*This content was translated by AI.View Original
The Doosan Bears roster is breaking a sweat daily at their closing camp in Miyazaki, Japan. In particular, the pitchers have begun bullpen sessions focused on solidifying their fundamentals.
According to a Doosan official, Manager Kim Won-hyung has one specific point he is emphasizing during this Miyazaki closing camp: 'proactive' thinking. He is instructing the players to independently recognize their own strengths and weaknesses.
The pitching staff's bullpen sessions follow the same approach. A typical bullpen session involves throwing a set number of pitches. However, Manager Kim Won-hyung requires that even if fewer pitches are thrown, each one must have a clear purpose.
For example, he instructs pitchers to throw 10 consecutive fastballs aimed only at the inside part of the plate, followed by 10 consecutive fastballs aimed at the outside. If a pitch is thrown to the opposite side, it is excluded from the count. For breaking balls, the method involves throwing consecutive pitches into the strike zone, followed by consecutive pitches that drop outside the zone to induce whiffs.
After finishing their pitching, the pitchers grade themselves directly. Choi Seung-yong, who threw in the bullpen on the 1st, rated himself with a 7.5 for fastballs, a 4 for breaking balls, and an overall score of 6.5. This scoring can be seen as reflecting the intent to have players feel for themselves which areas need improvement.
The coaching staff explains this as a message to 'stay true to the fundamentals.' Just as preventing errors is fundamental and core for position players, command is life for pitchers. The process of throwing until they achieve command in each zone, thereby training their bodies to remember, is currently underway.
With the first turn of the closing camp completed, 11 players participated in bullpen sessions, including Lee Byung-hun (70 pitches), Choi Seung-yong (60 pitches), Yoon Tae-ho (52 pitches), and Takada (30 pitches). In particular, Takada, who will join next season as the Asian quota player, stood out. He is demonstrating passion by participating in the closing camp as well.
Manager Kim Won-hyung and Coach Jeong Jae-hoon observed the players' pitching and provided feedback. According to a club official, the players were assessed to be in good condition despite it being the first turn of the camp.
Pitching coach Jeong Jae-hoon said regarding the closing camp, "It is important for the growth of players preparing to enter the first division and take the next step." He added, "Consecutive pitching is a process of refining fundamentals. The aim is to cultivate an attitude of giving purpose to every pitch, alongside technical improvements. I hope young players do not just understand their strengths and weaknesses intellectually, but feel them directly with their bodies."
Choi Seung-yong stated, "It had been about 20 days since my last pitching session, but my condition and balance were good. Originally, when doing bullpen sessions, we only set the number of pitches to throw. This method of throwing consecutive pitches to the same zone is unfamiliar, but it seems to help me regain my feel much faster. I will clearly identify my shortcomings by the end of the closing camp and focus on improving them," reaffirming his determination.
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*This content was translated by AI.View Original
