Chapter 4: Velocity Revolution

The term "velocity revolution" referred to the increase in pitching speed due to changes in pitching mechanics that began sweeping through Major League Baseball (MLB) in the 2010s.

"Starting from this period, the average velocity of MLB pitchers increased by about 3 km/h. And in the late 2010s, the velocity of Japanese pitchers, who adopted these mechanics, also saw a significant rise."

South Korea was the last to experience this velocity revolution.

As a result, in the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC), South Korea's average pitching velocity ranked 16th out of the 20 participating teams.

This was a sharp decline compared to the 2nd place ranking for average velocity during the 2nd WBC when South Korea finished as runners-up.

This alone showed the significant gap between global baseball and Korean baseball.

"But starting in the 2020s, with the full-fledged revival of private academies, pitching velocity in South Korea also began to rise significantly."

As the velocity increased among younger players, the velocity revolution started to take place in South Korea as well.

"But during my active years, my top velocity was 144 km/h. It didn't even reach the average velocity of current players."

He had aimed for an increase in velocity beyond that but had failed.

"I wonder what the velocity of the pitches I threw today was."

He couldn't accurately determine the velocity of the pitches he threw while coaching Kim Chul-woong earlier today.

That's because he hadn't measured the velocity.

But from the feel of it, it seemed to be similar to his top speed during his active years.

"If the pitches I threw without properly warming up, using a new pitching mechanic for the first time, came close to my top speed during my playing days..."

He wanted to confirm it.

So, after work, he stayed behind, under the guise of cleaning up the equipment.

"Hoo…"

Jung-woo stood on the makeshift mound installed in the academy and let out a sigh.

He lightly tossed the ball to loosen his shoulder.

Swish!

Pop!

Swish!

Pop!

He threw the ball lightly without standing on the mound.

Even so, the way the ball traveled was drastically different from before.

The first noticeable change was that he felt he was properly using his lower body.

"In the past, I never felt like I was fully utilizing the power of my lower body. But now, I can feel the strength from my legs being transferred all the way to my fingertips."

This changed the nature of his pitches.

After a few warm-up pitches, Jung-woo stood on the mound.

"Hoo…"

He exhaled deeply, his sharp gaze fixed on his target.

"Let's focus on control and try throwing the ball."

He glanced up to check the scoreboard.

The radar gun would display the measured speed on the screen.

How fast would it be?

He was curious.

And now was the time to find out.

In the set position, he entered his kick, simultaneously bending his pivot leg and closing his hips.

After this motion to store energy, he moved into his stride, bending his pivot leg even more to store as much power as possible.

Tap!

As his stride foot landed firmly on the ground, his weight shifted forward, followed by a rotation of his hips.

The rotation continued up through his torso, creating a powerful rotational force.

The energy generated was then focused on his fingertips and transferred to the ball.

"Ha!"

Swish!

With a shout, the ball shot out with force, zipping past the plate and slamming into the catcher's mitt in the blink of an eye.

Pop!

With a solid thud, the scoreboard displayed a number.

[141 km/h]

Jung-woo's eyes widened when he saw the number.

"Is this even possible?"

It was an unbelievable figure.

So, he threw more pitches.

Pop!

[140 km/h]

Pop!

[142 km/h]

Every time the ball slammed into the mitt, it easily exceeded 140 km/h.

The numbers were almost on par with his top velocity during his playing days.

His prediction had been spot on.

"To think I could reach this kind of velocity without even being in proper shape…"

Since being released, Jung-woo had neglected his workouts.

He hadn't completely given up.

Having exercised for so long, he felt worse if he didn't move. Plus, he needed the stamina to teach the academy members.

However, compared to his active playing days, the intensity and amount of exercise had significantly decreased.

Even so, the fact that he could still reach this kind of velocity meant that there was room for improvement if he trained properly.

"If I can reach 150 km/h...?"

What would happen if he hit 150?

Kim Cheol-woong's words suddenly echoed in his mind.

— "You could still be playing professionally."

At the time, he had let those words go in one ear and out the other.

But now, things were different.

"Could it really be possible...?"

He saw potential.

___________________________________

After that day, Jung-woo gradually increased the intensity of his workouts.

"Jung-woo, you're running a lot today, huh?"

"It feels like I've put on some weight recently."

"Is that so?"

Jung-woo was using the academy's facilities for his training, so Kim Cheol-woong quickly noticed.

But when Jung-woo spoke, Kim just nodded as if it wasn't a big deal. He, too, had gained weight after quitting pro ball and taking it easy on workouts, so he understood.

"By the way, I got a call from the Pangyo Masters, where Kim Cheol-woong is a member. They asked if you'd be available for an on-site lesson."

"An on-site lesson?"

"Yeah, with how well Cheol-woong's been doing lately, I guess there's been some buzz about you in the team."

Cheol-woong had mentioned that he talked about Jung-woo with his team, and it seemed like that was paying off.

"How much is the fee for an on-site lesson?"

"A million won. But you might have to teach the whole team, not just one or two people. Is that okay?"

"Of course, that's fine!"

For a million won, he'd go anywhere. He agreed immediately and scheduled the lesson.

A week passed, and it was Sunday.

Instead of heading to the academy as usual, Jung-woo went to Pangyo.

