Strengthening fastball power by increasing volume

Kiwoom Heroes' No. 1 starter in Korea, Ha Young-min, succeeded in gaining 8 to 9 kg ahead of this season. At the media day held on the 26th, Ha Young-min said, "I gained a lot of weight. I gained about 8 to 9 kg."

Ha Young-min, who had a slim physique of 183cm and 74kg at the time of his professional debut, has had difficulty gaining weight. Pitchers often gain weight in order to put more force into the ball, but due to their constitution, they do not gain weight easily, which causes stress.

However, this off-season, I achieved my goal by combining a protein-centered diet and consistent weight training. Ha Young-min expressed satisfaction, saying, “It’s not to the point where I feel heavy and it’s the best weight.”

Proven effectiveness in demonstration games

The effect of the increase was immediately visible in the demonstration game. Ha Young-min showed stable pitching, allowing 3 runs in 12 innings in 3 games and recording an ERA of 2.25. He said, “I heard that the fastball has improved a lot,” and explained, “When I threw the fastball, my hit rate and slugging percentage were high, but I increased the velocity and improved the pitch to complement it.”

Last season, Ha Young-min recorded 7 wins, 14 losses, and an ERA of 4.99. The 14 losses were the most in the league. We are determined to make up for this this season. He expressed confidence, saying, “I think it will be possible if we hold on until the end and get about 13 wins.”

Good news from Kiwoom Mound

There are many positive elements in Kiwoom’s pitching staff. Ha Young-min expressed his expectations, saying, "Ahn Woo-jin, one of the best pitchers in the league, will return later, and Kim Jae-woong, who was in charge of the sure-to-win team, has also joined," adding, "Bae Dong-hyun and Nathan Wiles are also there, and many young players will step up entering the season."

Ha Young-min, who showed five fingers along with Kiwoom coach Seol Jong-jin, said honestly, "I'm thinking of playing fall baseball as my goal," and "It's true that we need to escape from the bottom."

Ha Young-min is scheduled to start the second game of the opening game in Daejeon on the 29th. He expressed his hopes for the season, saying, “I think a lot of good things will happen.”