Although not as common as in the past, it is not common to see sidearm or underhand pitchers in the major leagues.
Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Ryan Thompson (31) is a unique pitcher in that sense. The right-handed sidearm, who debuted with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2020, is having a successful big league career, recording an ERA of 3.57 in 139 games over the past four years.
John Morosi, a major league columnist, recently told an interesting story about it. The story is that he grew up as a sidearmer by watching and imitating Kim Byung-hyun’s pitching when he was young.
I was able to meet him and hear more detailed stories at the World Series Media Day held at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, USA on the 27th (Korean time).
When Kim Byeong-hyun’s name came up, his expression brightened and he said, “When I was young, I wanted to be someone special. “I wanted to be unique in deciding how to throw the ball,” he said, telling a story about his childhood.
He had seen pitchers with unique pitching forms through TV and video games, and the pitchers who caught his eye were Byung-Hyun Kim and Orlando Hernández.
“I really liked Kim Byung-hyun’s pitching motion. He also liked Hernández’s big leg kicks. When I was ten years old, I decided to create my own throwing motion by combining these two throwing motions. “I tried to learn by imitating their pitching form in the backyard.”
That’s how he started his career as a professional player with his own pitching form. He was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 23rd round of the 2014 draft.
There were also changes. He said, “I pitched like that all the way to lower single A. However, he explained, “In 2015, he decided that it would be difficult to throw with that pitching form, so he changed to his current pitching form.”
And in 2023, he will appear on the same stage wearing the same team uniform as Kim Byung-hyun, who inspired him as a child, wearing the Diamondbacks uniform and playing in the World Series.
He said, “It was something I never thought about when I first came to this team. “I think it’s really cool to think that I’m now pitching for a team where the pitcher who inspired me played,” he said, expressing his thoughts on this.
This season, he experienced the sorrow of being released after appearing in 18 games for Tampa Bay and posting a poor ERA of 6.11, but after signing with Arizona, he became a completely different pitcher with an ERA of 0.69 in 13 games.
He cited roles as the biggest difference between his previous team and his current team.
“In Tampa Bay, my role was not set, so I didn’t know when or how I would throw. There were times when he pitched two or more innings and there were times when he went down with just one out. Sometimes he came out in the fourth inning and sometimes he was closing out. It was really difficult to endure such a role for many years. Everyone has their own routine for preparation, and there were times when we performed that routine 2-3 times during the game. There were times when he didn’t throw while warming up thinking he was going to be put into the game. While it happened only twice in 7-8 weeks with my current team, it happened several times a week there. It put a huge strain on his arm and made it difficult for him to perform at his best even when playing. When I came to this team, the first thing the coach said was, ‘We won’t let that happen.’ It’s really nice to be able to predict what will happen. Of course, the postseason is a little different.”
Pitching coach Brent Strom is also giving him strength. “He is someone who strives to strike a balance between data analysis and old school. Usually, pitching coaches tend to be obsessed with data. However, when pitching in real life, there are many things the computer cannot tell you about catching batters,” he said of Coach Strom’s method.
“When I first came, I said, ‘Show me what you can do,’” he said. We need your performance. I believe in your abilities. “I believe I can catch both left and right hitters,” he said. The phrase ‘he can catch both left and right hitters’ was something that had never been heard in previous teams. “I gained confidence,” he said, adding that he gained confidence in his new team.카지노사이트
This is not his first World Series. He advanced to the World Series in 2020 while playing for Tampa Bay. At that time, he played in a neutral area due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, and the venue was Globe Life Field.
“At that time, only half the crowd came in, so it was a slightly different atmosphere,” he continued, adding, “I think the energy and passion from the crowd was the biggest factor. I’m really looking forward to what it will be like when this place fills up. This kind of atmosphere cannot be created in practice. There is no choice but to learn through experience. That’s why I think past experience is of great help. “The crowd’s enthusiastic support and the situation where everything is at stake will be a great motivation for me,” he said, expressing his excitement about heading to the World Series.