges. “I have to balance, but currently it’s about 60-70%. I’m trying all sorts of things at the point where I put the ball during the game, but right now I’m in a bit of a hurry,” he said. told
For pitchers, balance is one of the most important factors. If you try to throw only hard, the balance is disturbed, and the ball is often driven or out of the zone. Choi Choong-yeon, who throws the ball while repeating it over and over again, said, “It’s good to throw the ball in a game.” there is,” he explained.
On the 21st, he hit a home run against the Lotte Giants and allowed 4 runs, but in the remaining 4 games, he pitched scoreless and earned 3 saves with 1 hold. The batting line explodes, the bullpen protects him well, and good opportunities continue for him. Although he is on the mound in a situation that can be burdensome, he said, “If you concentrate, your field of vision narrows and you get better.” He is the perfect personality for Pilseungjo.
The bullpen is a role in which success or failure depends on one ball. Many failures are bound to follow. Nevertheless, it gains strength through helpers. Coach Jung Hyun-wook, who was the core bullpen of Samsung, is giving the biggest strength. “The coach told me a lot that it is inevitable to be hit and fight with the best ball, and that it is inevitable to be hit by fighting,” he said. It could be, or it could be that I went in complacently. The coach still tells me that it can’t be helped if I hit him with the best force.”
I just want to help the team somehow. “Of course, grades are important, but whether it’s the 1st or 2nd team, I have to find the ideal balance I thought of and become a player that the team needs. That’s the biggest goal,” he said. I have to be responsible, so I always prepare and there may be bad days, but I have to work hard to strike a balance in the best condition.”