Every step of the way is cautious. It is to get back the 155km fastball. Lee Min-seok (20) of the Lotte Giants had a year full of regret. He sweated a lot throughout the winter, but the elbow pain in the opening game was in vain.

She had Tommy John surgery (reconstruction of inner ligament of the elbow). Now, the surgery is passing by like a rite of passage, but it is a matter of putting a sword on an athlete’s body. Lee Min-seok is now a 20-year-old pitcher with a second year of high school graduation. He suffered from fear of his arm that could not straighten when he woke up in the morning. He gritted his teeth and devoted himself to rehabilitation. 토토사이트 추천

“At first, I was scared. After the surgery, I can’t do any exercise at first. I get a massage, relax my arms, and do flexion for a long time, but when I wake up, it solidifies again. After two to three weeks, my arms slowly stretch out, but the pain still lingers. You need to get permission from the hospital every step of the way to exercise like you used to.”

In mid-October last year, he was finally declared “OK” at the hospital. It started with a 20m toss. He was throwing a 155km fastball at the strike zone. Even with a 20m toss, the distance or direction was not adjusted as intended. Now I say it with a smile, but I had a lot of heart trouble at the time. It’s a step-by-step process, so I’m a little relieved now.

“I’ve never had such a long break. You took a full rest after just one game. There was no promise that you would be able to come back anytime,” Lee said with a sigh. “I felt frustrated because I couldn’t play and just watched the game with my eyes.” The distance to toss has increased to 55 meters. He is not strong enough, but he throws about 100 pitches every other day to get used to it. He is not a patient recovering from his elbow, but a pitcher preparing for his return.

“I’m in the process of loosening my arms up to 55 meters. I stumbled like a first-time baseball player. Now I’m stepping on the steps from a distance of 30 meters and “hitting” the ball with 60-70 percent strength. I’m glad I haven’t been sick yet. I’m an athlete indeed. I’m relieved that I felt stuffy after starting to use my strength.”

Weight training, which started in July, also gained momentum. In addition to rehabilitation in Gimhae, he is warming up by doing individual workouts and Pilates. His weight, which was 98kg before the injury, exceeded 100kg, but his muscles became more solid. This is why he gained confidence in his return.

Some said that they took a break from practicing due to the recurrence of elbow pain. “I’ve never heard of it before,” Lee said with a smile. “I caught two flu viruses in the last month. So, did that spread after taking a break from practicing? I caught flu A and flu B once in a while. I think I had a hard time in the new year.”

He has had minor injuries such as shoulder and finger since his high school days. In particular, elbow collisions led to ligament damage. It was an opportunity to address my reluctance. Can he throw a 155 kilometer fastball with his fresher arm? “I’m going to be greedy later. Maybe in the second half of this year or next year?” Lee said with a smile.