‘ERA 1.70→6.35→0’ ordeal solidifies Kia’s 20-year-old rising star…Understanding the 144G Marathon

“My pitches come and go a bit.”

For KIA Rising Star Choi Ji-min (20), the first half of the year was much different than the second. In the first half of the year, he went 3-2 with three wins, three losses, six saves and a 1.70 ERA in 37 games. He’s been working on his pitching balance with the Geelong Korea of the Australian Professional Baseball League and has upped his fastball from the 140s to 149-150.

If you watch Choi’s pitches from this season, you’ll notice that he’s most aggressive against right-handed hitters. As he’s gotten more aggressive with both his fastball and slider, he’s naturally increased the power of his outside changeup. As a result, he became a hard-throwing left-handed set-up man who can be used against both left and right-handed batters.

But second-year starter Choi Ji-min is getting his first full-time taste of the first team this year. He obviously doesn’t have the know-how to stay consistent for 144 games. His pace in the first half of the season slowed down in the second half. His stamina dropped due to frequent appearances over the summer, and his fastball velocity dropped a bit.

In the second half of the season, he went 1-1 with a 6.35 ERA in eight games. The second half of the season saw a significant increase in his ERA, but it’s not a serious decline. In 8 games, 5.2 innings, 8 hits, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts, 4 runs. That’s not bad for a one-game performance from a starting pitcher. If you compare his July and August ERAs, they’re 6.14 and zero. Four scoreless innings in five games in August.

Before the game against Busan Lotte on the 13th, manager Kim Jong-kook said, “Jimin’s pitches are coming and going a little bit. Recently, the interval between appearances has become longer, so it could be a sensory issue.” Last month, he pitched four games in five days, starting with the Gwangju Lotte on the 30th and ending with a three-game series against the Pohang Samsung Electronics on the 1st and 3rd. After that, he had a break, a rainout, and three games without a pitching situation.

As his stamina dropped a bit, his release point and pitching balance may have been subtly disturbed. “Jimin is also throwing with power now, and there are aspects of fatigue that have accumulated,” Kim said. 안전놀이터 It is a process of accumulating game management and full-time skills.

It’s worth taking a cue from side arm Im Ki-young, who has been a starter for a long time and is known for his efficient pitching and energy management. While Choi threw 788 pitches (16.4 per inning) in 48 innings this season, Lim threw only 913 pitches (14.9) in 61.1 innings, the most of any pure relief pitcher this season. Lim has had a lot of fun with his changeup this season.

Choi Ji-min is also a dominant fastball and slider pitcher, but he would benefit from a secondary pitch to throw hitters off their timing and get them to hit. The slider is a fastball-timing pitch, so Choi struggles with it when she’s not in good shape. According to baseball stats site Statiz, Choi throws 90 percent fastballs and sliders, with the occasional changeup.

It’s a learning season for Choi. He’s emerged as a solid hitter in the Kia bullpen this year, and he’ll be traveling to the Hangzhou Asian Games in late September. This season’s learning and experience will help her grow for next year. Every game counts.