In Korea, Kwak Bin (Doosan Bears) threw 153km and Lee Eui-ri (KIA Tigers) 155km, throwing fast balls over 150km, but even these were only a taste of one or two hits per batter.
In contrast, the speed of fastballs of Japanese 메이저놀이터 pitchers all easily exceeded 150 km. Even Japan’s Hiroto Takahashi (Chunichi Dragons), who was the last pitcher in the Korean War, was on a different level from the Korean pitching staff, with 156km being the lowest fastball speed. Even Sasaki Rocky (Chiba Lotte Marines) easily overcame 160 km, 100 miles.
If it had been misunderstood, would Lee Jung-hoo, who had a multi-hit game in Japan, confess, “It was the first ball I’ve ever seen in my life”?
It was not easy for Korean batters, who had no experience hitting such a fast ball, to hit Japanese pitchers’ balls. On the other hand, Japanese batters, who were already accustomed to fast balls that far exceeded 150 km, easily attacked the Korean pitchers’ balls, which were not even properly controlled.
In this wind, in the KBO League, a voice of self-reflection came out in the baseball world that special measures were needed to improve the pitcher’s restraint ability so that more pitchers with really fast balls that could go over 150 km could come out.