Many Korean baseball players were surprised by the ‘restraint’ while watching the pitchers of the Japanese national team who won the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in 2023.
However, in the eyes of An Woo-jin (Kiwoom Heroes), who already throws a fast ball approaching 160 km per hour, he could see more details.
An Woo-jin, who met at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul on the 23rd, said, “I was surprised by the control of Japanese pitchers. I wonder if they won the WBC because they are good at throwing fast balls and controlling them.”
All seven Japanese pitchers who pitched in the 2023 WBC Finals against the United States held at Rondipo Park in Miami, Florida on the 22nd threw a ball at a maximum speed of 150 km or more.
The average speed of the fastball of Shōsei Dogo (Yomiuri Giants), who had the slowest speed, was 92.4 miles per hour (about 149 km).
The speed of the fastball of the Japanese pitchers in the final match, as measured by Baseball Savant, was astounding in the eyes of Korean baseball.
Shota Imanaga (Yokohama DeNA Baystars) has a maximum speed of 152 km (average 150 km), Dogo has a maximum speed of 150 km (average 149 km), Hiroto Takahashi (Chunichi Dragons) has a maximum speed of 156 km (average 155 km), Hiromi Ito (Nippon Ham Fighters) with a maximum of 151km (average of 152km), Daisei Ota (Yomiuri) with a maximum of 154km (average of 152km), Yu Darubishu (San Diego Padres) with a maximum of 152km (average of 151km), Shohei Otani (Los Angeles Angels) each recorded the highest 164 km (average 160 km).
Japanese pitchers proved directly at the WBC that ‘150 km/h’ is no longer a special velocity in Japan.
On the other hand, the average fastball speed of Korean national team pitchers was 146-147 km/h.
Currently, the pitcher who throws the fastest ball in Korea is Ahn Woo-jin.
He was not selected for the WBC national team, but Ahn Woo-jin had already recorded 158 km per hour in an exhibition game that overlapped with the WBC period. The average speed limit is 153 km/h.
Maybe Ahn Woo-jin is the player who knows best how to increase speed, which has become a new topic in Korean baseball.
However, Ahn Woo-jin said, “I have a physical advantage. Since I started playing baseball, I have thrown a ball faster than my peers.” Even when playing catch, the habit of throwing the ball hard helped improve velocity. It is impossible to clearly define how velocity increases. Individual differences will also be large,” he did not give an answer.
Instead, Ahn Woo-jin said, “I still think that control is more important than speed. It is a common saying, but no matter how fast a ball is thrown, it is useless if it is not in the strike zone.” If you do, I will choose the first ball,” he said, emphasizing the importance of the first ball.
Of course, Ahn Woo-jin also acknowledges the advantage of a pitcher who throws a fast ball.
However, he repeatedly insisted,메이저놀이터“A fast and accurate ball works. I saw a fast ball hit in this WBC,” and “Accuracy is just as important as speed.”
If Ahn Woo-jin already has world-class speed, the effect of the ball can be even greater.