Obviously, it has changed.
During the last spring camp, Hanwha’s theme was ‘competition’. Compared to previous years, the overall depth of each position has become thicker. The same goes for the mound. I try to forget the days when it was difficult even to make a starting rotation. Now I’m happy to think about which card to choose. Above all, the power pitchers have increased noticeably. There are many pitchers throwing 150km fastballs. There is even a joke among Hanwha pitchers, “If you don’t run more than 150 km, you can’t even show a business card with speed.”스포츠토토
There are promising players in the center. They are Moon Dong-ju and Kim Seo-hyun. Each wore a Hanwha uniform with the 1st nomination in 2022 and the 1st round of the 2023 rookie draft (1st overall). Throws a fast ball in the second half of 150km casually. He also caught attention in the demonstration game. Moon Dong-ju started on the 18th against Kiwoom and scored 1 run in 3 innings. The highest speed of the fastball was taken up to 157 km. Head coach Carlos Subero even considers Moon Dong-ju as a candidate for the opening match. Seohyun Kim made three appearances in the bullpen until the 20th. He put in a 155km fastball.
It’s not over. Other fireballers, Han Seung-hyuk and Yoon San-heum, are also stepping up their pace. He shows off his speed at the beginning of 150 km and appeals to his presence. In the case of Yoon San-heum, he increased the proportion of weight training throughout the winter. Compared to last year, it is known that the speed has increased by more than 2 km. It’s not up to 150 km, but Jang Si-hwan also has a fast ball. As much as he is improving his condition, he can go higher after the opening. Including foreign one-two punches Felix Pena and Birch Smith, it is literally a good year for fastballs.
Is that why? In this demonstration game, Hanwha is cruising. During the 8 matches played, they won 5 (1 draw and 2 losses) and placed at the top of the leaderboard. Of course, an exhibition game is just a demonstration game. Focus on the process rather than the outcome. It is meaningful to check various factors prior to the full-scale season. The important thing is that the spectrum itself that Hanwha can show has broadened. In particular, speed is called a gift from heaven in the baseball world. Restraint is not everything, but it is clear that it is a factor that makes Hanwha’s flight come.