The training location was Naksaeng Park, which had well-equipped facilities for amateur baseball.

Upon arriving at the park, Kim Cheol-woong greeted him.

"Coach! Thanks so much for coming out here!"

"Ha-ha! No, thank you for giving me this great opportunity."

"Hello, I'm Kim Hyung-jung, the coach and a player for the Masters."

"Ah! So you're the coach. I'm Han Jung-woo. Pleased to meet you."

"The pleasure is ours. With how much Cheol-woong's skills have improved, our team is really looking forward to this."

"I'll do my best to train you all!"

"Well then, shall we?"

They moved from the parking lot to the baseball field.

There, the Masters team members were already gathered, dressed in their uniforms.

There were 15 members in total, ranging in age from their 20s to their 40s.

"The Masters was originally founded by a group of alumni, but it has since grown with local players who wanted to join."

"Ah, I see. As I was informed earlier, you're currently in the 3rd division league?"

"That's correct. Since none of us are former pros, we've been attending academies at our own expense to improve our skills."

Jung-woo nodded.

"Alright then, let's start the training! First, let's begin with some stretching."

"Yes, sir!"

The Masters players followed Jung-woo's instructions without hesitation.

Cheol-woong had spoken highly of Jung-woo to his teammates, which helped build trust.

Moreover, witnessing Cheol-woong's improvement firsthand, they had great confidence in Jung-woo's coaching.

Jung-woo felt a sense of accomplishment, a far cry from when he first started coaching at the academy.

________________________________

Though it was his first time conducting a group lesson, the players' willingness to follow made it easier.

He couldn't offer more than the basics on hitting, but he could provide detailed instruction on pitching, throwing, and fielding.

Of course, one lesson wasn't enough to cover everything.

There was also the limitation of the three-hour session.

But Jung-woo made every effort to share what he knew.

The players' reactions were positive as well.

"I definitely need to visit the academy to get more coaching from you."

"Absolutely. I feel like I finally understand pitching thanks to Coach today."

Several players expressed their intention to visit the academy, which meant potential new members—and direct income—for Jung-woo.

Just then, Jung-woo noticed Kim Hyung-jung on the phone nearby.

"How can you just inform me about this now?"

His voice grew louder, naturally drawing the attention of the players.

"Is something wrong?"

"Not sure."

"Could it be that the practice game is canceled?"

"Are you having a game today?"

Hearing the players' conversation, Jungwoo asked, and Kim Chul-woong nodded.

"Yes, we have a practice game scheduled with the Dragons today. But there's no way they would suddenly cancel practice."

Kim Chul-woong's guess was correct.

As soon as Kim Hyung-joong finished his call and approached, Chul-woong asked,

"What's the issue? You even raised your voice."

"Oh, it's nothing much. The person who was supposed to umpire today's game just called to say they can't make it."

"What? How can they inform us on the day of the game?"

"That's what I'm saying. But now, where am I supposed to find a replacement?"

"There's no helping it. We'll just have to pick someone who isn't playing to umpire."

Just as Hyung-joong was about to nod in agreement, he noticed Jungwoo standing awkwardly nearby.

"I'm sorry, Coach. The atmosphere got a bit weird because of this unexpected issue."

"No problem. By the way, do players in amateur leagues usually arrange for umpires themselves?"

"Sometimes, the game organizers or league provide umpires, but for practice games like this, we usually have to arrange one ourselves. And since this field is run by the district, there aren't any staff assigned to help."

"I see..."

Jungwoo wasn't familiar with amateur baseball, so this was new information to him.

At that moment, Hyung-joong cautiously asked Jungwoo,

"Um... Are you busy right now, Coach?"

"Huh? No, I don't have any plans afterward..."

"In that case, could you possibly umpire for us? I'll make sure to pay you a fee."

"I've never umpired before. Will that be okay?"

"It'll be fine! As long as you stick to the basic rules."

"Well, if that's the case... Sure, I'll do it. No need to pay me, though."

"Thank you so much!"

Since he had already received a good amount for the lesson, Jungwoo figured he could offer this service for free.

_______________________________________

A short while later, the opposing team arrived at the field.

When the team known as the Pangyo Dragons appeared, the eyes of the Masters players started burning with determination.

"We must win today."

"We have to win."

"If we lose today, it'll be a three-game losing streak."

"We can't afford that!"

From their conversation, it was clear that this wasn't their first time playing against each other.

Jungwoo, having no stake in the game, simply put on the protective gear and prepared to officiate the match.

"I'm Jungwoo Han, and I'll be umpiring today. Please play fair, everyone."

"Thank you!"

"Thanks!"

The game began with the Dragons batting first.

For the Masters, Kim Chul-woong took the mound as the starting pitcher.

As he watched his pupil, Chul-woong, take the mound with a smile, the batter stepped into the box.

'He's slender, but looking at his developed forearms and lower body, he seems to be quite athletic.'

Jungwoo quickly assessed that the batter wasn't an ordinary player.

But with many people nowadays taking up sports as a hobby, he didn't think much of it and proceeded with the game.

"Play ball!"

At his call, the game began.

Simultaneously, as the batter assumed his stance, a thought crossed Jungwoo's mind.

'He's not an amateur, is he?'