Samsung Lions right-hander Choi Ji-kwang (25) joined the team after being discharged from the Armed Forces Sports Unit (Sangmu) on the 12th of last month and is playing the 2023 season. 토토사이트링크 After graduating from Busan High School, Choi Ji-kwang joined Samsung as the ninth-ranked player in the second round of 2017. Choi Ji-kwang has stood out on the first division stage since the 2019 season, the third year since his debut in the first division.
In 63 games in the 2019 season, he recorded 3 wins, 8 losses, 2 saves, 10 holds, and a 4.10 ERA, taking his first double-digit hold in his debut. In the 2020 season, he recorded one win, three losses, and a 15-hold ERA of 4.87, and in the 2021 season, he recorded 7 wins, one loss, and 14 holds ERA of 4.91 in 60 games. Before going to Sangmu, he had a career record of 11 wins, 14 losses, 2 saves, 39 holds and a 5.11 ERA in 191 games.
He is adjusting to the first team stage again this season. It may be regrettable to see only the ERA of one hold in nine games, but Samsung manager Park Jin-man acknowledged that Choi Ji-kwang’s speed was rising and expected Choi Ji-kwang to get better in the future.
Choi Ji-kwang, whom I met recently, said, “When I joined the team after being discharged from the military, it was unfamiliar because most of them were young players. “I was definitely not on the team for a year and a half, so I felt like I was traded and came to another team,” he said.
“The reason why I wasn’t feeling well in the beginning was not that I wasn’t feeling well. I’m doing it with the same mind, but one part didn’t fit. In terms of balance, it felt like both the upper and lower bodies were playing separately. “I couldn’t control it,” he said, looking back on his early return.
However, his speed has now recovered to the late 140km range, and he is on the rise with his first hold since his return on the 22nd. Choi Ji-kwang said, “I continued to consult with pitching coaches and focused on balance. “It’s getting better as I do it,” he said. “I’m not greedy for arrest.” I want to keep it this way. It’s okay if it doesn’t get worse,” he said with a smile.
When I was in Sangmu, the team’s performance was not good. Last season, he remained in seventh place, losing 13 consecutive games, and is struggling at the bottom this season. Choi Ji-kwang said, “I kept watching baseball even inside the unit. I don’t know about the fielder’s side, but what should I say about the pitcher’s side? It was a hit that needed to be caught, and I wasn’t lucky from the beginning. I felt bad because my grades were not good. “I was watching with regret,” he said.
After I went to Sangmu, I had a mindset that I should play baseball better. He said, “My mindset has changed completely. To give an excuse, when I was young, I could have thought, “I can do it again after I come back from the army,” but there is no such thing anymore. You have to do as much as you can,” he stressed.
“I played only for Samsung from the age of 20 to 24. After staying only at Samsung, I went to Sangmu and met other coaches, coaches, and players, so I learned something new. It seems that there is a view that can be seen in a different direction. It was very helpful. He also added, “I tried to learn it by looking for a previously good pitching form video when I could use my cell phone.”
Finally, Choi Ji-kwang said, “I hope it doesn’t hurt. “I want to help the team a little in the first division until the end of the season,” he said. “I’ve never won a championship in my life.” He finished second in the season before joining the army and gave up the trophy as a tiebreaker, which was a shame. “I really want to win once,” he said.