We will have to wait at least a month to see Chang-Mo Koo (26-NC) throw.
He underwent a recheck on the 11th and was told that he is more than 90% recovered, but his bone density is about 5% lower and he needs another week of complete rest.
Koo hasn’t thrown a ball since 2 June against LG. He started that game, but felt pain in his left forearm while pitching and left the game after throwing five pitches. He was subsequently removed from the roster and worked hard to rehabilitate, but his comeback was cut short when he was diagnosed with a fatigue fracture of the ulna in his left arm.바카라사이트
I had a second opinion on the fatigue fracture on the 11th. He has almost recovered, but will have to wait another week before he can start technical training. NC coach Kang Myung-ho said on the 12th, “I’ve just started shadow pitching. I plan to enter the ITP (Intensive Pitching Programme) in a week’s time,” he said, adding, “I think it will take another month to train and take steps (to return to the first team).”
The fact that it will take another week just to get into technical training is not good news for NC.
NC is currently in a fierce battle for third place. While foreign ace Eric Peddie has been performing exceptionally well and holding on with the power of his bat, the domestic starting line-up has collapsed. Song Myung-ki (3-7) and Shin Min-hyuk (4-5) have been steady in the rotation, but the impact has trickled down to the bullpen in general, as they have failed to average five innings per game.
The absence of Koo Chang-mo has been crucial. Despite starting as the No. 1 starter in Korea, injuries have plagued him this year and he hasn’t pitched since the first nine games of the season. NC has been battling for position with Pedi and his ‘one-two punch’ business card with no other starter capable of throwing.
They recently released struggling foreign pitcher Taylor Widener and brought in Tanner Tully. They made the move in August after a string of wins kept them in the top half of the standings despite a drop-off in pitching. With a shorthanded bullpen and a top spot in the standings, NC desperately needs Changmo Koo back, but there’s no immediate sign of him.
The NC has less than 50 games left to play. In a month’s time, it will be the end of the season, and we can only hope that he will be back and pitching normally by then. As soon as he does, he will be called up to the Asian Games team. Even if he does make a full recovery, if he actually makes it to the Hangzhou Asian Games, he’ll have very little time to actually pitch well in the NC.
Regardless of Koo Chang-mo’s return, Kang is now looking for his starters to step up in the remaining games.
“We don’t want the game to come down to the bullpen anymore. “Yesterday (in the win), Shin Min-hyuk had a very good changeup, but if you look at the shortcomings, he couldn’t hold on in the sixth inning, and we had to use the bullpen because we couldn’t wait. I’m hoping he can continue to pitch until the sixth inning.”