"5kg Lose, Light" Why 7 Billion FA Compensation Players Are Expected to Rebound From ERA 6 Points
"5kg Lose, Light" Why 7 Billion FA Compensation Players Are Expected to Rebound From ERA 6 Points
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Will pitcher Choi Chae-heung, who moved to the LG Twins in the professional baseball league, be able to make a successful FA compensation player.안전놀이터
Choi, who has used the pitcher-friendly Jamsil Stadium as his home ground, has lost weight and found improvements in his pitching mechanism to rebound from his slump over the past two years.
Choi transferred from Samsung to LG in December last year. Samsung acquired Choi Wontae as a four-year maximum of 7 billion won (2.4 billion won in down payment, 3.4 billion won in annual salary, and 1.2 billion won in incentive) from the team. After receiving Samsung's roster of protected players, LG named Choi as a reward player.
Choi once played as a native ace for Samsung as a primary designated player. Choi, who joined Samsung as a primary designated player in 2018, pitched in 26 games (146 innings) in 2020, recording 11 wins, 6 losses and an ERA of 3.58. At the time, Choi was the No. 1 ERA among native pitchers in the league dominated by foreign pitchers.
However, he was sluggish in 26 games in 2021 with five wins and nine losses and an ERA of 4.56, and has since joined the military (Sangju Baseball Organization). He returned from military service in June 2023, but failed to regain his powerful pitching capability. After being discharged from the military in 2023, he only had one win, seven losses and an ERA of 6.68 in 15 games. In 2024, he was pushed out of the starting lineup, and pitched to the bullpen, recording a one-hold ERA of 6.30 in 14 games without winning or losing.
Choi is aiming to rebound from his new team. He has improved his appearance by losing weight during the off-season. He said, "I lost four to five kilograms. I tried to lose weight and lose a lot of body fat. My body is a bit light, and I feel a bit different when I wake up in the morning. I like it because it feels so light in my body."
He started dieting even before moving to compensation. "I was preparing (to lose weight) even before I entered November. I maintained my previous weight for nearly 10 years, but recently I felt that my body was a little heavy," Choi said. "I decided on an appropriate weight because I thought I need to control myself for this season, so I think my current weight is the most appropriate. I am maintaining 94 kilograms. It's okay to throw the ball, and it can cause problems if I can't use my strength, but I think I am okay. I am in better condition."
He left Samsung and moved to LG after joining the team through the first round of nominations. On the change to a compensation player for the FA, Choi said, "I thought, 'This is what will happen after the announcement. I thought positively. (Jamsil) The baseball stadium is big, and I could do it after receiving a good opportunity, so I prepared it with the mindset that I only have to do well. I think only (Uniform) clothes will change."
LG expects Choi, who is a left-handed pitcher and is capable of both starting and bullpen, to rebound. It would be even better if he reproduces himself when he has won 11 games. If he takes the fifth starting position, he will succeed.
Choi said, "I think I had high expectations and nominated him as a reward player. I want to be thankful for what I expect and want to get good results accordingly. Even though I am not young, I need to show off something. I have a lot of greed."
How should I show it off? Choi said, "If there is something more outstanding, wouldn't he try to stand out and use it? I think there are a lot of innings, and I think it would be a little bit okay to play the game." "If you let me be a starter or a bullpen, I will do my best. I haven't had many bullpens, but I don't feel much pressure," he said.
There is also the benefit of Jamsil Stadium. "I think it's advantageous because the baseball stadium is big, but considering that it's too wide, I might not know what I'm lacking," Choi said. "I think of raising my ball power first." "I felt comfortable in the Jamsil Stadium. It looked closer to home from the mound than to other stadiums. I felt like the mound was closer than the baseball stadium was bigger."
Data also analyzed the cause of the sluggish performance after discharge. The fastball speed dropped slightly. Choi Chae-heung mentioned vertical movement rather than restraint.
"I didn't think about vertical movements as important, but I heard that the number of vertical movements has decreased a lot (from personal lessons). Even if the speed drops, if the vertical movement is okay, batters may find it difficult, but the vertical movement seems to have fallen a lot as well." The analysis team said so as soon as I arrived at LG. "I think the angle of my wrist has fallen a lot. I am paying a lot of attention to those areas, and I am paying a lot of attention to vertical movements even though my speed is limited," he said.
Finally, Choi Chae-heung said to LG fans, "I have a lot of concerns and expectations. The biggest goal is to show good performance. I'm a little burdened, but I have to overcome it, and I want to do well. I want to do well, so please support me a lot."