"I felt once again that the path to becoming a major pitcher is difficult. I will try my best to improve myself even a little bit every year."메이저사이트

Doosan Bears right-handed fireballer Kwak Bin won the title of the most wins in the 2024 season. He has a clear sign that is the dream of all starting pitchers and can be recognized as the starting pitcher representing the league.

Kwak Bin broke the prospect's shell with 147 ⅔ innings, 8-9 and an ERA of 3.78 in 27 games in the 2022 season when he played his first full-time starter. In the 2023 season, he also enjoyed the joy of winning his first double-digit wins with 12 wins, 7 losses and an ERA of 2.90 in 23 games and 127 ⅓ innings.

Kwak Bin emphasized in several interviews after the end of the 2023 season that he can only be recognized by throwing consistently for three years. He expressed his will not to settle down by saying several times that he still has a long way to go. 

Kwak has performed his part by winning 15-9 in 167 ⅔ innings and 4.24 ERA in 30 games during the 2024 season. Although it was obvious that his ERA stayed in the four-point range, he showed good pitching in detailed indicators, including 17 quality starts and an average of five ⅓ innings for starters.

Doosan had difficulty operating the mound as foreign pitchers Raul Alcantara and Brandon Waddell, who believed they would play a one-two punch role this year, left due to injuries. 

Kwak took the mound with more responsibility. In order to adjust his condition due to his lack of physical stamina in June, he continued to play starting rotation except for 10 days in the first division entry. Without Kwak, Doosan would not have finished the regular league in fourth place in 2024.

Doosan has significantly lowered the age of its main pitchers in both its starting and bullpen this year. Kwak Bin, who is in his seventh year as a member of the team, has now been upgraded to an ace who has to lead not only himself but also the entire team and join his juniors.

However, Kwak gave a harsh evaluation to himself after the 2024 season was over. "I can't call him an ace yet," Kwak said, vowing to strengthen himself.

After completing recovery training at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on the morning of the 17th, Kwak Bin lowered himself, saying, "I think I'm still in the learning stage, but I think the time has come to play the role of (Ace) faster than I thought," adding, "I don't think I can say I'm an ace myself. I'm a pitcher who wants to be an ace and I have to work harder."  

Kwak also mentioned the living legend of the KBO, Yang Hyun-jong of the KIA Tigers and Kim Kwang-hyun of the SSG Landers. I learned this year that it is never easy to consistently perform as a starting pitcher for a long time like senior players."

Dubbed a "great pitcher," Yang has played 170 innings for the first 10 consecutive seasons in the history of the KBO league and made 400 starts in his career. He is writing the history of Korean baseball every time he takes the mound, becoming the youngest ever to win 170 games in his career.

Kim Kwang-hyun also suffered a lot of ups and downs this year, but he won 12 games and reached the 170th mark in the KBO League. Last year, as Seung-woon did not follow, the double-digit multiplier challenge failed for nine consecutive years, but he is still playing as a mainstay of his team's selection even in his mid-30s. 

Kwak Bin explained, "Like Yang Hyun-jong, you have to throw like Kim Kwang-hyun to be an ace and a great pitcher. Of course, I thought it would be difficult, but I learned that throwing like the two of you is not easy."

"I also want to improve step by step, rather than rushing to the airport. Next year, I want to show people how I can be told that I have improved more than last year," he said.