KIA Tigers’ foreign pitcher James Nail will throw the ball in earnest starting next week targeting the Korean Series (KS) after escaping from the nightmare of injury.토토사이트
Nail said on the 19th, “I’m going to throw 40 to 50 balls next week,” adding, “It’ll be a way of throwing 20 balls twice at the mound.”
Nail, who underwent surgery to fix her jaw after being hit by NC Dinos Matt Davidson’s ball on the 24th of last month, threw the ball for the first time in the bullpen at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 19th, four weeks after her injury after treatment and rehabilitation.
Nail, who improved her condition by throwing 10 balls on the day, said, “I felt good and comfortable,” adding, “I’m going to increase the number of pitches to 75 to 80 after throwing next week.”
Many KIA fans sent a message of consolation to Nail, who was dropped from the regular league due to an unexpected injury, wishing for recovery.
When the assistants on the chin were removed and the body was able to move freely, Nail took the mound as a surprise first pitchman in a home game against the Kiwoom Heroes on the 6th of this month and announced its good health.
Afterwards, Nail, who accompanied the team, shared her joy with her teammates on the 17th, when KIA confirmed its first direct trip to the Korean Series in seven years.
“My jaw joint was broken when I was hit by a pitch, and I still have no feeling in my jaw and lips,” Nail said. “However, my mouth is fine and I do not have any pain. I can freely train and throw balls, so there is no problem. I will do my best to help my team in the Korean Series.”
Nail, who earned about a month of recovery time due to KIA’s advance to the Korean Series, added, “I still have to eat carefully (so that I don’t feel a burden on my chin), but it’s not a big problem, and I eat slower than before.”
Recalling the time when he was hit by a ball, Nail said, “I’ve been hit by a ball on my leg and other body, but this is the first time I’ve been hit by a ball that flew near my head, so I was very scared.”
The biggest challenge for Nail, who has to take the mound again, is to overcome her fear.
“I try not to think about the moment I was afraid of,” Nail said. “It’s the same game as the game I’ve played so far, and I’m preparing to return with the thought of playing for another 31 years without getting hit in the face by a hit.”
“I don’t want to go through a situation where I can’t take the mound due to fear and I can’t do my best again,” he said, vowing to overcome the fear. He bluntly said that the essence of rehabilitation after surgery lies in the mental ability to shake off the fear of injury.
“It was my suggestion to accompany my team on the expedition, and I am very grateful. I wanted to accompany my teammates,” Nail said. “Even though I didn’t tell my teammates that I wanted to go with them, they wanted me to come and be part of the team.”
“I don’t think we can win the regular league just because of luck,” he said. “We deserve to win the regular league as a team that trains hard all year and wins many games.”
He also said, “I’ve won the U.S. professional baseball minor league, but it wasn’t as cool as here,” adding, “It was really special to see the joy in the faces of young players who had no experience in winning and to celebrate each other’s victory with veteran players such as Yang Hyun-jong and Choi Hyung-woo.”