'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 pitches from a bent position from the start.

Kim Seo-hyun is a pitcher who possesses excellent velocity and movement. However, because his arm does not bend during the pitch, many people worry that he struggles with control and is prone to injury.

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

The fact that Bae Jae-jun throws a pitch of such power with that form means he has better arm and grip strength than other players. It is likely the final conclusion reached after countless concerns and efforts by himself and his pitching coaches.

Bae Jae-jun's motion from the time the ball leaves his hand until it reaches the catcher is quite excellent. However, during the short process of leaning his arm back to reach the release point, his body appears tense and stiff. It would be even better if that motion flowed more smoothly. Additionally, since his pitching form may appear somewhat easy for batters to exploit, targeting specific areas is absolutely necessary.

There are also players in Major League Baseball with forms similar to those of these two pitchers.

Kim Seo-hyun's style resembles that of New York Yankees' Camilo Doval (29) and Baltimore Orioles' Andrew Kittredge (36). However, the gaze of both pitchers is 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, he would clearly see the difference.

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

The four Major League pitchers mentioned above are mostly active as 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, we expect them to grow into even more powerful pitchers.

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

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*This content was translated by AI.