“Coach Kanbe gave me a lot of training.”
On the 27th, KIA great pitcher Yang Hyeon-jong achieved 162 personal wins in Gwangju LG. Yang Hyeon-jong became the winning pitcher on this day with 7 hits, 3 strikeouts, 2 walks and 3 runs in 6⅔ innings. Yang Hyeon-jong has now surpassed Jeong Min-cheol, MBC Sports Plus commentator, and has become the sole second place with the most wins in KBO career.
He approached Jin-Woo Song (210 wins), who has the most wins in the KBO, by 48 wins. It is virtually difficult during this 4-year, 10.3 billion won FA contract period, and if a new contract is signed from 2026, the challenge is expected to be possible. If 35-year-old Yang Hyeon-jong continues his career in good health until he is 40, nothing is impossible.
Yang Hyeon-jong is a player who has never been rehabilitated with a knife on his arm or shoulder. He is an athlete who excels in managing his body. He is known as an athlete who strictly follows his own routine to stay fit. He has digested more than 170 innings in the last 8 consecutive seasons, and is challenging for 9 consecutive years this year.
Director Kim Jong-kook recalls that Yang Hyeon-jong’s thorough training routine was greatly influenced by former pitching coach Toshio Kanbe, who worked for the KIA from 2008 to 2009. Head coach Kim Jong-guk said, “When Hyeon-jong was young, coach Lee Kang-cheol or coach Kanbe gave him a lot of training.”
In particular, former coach Kanbe reminded Yang Hyeon-jong of the importance of shadow pitching. Yang Hyeon-jong is still famous as a pitcher who thoroughly shadow pitches on days when he is not pitching and checks his pitching balance and condition. Running in the outfield with a towel and trying to catch his pitching form is a routine that even KIA fans know well.
Coach Kim Jong-guk said, “Coach Kanbe made shadow pitching almost every day. The current Hyeonjong was made through a lot of basic training at that time. When he can’t be established, he has to train a lot to make it. Hyeonjong also patiently followed it well. As coach Kanbe took charge of balance training for Hyeonjong, the present Hyeonjong Yang was created.”
Furthermore,토토사이트 coach Kim argued that it is good for the current KIA young pitchers to take a lot of basic training. He said, “It is important for players to learn with their bodies while training. That’s what exercise is. Hyeonjong also trained a lot since he was young, so he comes out like that without even realizing it.”
There is no such thing as 162 wins just made. Wouldn’t it have been pouring sweat, effort, and even tears without anyone noticing? The process to get to 210 wins will be the same. Yang Hyeon-jong will always prepare for the mound in his position and silently.