With the final roster for the Hangzhou Asian Games just around the corner, Koo Chang-mo, 26, who needs and hopes to play a key role on the mound for the Korean National Team, is set to accelerate his recovery in earnest.온라인바카라
In June, Koo was diagnosed with a micro-injury to the flexor pollicis longus muscle in his left arm. However, his recovery was slow and a second opinion revealed a fatigue fracture of the ulna in his left arm, forcing him to leave the team for an extended period of time. He struggled in the second half of 2020 and didn’t recover until 2021, when he underwent a plate fixation of the ulnar stress fracture. Although the pain was in a different part of the body than the one that was operated on at the time, both Koo Chang-mo and NC had to be sensitive, and the coaching staff of the Hangzhou Asian Games team, including head coach Ryu Jung-il and technical director Cho Kye-hyun, had to be concerned about Koo’s injury and recovery.
However, after more than three months of rehabilitation, the bone density of the fatigue fracture was 100%. Medically, he’s healed. Now I have to find my feel as a pitcher and I’m getting up to speed. I started pitching out of the bullpen in the last five days. I threw 30 pitches on the fifth, 30 on the seventh, and 50 on the seventh. I threw bullpen pitches every two days to speed up my recovery.
He is now entering the final phase of his recovery: live pitching. Ahead of the game against the Lotte Giants at Sajik Stadium in Busan on the 12th, Kang said, “Tomorrow (13th), I will throw two innings of 15 pitches each in a live pitching format, totaling 30 pitches. “I think I’ll pitch live tomorrow and look at various data such as my condition and fastball speed, and then make a schedule,” he said, “I think I’ll increase the intensity compared to bullpen pitching. I think it will be important to see how hard he throws, because he’s been throwing at 70 to 80 percent, and we’ll see if there’s any discomfort in the injured area.”
If there are no problems in the live pitching, it is expected that he will go straight to the second team practice pitching stage. For now, Koo plans to utilize the bullpen. “However, I will try some more bullpen pitches and if I can be put into the C team (second team), I will be put into the N team (first team) when I can throw 30 to 40 pitches in relief,” he said. “If I wait until I become a starting pitcher, it will take too long. It would be difficult for the national team schedule, so we will start with the middle relievers, and the player himself was willing to start with the bullpen,” he said, explaining the planned use of Koo Chang-mo.
There is no word yet on when the final roster for the Hangzhou Asian Games will be announced. Only a call-up date has been set for the 23rd. Lee Jeong-hoo (Kiwoom) will have to fill the void as he is out for the season after undergoing ankle surgery. There are also final checks on Kang Baek-ho’s (KT) condition, Lee Yi-ri’s (KIA) shoulder and finger, and more. However, the most crucial aspect for the team is the fitness of Koo Chang-mo, who was initially expected to be fully recovered by the time the roster was announced, but will need to be checked right before the tournament.
The return of Koo Chang-mo, who was considered a key player in the team’s bid for a fourth consecutive Asian Games gold medal. Coach Ryu Jung-il’s eyes will inevitably turn to Changwon.