Kiwoom ace Ahn Woo-jin finished rehearsal for the opening match.
Ahn Woo-jin started as a starting pitcher in the 2023 KBO League demonstration game LG match held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 26th, throwing 71 pitches in 5 innings, scoring 3 hits, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts and 1 run. His highest speed was 157 km.
His only run allowed a score on a wild pitch from second out and third base. As the 145km high-speed slider became one-bound, rookie catcher Kim Dong-heon could not block it and threw it backwards.
After the match, Ahn Woo-jin said, “It was the last inspection, and the result was not bad. I think I prepared well. On this day ,
Ahn Woo-jin conducted a final check by throwing fastballs (27, maximum 157km), sliders (29, maximum 145km), curves (9, maximum 132km), and changeups (6, maximum 138km).
Ahn Woo-jin said, “Now, the part to pay more attention to is the breaking ball. From the 3rd inning, it seems that the content has improved as more first pitches are thrown and mixed. You need to pay more attention to this part and also pay attention to winning with a fast count. Also, I think I’ll have to go a little bit to the (batter’s) batting count today and pay attention to those parts.” He said that the
slider control that day was not good. There were several opposing pitches. Regarding the curve, “It fell well into the strike zone. It has to be opened,” he said.
An Woo-jin said, “It is encouraging that the vertical movement of the fastball has risen.” After the camp, the ball tip of his fastball improved in the demonstration game. He got a rising fastball with vertical movement that is superior to a 160km fastball. 안전놀이터
An Woo-jin said, “I threw a fastball looking down the zone, but it went into a high zone course. It was a little disconcerting. Embarrassed, I checked the number (vertical move bunt), and it rose by about 10cm or more. The rotation of the ball also rises. That’s why I thought that even if I threw one or two balls far lower than the target I wanted, they would come to the place I wanted. Adaptation was necessary. I set the target well before Masan NC, and I paid attention to it in the last inspection today.”
As the vertical movement of the fastball, which reached up to 157 km on the day, improved, it feels like a ball that is emerging from the batter’s point of view. An Woo-jin welcomed him, saying, “I think it would be good to use a high fastball, and even if you throw it low, it looks like a ball and can go into a strike.”
From the batter’s point of view, it can be more difficult to attack Ahn Woo-jin’s fastball, which has fast speed and good control. An Woo-jin said, “There were a lot of fastball signs in the second inning, and I got a lot of hits (while the opponent was aiming). From the 3rd inning, he mixed and threw a lot of breaking balls and treated it as a hit. He should be careful about throwing fastballs after two outs or first pitches,” he said.