"I don't think Ryu Hyunjin needs my autograph..." You won't know if Ponce is a real "all-time alien."

"I don't think Ryu Hyunjin needs my autograph..." You won't know if Ponce is a real "all-time alien."

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Cody Ponce (31), the right-hander of the Hanwha Eagles, is considered a "best-ever" foreign pitcher even though it is still in the early stages of the season. Although his ostensible record of two wins and an ERA of 3.60 in four games seems normal, he is strong enough to strike out 31 in 25 innings.메이저놀이터

His overall completeness is high, including a fastball of up to 156 kilometers per hour that falls from 198 centimeters tall, a change-up that takes away a large drop like a forkball, a curveball that takes away a lot of time, a slider that bends outside of the right-handed batter and a cutter. Both fastball and breaking ball control are stable, so he can become the best foreign pitcher if he completely adjusts to the league in the future.

Opponents acknowledged Ponce as well. "I think the ball is the best. The form is so pretty," KT manager Lee Kang-chul said, while KIA manager Lee Bum-ho also said, "It was great. I think he is the best among Korean players. He throws breaking balls well. Change-up almost perfectly drops him from the strike zone to the floor."

Ponce, however, was not aware of the assessment. "I've never heard that I'm the best, but if it's real, I'll believe it," he said with a smile. "I'm happy that our team is on the rise. "I think our entire pitching staff is really good. Both the starting pitcher and the bullpen are excellent," he said, putting his team ahead of him.

Change-up, which has caught the attention of team members since the spring camp, is fast at 140 kilometers per hour on average, and the drop like a folk ball is impressive. It is a ball that is trending recently, called "kick change-up" in the Major League, and Ponce learned it by himself. "I changed the way I threw change-up starting this year. I can't remember the source, but I learned it by myself by watching a video," he said. "I'm still 30 years old. You might think I have a lot, but I think I'm still young, and if I have a bad pitching, I keep trying to improve my pitching skills."

Young pitcher Moon Dong-ju is also learning Ponce's research posture. "Ponce is a really smart player. He talks a lot about how to use strength when it comes to pitching. I am learning a lot and I will learn a lot from now on," Moon said.

"It suddenly crossed my mind that day, and depending on the situation, I want to give courage to our fielders who are helping me," Ponce said. "Batting tends to have ups and downs, and that's baseball. I'm just grateful for the opportunity to start every five to six days."

He is also satisfied with his second month in Korea. Ponce, who is staying with his wife at an apartment provided by the club near Daejeon's home stadium, said, "It's really nice to be close to the baseball stadium. I recognize my dog every time I walk him, and he is so kind. I am blessed to have such a great fan in such a great city. I have nothing to complain about so far."

Ponce, who was giving a model answer to the goal he wanted to achieve in Korea, said, "I'm going to stay healthy and complete the season," and suddenly took out Ryu Hyun-jin's name. "While I'm here, I think I'll need Ryu's autograph a lot. Sometimes I feel a little stingy when I ask Ryu to sign every day, saying no. My goal is to get as many autographs as possible," he said with a smile.

If so, would Ryu ask Ponce for his autograph? Ponce said, "I don't think Ryu needs my autograph. I don't need to sign for him." He expressed his strong commitment to collect autographs. However, if Ponce truly becomes the best foreign pitcher in the KBO League, Ryu may ask for his autograph.