Moon Dong-ju fell in love with a high school junior going to the Dodgers “I want to talk about baseball a lot…”

The voice of Moon Dong-joo (20, Hanwha), a “special prospect” who will shine in the future of Korean baseball, was full of confidence.

The national baseball team at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, led by head coach Ryu Joong-il, held an official training schedule at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 24th.

Prior to entering the training, Moon Dong-ju had an interview with reporters and expressed his preparation process and determination to participate in the competition. 스포츠토토

Initially, Hanwha limited Moon Dong-ju’s pitching this season to 120 innings to protect players. In fact, Moon Dong-ju pitched 118 ⅔ innings in 23 games and showed a further growth with eight wins, eight losses and a 3.72 ERA. It was the last appearance of this season that he allowed 11 hits, two walks, two strikeouts and three runs in four ⅓ innings against LG in Jamsil on the 3rd.

Since then, Moon Dong-ju has made every effort to prepare for the Asian Games in Seosan, where Hanwha’s second division training ground is located. Maybe that’s why. Moon Dong-ju’s voice was full of confidence. “I’m confident because I was preparing well in advance. You can also read that confidence in Moon Dong-ju’s words, “I will show you the results of the game.” He then said, “I rested well and recovered well. I don’t think there’s a problem playing,” he added.

As left-handed starters such as Koo Chang-mo (NC) and Lee Eui-ri (KIA) fell out of the national team, the proportion of right-handed pitchers such as Moon Dong-ju has increased more than ever. Moon Dong-ju is also one of the players who is expected to play a significant role.

Taiwan and Japan, where Korea is on the way to the gold medal, are full of players they meet for the first time. Taiwan has a mix of minor leaguers and players from Japanese professional baseball, while Japan has set up an entry mainly for social baseball players.

Moon Dong-ju said, “When new players meet, pitchers are usually said to be advantageous. I will throw it confidently thinking I have the upper hand,” he said, looking at Noh Si-hwan next to him and smiling, “I think (Roh) Si-hwan will score for me.”

As there is a lack of left-handed pitchers, preventing left-handed hitters well is also expected to be an important task for the national team. Moon Dong-ju said, “There is nothing to cover left and right hitters, and I am always ready to go out in any situation. I don’t think it will matter much,” he said, vowing to play his pitch regardless of what type of player the opponent is.

Moon Dong-ju personally is also a time for learning. “We meet and talk a lot because each team has good pitching brothers,” said Moon Dong-joo, “Kwak)bin is a catch ball partner. I felt a lot while playing catch together. I want to get closer to my older brothers and ask a lot of questions. I think it will be an opportunity for me to grow to the next level,” he said, adding that he will have a fruitful time with the national team.

Conversely, he also takes care of his junior player Jang Hyun-seok (Masan Yongmago). “Nothing has helped me greatly. In the room next to me, (Jang) Hyun-suk and (Roh) Si-hwan are roommates, and we talked in between. I know how it feels because many seniors have taken care of me. If I came to the national team as a high school player, I think it would have been difficult for me as well. I hope Hyun-suk will take it well,” Moon Dong-ju said.

Jang Hyun-seok was considered the biggest draft pick this year, but he gave up participating in the draft and signed a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, drawing attention. Jang Hyun-seok, who was known as a high school pitcher, is drawing attention as a large pitcher who will carry the future of Korean baseball along with Moon Dong-ju.

Moon Dong-ju said of Jang Hyun-seok, “He threw a really good ball as not only I but all baseball officials know. It was my first time seeing him throw, and it was really good and I think I’ll have a lot to learn, he said. “I want to get closer and talk a lot about baseball in the future.” It is already interesting to see what synergy the meeting between the two pitchers will bring.