You have to do better than work hard. That’s the only way.”
Samsung Lions pitcher Choi Chung-yeon, whom we met at Gyeongsan Ball Park on the 16th, said this with a solemn expression.
Choi Chung-yeon, who was selected in the first round by Samsung in 2016 after graduating from Gyeongbuk High School, played an active part as a key member of the winning group with 2 wins, 6 losses, 8 saves, and 16 holds (average ERA 3.60) in 2018. In August of that year, he was selected to the Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games team, won a gold medal, and even enjoyed military service benefits. 토토사이트
Expectations were high that he would become a national star, but he was unable to stand on the mound for a while due to surgery on his right elbow. He played in 38 games last year, with no wins and only 1 loss.
His earned run average was 4.70. Except for July (9 games, ERA 2.70), there was a lot of disappointment. He was no longer able to stand on the first team stage after the KIA match on September 25th.
Manager Park Jin-man selected Choi Chung-yeon as the pitcher MVP through an interview at the end of spring camp in Okinawa, Japan, saying, “He pitched more than 1,000 pitches that he promised himself and showed good performance in actual games.
Not only did he work hard in individual training, but he also brought fighting spirit to the team. “I was grateful that they gave it to me,” he said, explaining the reason.
He was expected to be a key member of this season’s relief pitching team, but he had no wins or losses in 7 games and only had an ERA of 4.82. He has not been on the first team mound since the Changwon NC game on May 20th.
Coach Park Jin-man expressed regret, saying, “I had really high expectations.
I prepared a lot. I also increased the amount of practice a lot. The player himself is probably the most frustrated. I prepared really hard starting from spring camp, but it’s too bad that my health is not good since the season started.”
Looking back on this season, Choi Chung-yeon said, “I prepared well, but I couldn’t do anything because I got injured. It was all my fault. Rather than just working hard, I think I need to pay more attention to direction and prepare thoroughly.”
His injured shoulder is recovering smoothly. Choi Chung-yeon said, “It has improved a lot. It has now reached the 80% level.
I feel a little uncomfortable when I open my arm, but I can feel it improving day by day through treatment and rehabilitation.
He continued, “Since I did not play many games after returning to the first team last year, I felt that I lacked the sense for actual action during the practice game at the spring camp in Okinawa, Japan in February.
I need to regain my sense by continuing to gain experience in actual game. To do that, the first priority is not to get sick. “He emphasized.
Following the advice of Future Steam pitching coaches, he also changed his pitching form. Unlike his existing wind-up, the movement is characterized by pulling his arms back.
Choi Chung-yeon said, “Maybe because I have had a strong desire to throw the ball hard, the soft feeling when pitching has disappeared. Following the advice of my coaches, I am changing to a more simple pitching form.”
Choi Chung-yeon has not been able to spread her wings since achieving a career high in 2018.
He knows better than anyone else that there is no place to retreat anymore. Every time there was harsh criticism that the team was weak, the feeling of regret for not being able to help the team grew even greater.
He expressed his desperate feelings, saying, “You have to grit your teeth and do it well. Rather than working hard, you have to do better. That’s the only way.
He firmly believed that, of course, if he was in good physical condition, he could do well.