It's so nice to be able to throw again"…"Back surgery No. 2 → first real game in 9 months." Shim Jae-min's baseball is not over yet
It's so nice to be able to throw again"…"Back surgery No. 2 → first real game in 9 months." Shim Jae-min's baseball is not over yet
Blog Article
After undergoing major six-hour surgery twice, he is waiting for the day to fly again. Shim Jae-min (31), left-hander of the Lotte Giants, made his first real appearance in nine months.안전놀이터
Shim Jae-min took the mound as his second pitcher in a practice game against the Rakuten Monkeys in Taiwan's professional baseball league at the Asia-Pacific International Baseball Training Center in Tainan, Taiwan, on the 21st, and threw 33 pitches in two innings, allowing two hits, two strikeouts, and one run.
He took the mound for the first time in about nine months since the game against SSG in the Futures League on May 12 last year. After overcoming back pain that plagued him last year, he stood on the mound again. Shim Jae-min received an abnormal signal in his back last year. After the 2023 season, he barely finished rehabilitation due to shoulder pain, but this time his back was in trouble.
As the vertebrae pressed against the nerves, numbness occurred in the leg side. It was a career-wide crisis. He had knives on both the left and right sides of his waist. He underwent two major surgeries every five days, which took six hours. As such, baseball player Shim Jae-min's 2024 was deleted.
Shim Jae-min, however, did not give up. As he elevated his rehabilitation pace, he was included in the Futures Training List. Being included in the Futures Camp list, where actual games will take place, meant that he could soon stand on the mound. The return "D-Day" took place on Monday.
"This is my first mound since surgery. I will throw lightly. And I will get some hits. It's okay to get hit now. Maybe it's my first time to throw after not throwing for a long time," Futures team coach Kim Yong-hee said before the game. "It's hard to get a good performance on the mound. It's better to get hit at the beginning. That way, you will know what's lacking." He did not have high expectations for the performance itself. He meant a lot to take the mound for the first time since the surgery.
After starting pitcher Hong Min-ki allowed five hits (one homer) with five strikeouts and two runs in four innings, Shim Jae-min took over the ball from the fifth inning onwards. He grounded out leadoff hitter Zeng Yucheng at the first pitch. Chiu had a heavy hit against Zeng, who stole second and made a catcher's throwing error, putting him on the verge of losing his point. Eventually, he lost a point by hitting a timely double to the left-center field. He caught Zeng Kwachier with a straight hit to the second base and then grounded out to the shortstop. It was a hit that hit Shim's belt, but it did not lead to his injury.
Shim Jae-min, who took the mound in the sixth inning again, was hit by leadoff hitter Chen Ji-ahrar who hit a double to the right-center. With no outs and no outs, another catcher's foil appeared, pushing him to the verge of third base with no outs. However, he struck out Lin Yao-hwang and Tu Yifeng, who also struck out to make the third base with two outs. Finally, he grounded out to shortstop to Mao Zedong to end the inning without allowing any additional runs.
He threw 33 pitches and threw fastballs with a maximum speed of 141 kilometers. Considering that he took the mound for the first time in eight months, he has displayed good physical condition. He used nine curves, six sliders, and four changeups. He did not have outstanding pitching capabilities, but he erased the gap due to his outstanding game management skills. Manager Kim Yong-hee missed expectations. Shim Jae-min showed off his genius.
Shim was relaxed when we met for a while after the game. However, he also felt relieved that he had returned to the mound. "I had surgery on my left and right back twice. I'm so happy that I'm not sick. And I'm so happy to be able to throw the ball again. My shoulders are okay," Shim said, expressing joy at the game.
With Shim Jae-min's return, coach Kim Tae-hyung can hold another card. Even though it was his first real game in nine months, he had a speed of 141 kilometers per hour. If he raises the pace normally, he will surely be able to strengthen the mound for the first team. Although he is not a strong pitch player, he is a pitcher who can handle the game first. As long as he is in good health, he can be of great help to the first team as he can play his part in starting pitcher or wherever he is in the bullpen. Will he be able to see Shim's bright face again on the mound for the first team.