Hanwha Eagles pitcher Moon Dong-ju wrote a new history as the first Korean pitcher to achieve an official speed limit of 160 km/h. It was like the moment when it was officially recognized as a hopeful future for Korean baseball. Another fireballer who watched this scene, Han Ki-joo, MBC SPORTS+ commentator, also felt a different feeling. Although he had a relatively short heyday, he hoped that Moon Dong-joo would spend his prime showing off his fastball for a long time.
On April 12, against the KIA Tigers in Gwangju, Moon Dong-ju struck out with a fastball on the third pitch against Park Chan-ho after one out in the bottom of the first inning. The third fastball was measured at 160.1 km/h on the KBO official record statistics company, Sports 2i Pitch Tracking System (PTS).
According to the official speed measurement record since the introduction of the PTS system in 2011, the fastest speed was 162.1 km/h by former LG Twins pitcher Redamez Leeds. Among domestic pitchers, no one exceeded the 160 km/h barrier. However, ‘Hanwha’s next-generation ace’ Moon Dong-ju left a new history by overcoming the high wall of 160 km/h.
Commissioner Han Ki-joo, who made his debut on the MBC SPORTS+ Baseball Tonight panel on April 12, also watched Moon Dong-ju pitch. Commissioner Han Gi-joo, who contacted MK Sports, said, “I was amazed at how Moon Dong-ju could throw a ball with both speed and control at such a young age. Personally, the fastball is also a fastball, but the curve movement was really impressive.”
Commissioner Han Ki-joo was also a representative fireballer in Korean baseball as much as Moon Dong-ju in the early days of his active career. Commissioner Han Ki-joo, who joined the KIA after receiving a contract fee of 1 billion won, had an intense heyday at the beginning of his professional career with a fastball in the middle of 150 km / h.
Commissioner Han Ki-joo said, “Anyway, when I saw Moon Dong-ju pitching, it reminded me of when I was young in the early professional days. As far as I remember, I seem to have shot the highest velocity of a fastball up to about 158 km/h. Moon Dong-ju said, “I expect that when the weather gets warmer in the future, he will be more restrained than now.”
Of course, Commissioner Han Ki-joo ended his heyday too early with controversy over overuse in the early days of his professional career. After a long period of injury and rehabilitation, Commissioner Han Ki-joo tried to transform into a technical style that focused on control and breaking balls in the last years of his professional life. Commissioner Han Ki-joo, unlike himself, hoped that Moon Dong-ju would play a healthy role as a fireballer with a fastball for a long time.
Commissioner Han Ki-joo said, “I didn’t have a long period of throwing the ball with a fastball in the first team. Looking back, I personally lacked a lot. I am sorry to the fans who supported me during my active career. So, unlike me, I hope Moon Dong-ju takes good care of himself and throws the ball healthily for a long time.”
Commissioner Han Ki-joo recently appeared in the tryout of the entertainment program ‘Strongest Baseball’ and gathered topics. However, the shoulder of Han Ki-joo, who once recorded a maximum of 158 km/h, was no longer there. Commissioner Han Ki-joo left a regret by recording a speed limit of 123 km/h in a tryout practice pitch. The sadness of long-time baseball fans watching this scene was also crossed. 토토사이트
Commissioner Han Ki-joo said, “I appeared on the program to show my children that their father was a baseball player. He wanted to get on the mound one last time and throw a ball. The hope of redemption had been abandoned. Even though he threw it with all his might, he only came out at about 123 km / h. So he was a little embarrassed (laughs). Still, he has no regrets about throwing a ball as a pitcher for the last time.”
Commissioner Han Ki-joo plans to be active this season as an MBC SPORTS+ Baseball Tonight panel in the 2023 season. As he pursued both the fastball style and the finesse style, he wants to deliver various perspectives on the performance of pitchers to baseball fans.
Commissioner Han Ki-joo said, “It was the first live broadcast yesterday (12th), and I was so nervous and nervous. I don’t know how he did it well (laughs). Fortunately, I was able to speak well thanks to the help of veteran Commissioner Jeong Min-cheol. In the future, as a pitcher, I would like to analyze the pitchers’ balls from various perspectives and point out in detail what has changed. He asked for a lot of support and interest from baseball fans.”