13 year old clubman, 3 first team call-up rejections? Why does a must-win team throw 200 balls a day? 35-year-old FA's extraordinary determination

May 27, 2025

photo courtesy of NC Dinos

The left-hander of the dinosaur corps is back. NC Dinos Lim Jung-ho (35) has returned to the first team.

NC registered pitcher Lim Jung-ho and outfielder Kim Sung-wook in the first team on the 27th.

NC manager Lee Ho-joon, who met at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on this day, said "They say they've improved a lot, but he wasn't satisfied." I said 'Don't say useless things and come up to the first team now' with a hearty laugh.

Lim Jung-ho became the first FA in his life last winter. Rejecting love calls from other teams, he renewed his contract with NC for up to 1.2 billion won for three years. He entered the professional league after being nominated by NC in the third round of the rookie draft in 2013, and now he has pledged to be a 'one-club man' who asks NC his bones.

He recorded an ERA of 4.33 with 11 wins, 22 losses and 3 saves and 92 holds in 479 games, and also pitched in 65 games last year with an ERA of 1.642 with 2 saves and 9 holds. He is a left-handed bullpen pitcher who plays a role in NC's must-win group.

photo courtesy of NC Dinos

This year is the first team registration. Originally, he was scheduled to be in the opening entry, but he gave time based on the judgment that his physical condition had not yet risen.

Coach Lee Ho-joon said "It's already the third time I called it necessary. (Im) Jung-ho said 'I want to make a perfect body' I think I wanted to be helpful to the team"I just told him to come up " he explained.

As it is a veteran bullpen with thick fine bones in the first team, the performance of the second team does not mean much. It's about checking your condition and balance.

Nevertheless, the Futures' performance of 1 win, 1 loss, 2 saves, 1 hold, and an ERA of 10.66 in 14 ⅔ this year makes us doubt.

There must have been a hidden understanding. Manager Lee Ho-joon said, `If I throw, I'm a pitcher who throws one inning, at most 20 pitches, but I heard he throws 200 pitches a day. In the 3rd division, he pitched 3 innings as a starter...Maybe he tried to get the hang of it by throwing a lot of balls. I'll never throw this much in my life."

photo courtesy of NC Dinos

Choi Sung-young, who had been sluggish with two runs in two innings against the Doosan Bears in Jamsil on the 25th, was canceled from the first team along with Chung Hyun-chang. Coach Lee Ho-joon said, `The fastball speed was not very good, and the control was not good. There's a blister on my middle finger, and I think I threw it inIt's time for (Shin) Min-hyuk to take a break from the rotation. The speed of the ball dropped 3 to 4 kilometers, but he is not falling out, saying he is okay. I'm going to give him a break by the time he raises Choi Sung-young soon,' he added.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.