Right-handed pitcher Moon Dong-ju (19) of the Hanwha Eagles is the most noteworthy player in professional baseball this year.
Moon Dong-ju threw a ball at 160.1 km per hour against Park Chan-ho in the bottom of the first inning against the KIA Tigers on the 12th, breaking the 160 km barrier for the first time in Korean baseball.
Moon Dong-ju, a young pitcher in his second year, jumped over the big wall that even Seon Dong-yeol, the late Choi Dong-won, and Ryu Hyun-jin (Toronto Blue Jays) could not overcome.
Moon Dong-ju is not just a pitcher who throws fast balls. He is dominating the KBO league with his high-level control and breaking ball skills.
Korean baseball, which was frustrated by being eliminated in the first round of the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) finals, gained confidence due to Moon Dong-ju.
How did Moon Dong-ju become the hope of Korean baseball?
Moon Dong-ju introduced that his physical growth was slower than his peers in his childhood, which had a positive effect on him.
On the 16th, he told a story related to ‘160km fastball’ at Suwon KT Wiz Park.
Moon Dong-ju, who escaped overwork, took the first step toward 160kmAs a child, Moon Dong-ju was slow to grow. He was much shorter than his peers through elementary and middle school.
He had other physical conditions as well. Moon Dong-ju’s unique shoulder strength was weak. So until he was in his third year of middle school, he was only active as an infielder.
Most players who are good at baseball see pitchers and fielders together, but Moon Dong-ju did not.
This environment had a great influence on Moon Dong-ju becoming a top-notch fastball pitcher.
Moon Dong-ju was able to avoid overuse and it served as an opportunity to grow without injuring his shoulder muscles.
Moon Dong-ju, who completed his physical growth safely, started working as a pitcher in his second year of high school.
As soon as he started his full-fledged pitching activity, he shot 150 km per hour with his fresh shoulders and quickly rose to the ranks of high school special pitchers.
Since his pitching career was short, he did not have enough time to learn his breaking ball.
When he was in his third year of high school, he learned the curveball, and other breaking balls after joining Hanwha.
The latest changeup, which is used as a deciding pitch, is a pitch that I learned from Choi Won-ho, coach of Hanwha’s 2nd team.
Lower body training rather than upper body training… Lessons from a father who is a hammer throw coachMoon Dong-ju was greatly influenced by his father. His father, Moon Joon-heum, a national hammer thrower, is the director of the track and field team at Jangheung-gun Office.
Director Moon Joon-heum tried hard not to let his son, who was slow to grow, have an impatient mind.
Moon Dong-joo said, “I grew up late, so I started weight training later than my friends.”
He continued, “My father must have felt frustrated while watching me grow slowly, but he patiently waited for me.”
There was something else that director Moon Jun-heum emphasized. It was lower body training.
Coach Moon, a ‘throwing expert’, was well aware that throwing the ball with lower body strength, not upper body strength, would reduce the risk of injury and display good skills.
Moon Dong-ju did not neglect lower body training such as running training.
Moon Dong-joo’s soft pitching form, like flowing water, was also completed under the influence of his father.
His slow physical growth and his father’s teachings allowed him to step into the pro scene without a history of surgery.
Step by step without being greedy… Moon Dong-ju continues to growMoon Dong-ju’s fastball is clean. It flies straight without any major change. Literally, it’s a ‘straight ball’.
In fact, Moon Dong-ju’s fastball is different from the global trend.
Most top-notch pitchers in American professional baseball (MLB) or Japanese professional baseball throw fastballs with heavy movement.
There are many cases of overpowering opponent batters with variant fastballs such as two-seam fastballs and cut fastballs.
Ultimately, in order for Moon Dong-ju to become a world-class pitcher beyond the KBO league, there is an opinion that ‘Movement’ must throw a hard fastball.
Moon Dong-ju is well aware of this.
As if he had waited for a question related to this, he started ‘explaining’ with a bat lying next to him.
Moon Dong-joo said, “Just as not all hitters hold this bat equally, I think I should find something I can do well,” and “I try not to think in a hurry.
“Honestly, it’s not easy to equip a fastball with high movement in a short period of time,” he said.
Moon Dong-ju, a professional player in his second year, was calm and dignified. And he was humble.
Moon Dong-ju still thinks there are many mountains to overcome in the KBO League.
The Doosan Bears match to be held on the 18th at Daejeon Hanwha Life Insurance Eagles Park is a challenge for Moon Dong-ju.카지노사이트
After starting against Doosan, Moon Dong-ju is scheduled to return to the home game against the LG Twins on the 23rd.
It is the first time to digest the starting rotation after a 4-day break.
He said, “This is the first time I’ve started twice in a week,” and promised, “I’m aiming to do my best against Doosan. I want to show everything I can.”