“I think the ball can get faster.”

Jang Min-jae, 34, a right-handed pitcher who stayed with Hanwha as a free agent, is known for his slow delivery. He started playing baseball early, in the first grade at Hwajung Elementary School in Gwangju, but his velocity didn’t increase until he underwent two elbow surgeries before turning pro. In his fourth year of professional baseball, he had another elbow surgery and his fastball average never exceeded 140 kilometers.

Since 2021, his fastball has averaged 135.4, 136.0, and 135.3 mph in the last three years. Even with a fastball that rarely tops 140 mph, Jang Min-jae has his strengths. With his precise delivery, aggressive body mechanics, and forkball as his main weapon, he has been a longtime all-around pitcher in the first team, regardless of his position. On the 21st, he was recognized for his value by signing a 2+1 year free agent contract with Hanwha for up to 800 million won.

Jang Min-jae has endured with the ‘aesthetics of slowness’, but he has always had a longing for fastballs in his heart. Every pitcher wants to throw a fastball. Min-jae Jang is no different, and this winter, he’s looking for a clue. When he became a free agent after the season, Jang sought out Kim Jin-young, a former pitcher with the Hanwha organization. 바카라사이트 A pitcher for Hanwha from 2017-2021, Kim became a Hanwha foreign scout after retiring from the game and opened a baseball academy in Daejeon last year.

Jang Min-jae, who has been training with Kim in the off-season

“I’ve been studying a lot about what I’m lacking while working out with him. I feel like my body is getting better as I work out in a new way, and I understand why I haven’t been able to develop my speed. I feel like I’m going to be able to throw the ball faster because I’m using my whole body. I’m grateful to Jin Young-i for helping me with my mindset.”

Kim works with Jang Min-jae on a pitcher-specific performance workout that combines training and technique. Instead of training on a flat surface, they utilize a mound slope to add detail. They use medicine balls and wall balls to improve body rotation, and focus on filling in elements of the pitching mechanics that require instantaneous speed.

Performance training is a common practice in American baseball, but it hasn’t taken root in the Korean professional game. Each team has separate training and technical sessions, which makes it difficult to get immediate feedback. It’s hard to try something new outside of the offseason, but Jang Min-jae teamed up with Kim this winter to start the fastball elevation project.

Kim, who played American baseball in the Chicago Cubs minor leagues

As a player and has continued to study training methods after retiring from baseball, says, “There is no definitive answer to increasing velocity, but we have developed performance training after many studies in the United States. Combining technology and training to increase the overall range of motion can improve performance.”

“Minjae is not a player I can say anything about,” Kim continued, “People might say why he’s focusing on speed now, but he’s been doing it all along. There is no other player who has thought about speed as much as Minjae. He was more stressed and desperate for it than anyone else. It’s great to see him take on a new challenge in such a limited environment. I think that kind of willpower will lead to good results.”

Jang Min-jae, who joined Hanwha in 2009 and is now in his 16th year as a professional, is the team’s longest-serving veteran. He is one of the first pitchers to arrive at the ballpark for every home game in Daejeon, organizing his personal tools and preparing for training, setting an example for the younger players with his sincerity and friendliness. 안전놀이터 At the ripe old age of 34, it will be interesting to see if Jang’s challenge to improve his velocity will lead to a ‘schoolboy’ performance in his first year of free agency.