'Unusual pitching form' Kim Seo-hyun and Bae Jae-jun could become even more powerful by changing 'this' [Kim In-sik's One Word]

*This content was translated by AI.

There are two pitchers in the KBO League with unusual pitching forms.

They are Hanwha Eagles' Kim Seo-hyun (22) and LG Twins' Bae Jae-jun (32). Kim Seo-hyun throws the ball with his elbow fully extended, while Bae Jae-jun begins his motion with his arm already bent.

Kim Seo-hyun is a pitcher with excellent velocity and movement. However, because his arm does not bend during his delivery, many believe he struggles with control and is prone to injury.

However, more attention should be paid to his eyes and head. When throwing, a pitcher's gaze should be fixed on the target (the catcher's mitt), but Kim Seo-hyun turns his head while pitching.

The fact that Bae Jae-jun can throw a ball of such power with that form indicates that his arm and grip strength are superior to those of other players. It is likely the pitching form he and the pitching coaches ultimately concluded after extensive deliberation and effort.

Bae Jae-jun's motion from the moment the ball leaves his hand until it reaches the catcher is excellent. However, as he leans his arm back and moves toward the release point, his body appears tense and stiff over that short duration. It would be even better if that motion flowed more smoothly. Additionally, since his pitching form may appear somewhat easy to hit for batters, strategic targeting of pitch locations is absolutely necessary.

There are also pitchers in the U.S. Major Leagues with forms similar to these two.

Kim Seo-hyun's style resembles that of New York Yankees' Camilo Doval (29) and Baltimore Orioles' Andrew Kittredge (36). However, both of those pitchers keep their gaze fixed toward the catcher. If Kim Seo-hyun were to take a photo of his own pitching form and compare it with those of Major League pitchers, the difference would be clearly visible.

In Bae Jae-jun's case, San Diego Padres' Jason Adam (35) and Miami Marlins' Pete Fairbanks (33) have similar forms, but their movements leading up to the release point are much smoother.

The four Major League pitchers mentioned above are mostly key relievers for their teams, with top speeds exceeding 95 mph (approximately 153 km/h). In particular, Doval throws a fastball reaching 100 mph (161 km/h).

Changing a pitcher's form is not an easy task. Since both Kim Seo-hyun and Bae Jae-jun possess excellent qualities, if they can gradually correct these aspects while leveraging their strengths, they are expected to grow into even more powerful pitchers.

/Former Korea national baseball team manager Kim In-sik (currently a senior advisor to the KBO)

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.