*This content was translated by AI.
LG Twins left-hander Pilseungjo Ham Deok-ju (31) expressed extraordinary emotion at the first spring camp in three years.
Ham Deok-joo met with reporters at Incheon International Airport before leaving the 2026 LG Spring Camp on the 23rd and said, "It's been a long time since it's been a camp, so it's hectic. I'm a little excited, and I'm going to prepare well and show you a good performance somehow," he said.
Personally, it is the first spring camp in three years since 2023. Ham Deok-ju signed a 3+1 year total of 3.8 billion won FA contract after winning the Korean Series in 2023 and remained at LG. However, since then, he has undergone offseason elbow surgery every year and has not been able to participate in spring camp, nor has he been included in the opening game entry. It didn't help much even after returning. The position of the must-win team, which led to the victory with a 5.40 ERA in 15 games in 2024 and a 6.00 ERA in 31 games last year, has disappeared. It was comforting to win the Korean Series with a fast ball of up to 146 kilometers per hour.
In response, Ham Deok-ju said, "Last year, I was just ahead of the idea of wanting to return. "I didn't prepare properly and came to the first team and showed a lot of disappointment," he said, "If I did what I usually do when I first returned, I didn't get sick when I was preparing for the Korean Series, so I made a bold change." The increase in arrest that I had prepared was also carried out well, and it was an opportunity to find confidence," he said.
Ham Deok-ju, who gained confidence in his physical condition in the Korean Series, made full preparations by going to Japan for individual training this winter. Ham Deok-ju said, "This year, the preparation process from the off-season was good. I paid a lot of attention to throwing the ball well rather than weight training. Even in Japan, he trained mainly on flexibility and range of motion. I tried to throw as much as I could because my arm didn't hurt, but I was well prepared," he said.
"I haven't been able to do it in recent years, so I don't really judge how much my physical condition is now. However, just being able to throw the ball at this time has its own expectations. "If I finish the camp well without injury, I think I will be able to do it with confidence in a much better appearance than last year," he stressed.
Yeom Kyung-yeop (58), manager of the LG Twins, who only wanted a healthy return despite Ham Deok-joo's continued disappointment. Last year, coach Yeom showed steady trust in Ham Deok-ju's return briefing, saying, "I think I'll throw 142km if I come to the first team, but that's enough for (Ham) Deok-ju."
He is a veteran who knows that belief better than anyone else. Ham Deok-ju said, "I haven't seen you often, but the director told me to prepare well. I thought that one word had a lot of meaning, so I prepared hard," he said, adding, "My arm is okay now, so there is no pressure even if I throw it hard. The biggest difference from the past two years is that there is no anxiety. As a result, I'm also looking forward to seeing him at the end of last year (Korea Series)," he said, expressing his excitement.
Ham Deok-ju can become an FA depending on his choice after this season. This is because there is an opt-out clause in the last year of the four-year contract. That's how important the season is. In response, Ham Deok-ju said, "I don't just think about FA. It would be a lie to say that there is no such part, but I think this year is the most important season for me because there are many parts overlapping."
"My goal this year is to play full-time for a season without injury. There will be a lot of things, including grades, in one thing that does not fall out. If you play full time, there's no way you can't. "There are so many good seniors and juniors, so I think if you play full-time in this team, your grades will automatically follow," he added.
Above all, I want to pay back my disappointing performance with this year's victory. Ham Deok-joo said, "Because there was a bad appearance in 2024, (Park) Hae-min talked a lot to the players. He said you shouldn't be complacent. As I said, I think we should prepare well like a new team trying to win the championship, not last year's winning team."
"I'm trying to work harder to keep my place. I don't have a seat right now. Everyone is working hard and I'm trying to do well and take my place," he said with a smile.
Finally, Ham Deok-ju said, "I felt sorry for the fans for not being able to show good performance because I was sick all the time. I can't undo that. However, I believe you will support me a lot if I do well in the future, so I will try hard with the mindset of starting anew this season," he said.
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*This content was translated by AI.
