The LG Twins, which won the Korean Series last year, had only one player who failed to play in a single game. Son Joo-young.
I didn’t have a chance to take the mound because I was a long relief position. I warmed up only once in Game 4, but unfortunately, I didn’t have a chance to take the mound.
A year later, he became an indispensable player at LG in the fall baseball league. He became a key member of LG’s starting lineup with nine wins, 10 losses and one hold and an earned run average of 3.79 in 28 games. By completing the regular innings for the first time since his debut, he ranked eighth in ERA overall and second in Korean pitchers. 안전놀이터
Son Joo-young, who throws fastballs, curves, sliders, and folk balls of up to 152km, succeeded in completing the race even though it was her first full-time starter.
He was able to challenge for 10 wins against the Daegu Samsung Lions on September 28, the final game of the season, but he gave up on his own.
Son Joo-young, whom I met in Icheon, said, “The coach gave me a choice. After hearing from the coach, I told him that I would only throw one inning and fill the regular innings without starting in 10 minutes.”
“Coach showed me the data. Last year, I pitched 66 ⅔ innings in both the 1st and 2nd teams, but this year it was 143 ⅔ innings,” Son said. “I pitched too many times, and if I participate, there is no guarantee that I will win. I will stop throwing because I have to throw post-season games as well. I am okay even if I fail to win 10 games.”
He attributed the fact that he pitched so many innings to pitching using his lower body.
Son Joo-young said, “In 2022, when I hurt my elbow, I threw almost hard with my upper body and arms,” adding, “Coach Kim Kwang-sam let me pitch using my lower body. Even now, I throw while thinking about using my lower body on the mound.”
“Coach Kim Kwang-sam and coach Kim Kyung-tae made technical things, and the coach gave me a chance this year, and I think everything went well, so I burst out,” Son Joo-young said. “I thought this year was my last chance to start. I thought I should throw it in the middle if I don’t take this opportunity.”
A postseason mound that he never threw last year. Now, he is waiting for his first postseason appearance.
He is not worried much. He has already finished rehearsals. He started in Game 2 of a doubleheader against the Doosan Bears in Jamsil on Sept. 21. As Doosan lost Game 1, it narrowed the gap to one game, so he needed to win Game 2, but Son led his team to a 2-0 win by pitching four hits, nine strikeouts, and no runs in six innings. He also recorded the most strikeouts in a game in his first seven scoreless innings.
Son plans to pitch in the postseason while thinking about that time. “Coach Kim Kwang-sam told me that I have to throw 90 to 95 percent of the time in autumn baseball, and I can throw it like the game against Doosan,” Son said. “I threw it with all my might from the first inning against Doosan. I’m not tired, maybe because the weather has gotten a little cooler.”
“I was able to pitch well this season thanks to the Korean Series.” Even though I couldn’t participate in the game, I was able to enjoy pitching without being nervous among the packed spectators this season.
He gave up his 10th win and prepared for the postseason. Now, it’s time to throw the loud shouting that he heard only in the bench last year.
