"It's going to be more fun next year."
Moon Dong-ju (Hanwha Eagles), who met at the Rivera Hotel, where the Nutrition Day Ilgu Award ceremony was held on the 8th, looked very tired. "I caught a cold the day before, so I'm not feeling well," he said. From the 2023 regular league's best rookie to the day, he has been receiving the Rookie of the Year award at all year-end award ceremonies, and he has been tired from his repeated schedules. "I haven't even thought about my next year's goal yet because I had a schedule after the season," he said.
The year 2023 has given much to Moon. For the first time in the Korean league, he threw balls with an official speed of 160km/h or higher (160.1km). At the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, he contributed to winning the gold medal as a starting pitcher in the final against Taiwan. He also had the Rookie of the Year award, which he had only one chance in his life after the season. As a Hanwha player, he has acquired the award for the first time in 17 years since Ryu Hyun-jin. Moon made his professional debut last year, but he pitched only 28 ⅔ innings in the first division due to injury, and thus was eligible as a rookie until this year. The KBO League selects players who have joined the league for less than five years, accumulated 30 innings as pitcher, and no more than 60 at-bats as candidates for the Rookie of the Year award.
This season, Moon pitched 118 ⅔s in 23 games with eight wins, eight losses and an earned run average of 3.72. He had 95 strikeouts and his WHIP (per-inning on-base permit) was 1.31. "I have a lot to be desired, but the most regrettable thing is that I failed to make 100 strikeouts. I will make sure to make 100 next year," Moon said.
Since it is the first full-time year, Hanwha limited Moon's pitching innings (120 innings) for this season, and he ended the season early in September. While taking a three-week break to participate in the Asian Games, he was able to throw the ball with fresh shoulders. "I don't know what the next season will be like, but I really want to throw 144 innings," said Moon. "There will be no limit on innings for Moon next year," Hanwha manager Choi Won-ho said. "If he meets the stipulated innings, he will have to decide based on the club or the conditions of the club." Moon will have to serve as the second to third starting pitcher for Hanwha in next season.
He has no desire for individual titles yet. However, he said, "If multiple wins, strikeouts, and ERA are all in the top ranks next year, I think I will be able to challenge myself to have a chance at the end of the season." He also didn't forget to say, "I shouldn't be the only one who can do well in a title, but I need the help of fielders." As veteran fielders including An Chi-hong and Kim Kang-min were reinforced in the lineup during the offseason, he said, "I think I will feel reassured when throwing in the mound. I will learn what I can learn from senior players, although I have different positions." Moon Dong-ju was weak against An Chi-hong at four hits in five times at bat, which makes joining Ahn even more welcome.
Moon changed his position from a fielder to a pitcher when he was a freshman at Gwangju Jinheung High School. He thought that a pitcher would be better than a fielder because he is not good at baseball. Consequently, it was a huge success. While doing Pilates in his first and second year of high school, he increased flexibility. Moon often says that he throws balls pretty. He throws fastballs, but he doesn't have much desire to keep fastballs. That's because he thinks that more important is how he fights the batter well and overcomes it. As he has a lot of interest in pitching routines and programs, he is considering moving to Arizona in the U.S. in January to visit a clinic center.
His role models are Shohei Ohtani (29), who recently signed a 10-year, 700 million-dollar contract with the LA Dodgers, and Ryu Hyun-jin (36), a living legend from the Hanwha Eagles. "I really liked Otani since I was young. Ohtani himself is a good person," Moon said. "I want to buy Ohtani's uniform if I have a chance." On discussing Ryu's return to Korea, Moon declined to comment, saying, "I want to play baseball together as soon as possible, but he must have his own dream." Just as Ryu was taught circle changeups by Koo Dae-sung when he was a rookie, Moon also wants to learn circle changeups from Ryu.
Expectations are growing for the future as he swept the Rookie of the Year award. What kind of baseball will he draw? "I want to be a player who is respected by all people like Ryu Hyun-jin and Ohtani," Moon said. "I want to be a baseball player who makes me think, 'I really want this guy's uniform' and 'I really want to copy his form' just like I want to have Ohtani's uniform. I also want to debut in the Major League after working hard in the Hanwha Eagles like Ryu did." Moon, who will turn 20 in just 23 days, said this for the last time. "I loved playing baseball since I was young. This year's baseball was fun, and I think it will be more fun in 2024. Having fun means that I played well in one season, I will continue to work hard next year."