Back-thinking about Moon Dong-ju, how scary would it be to erase 1 inning with a bullpen? TO MOON's choice?

Feb 25, 2025

The Hanwha Eagles held spring camp training at Onnason Akama Stadium in Okinawa, Japan, on the 21st. Moon Dong-ju and Um Sang-baek are warming up. Okinawa (Japan) = Reporter Heo Sang-wook wook@sportschosun.com /2025.02.21/

How scary would it be to prevent one inning of the game against Moon Dong-ju.

Will Hanwha Eagles and national team ace Moon Dong-joo open the season with a bullpen instead of a starter.

Moon Dong-ju is the most powerful right-hander in the KBO League. He slowed down due to poor performance and injury last season, but if he finds his condition, it is hard to find a fastball starter who can take responsibility for one game as clearly as Moon Dong-joo.

photo courtesy of Hanwha Eagles

However, there is a possibility that Moon Dong-ju will face the opening in the bullpen. Dong-ju Moon is steadily building his body by going through camps in Melbourne, Australia and Okinawa, Japan. What's going on.

The consideration of the two veteran leaders, head coach Kim Kyung-moon and pitching coach Yang Sang-moon, was included. Moon finished the season early due to shoulder pain at the end of last season. After that, he did not throw the ball, but only focused on rehabilitation of his shoulder.

His first bullpen pitching was at the Melbourne camp earlier this month. It was his first full-strength pitching in five months. Moon Dong-ju threw a powerful ball without shoulder pain. But why is there talk of bullpen.

Coach Kim and coach Yang rested without throwing the ball for a long time. And he started the bullpen pitching later than other players. Theoretically, it is not easy to raise yourself as a starting pitcher in time for the opening of the game.

The Hanwha Eagles team left for Melbourne, Australia, through Incheon International Airport on the 22nd. Moon Dong-ju is talking. Incheon International Airport = Reporter Heo Sang-wook wook@sportschosun.com /2025.01.22/

However, this does not mean that he will be excluded from the starting lineup. Coach Yang said, `If Dong-ju raises the pace quickly and can play more than six innings as a starter, of course, he is a starter. Who doesn't use Moon Dong-ju when he is selected. For us, the best scenario is that Moon Dong-joo throws it as a starter. However, if you forcefully raise your pace just by looking at the starting position, you may get injured again. You're careful about that. If you don't have enough time physically, you can go into the bullpen at the opening point, throw the ball, make your body perfect, and join the rotation at the point where you want to be a starter."

Let's have a reverse idea. Hanwha can be even more scared if a daunting pitcher named Moon Dong-ju comes out in the seventh or eighth inning, which is the match point, and completely erases one inning. If there are no starting agents, you may not know, but the recruitment of Eom Sang-baek of the FA has solidified the starting lineup, so there is not much worry about the 5th selection. Lee Sang-kyu is waiting for the 5th starting candidate, and high school graduate rookie Kwon Min-gyu is also a dark horse.

Of course, keeping a pitcher named Moon Dong-ju in the bullpen is not a good choice for Hanwha or Korean baseball, as Yang mentioned above. It's only a temporary measure. Indeed, in which position will Moon Dong-ju welcome the opening of the new season, which is preparing for the end of his career.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.

Back-thinking about Moon Dong-ju, how scary would it be to erase 1 inning with a bullpen? TO MOON's choice?

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