The real-game appearance of LG Twins pitcher Jang Hyun-sik has been postponed again.
Jang Hyun-sik was planning to pitch in the exhibition game against the NC Dinos at Seoul's Jamsil Stadium on the 18th, but due to unexpected snow, the game was canceled and his appearance fell through. Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop expressed disappointment, saying, "Hyun-sik needs to pitch."
After signing a four-year, fully guaranteed free agent contract worth 5.2 billion won with LG last November, Jang Hyun-sik returned home early due to an ankle injury sustained during camp in Arizona in mid-February. He twisted his right foot on a slippery road and injured his ankle. After returning, an MRI revealed a partial ligament tear on the outer side of his right foot. He anticipated a four-week recovery but managed to complete rehabilitation smoothly and is now preparing for the opening game.
However, the real-game appearances keep getting postponed due to the weather. He was supposed to pitch against the Doosan Bears on the 16th, but the game was canceled due to rain. After the cancellation of the snow on the 18th, Jang threw 25 pitches in bullpen practice at Jamsil Stadium. When asked if he wasn't cold, Jang replied, "I have a body type that generates a lot of heat. I threw 25 pitches and it was fine. Whenever I try to pitch, it rains or snows."
Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop explained Jang Hyun-sik's return, saying, "Jang will pitch in a 2nd team game against SSG in Ganghwa on the 20th. Depending on how he pitches that day, we'll decide whether to include him in the opening roster or if he will pitch again on Saturday or Sunday before registering him next Tuesday."
Jang Hyun-sik said, "If the rehabilitation goes well, there will be good results when I play, and if I didn’t prepare diligently, I might not get good results." He added, "I always prepare as I usually do, and if I do as I’ve done, I think it will satisfy the manager."
It was an unexpected injury. When asked how he got hurt, Jang laughed and said, "I lost my memory... anyway, I'm back." He continued, "It was the first time I had such an injury, so I was a little flustered. I wondered how I could return quickly, and since the test results were good, I gained a bit more momentum, and I think that’s how I was able to come back now."
Regarding the timing of his return, Jang Hyun-sik said, "At the time of the injury, I wasn't sure, but thanks to the great support I received, I think I came back faster than I expected. Rather, it has become an opportunity for me to prepare even more and to be more conscious about my performance."
When asked if he felt a strong desire to show his first appearance with the new team LG due to the injury, Jang said, "I thought that if I had that mindset, I would likely end up with worse results, so I approached it calmly. I thought it wouldn't mean much if I didn't come back properly. I treated and prepared more. I just followed what the pitching coach and the training coach advised, and I have received excessive support to be able to return so quickly."
During bullpen practice, he did not measure the speed of his fastball. Jang said, "I haven't measured the speed even once. Speed is important, but first, I need to feel good, and if I gain confidence from that, speed will follow. I am focusing on finding that feeling. Today, I think it went the best. I'm glad to have received a good feeling."
Jang Hyun-sik expressed his feelings to fans, saying, "I felt only sorry for delivering bad news first, and I was also sorry to the players and coaches, but I felt a great sense of responsibility towards the fans as well. I think my desire to return quickly, thinking I need to come back well when fans see me, has helped me return a bit faster. I want to ensure I can bring good news to the baseball park as well."
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