"Aren't you a helpful personality?" Fonce, who has a short temper, settled in Hanwha, is rather good for now
"Aren't you a helpful personality?" Fonce, who has a short temper, settled in Hanwha, is rather good for now
Blog Article
Cody Ponce, a 31-year-old foreign pitcher of the Hanwha Eagles, is a pitcher who has displayed the best performance among foreign pitchers who are currently playing in the KBO League this year. He posted an ERA of 1.70 in eight games (53 innings) this year.
Ponce, who played in the Japanese Professional Baseball (NPB) until last year, signed a $1 million contract with Hanwha ahead of the 2025 season. Some people expressed concern over the accumulated injury history, but Hanwha actively recruited Ponce with "confidence."안전놀이터
The process was not smooth. Ponce received significant attention from various teams in Korea over the past two years. Some provincial teams made detailed moves to recruit Ponce. Hanwha, which even went all the way to Ponce's neighborhood, became the final winner.
Other teams that put Ponce on the short list also cited his short temper as a concern along with his injury history. In fact, Ponce never hid his emotions on the mound this year. His emotional ups and downs were also easily seen in scenes such as pitch clock violations and balk.
However, there are also external views that positively view Ponce's hot-tempered personality. He has the opinion that he is very suitable for the current Hanwha team situation.
"Ponce's hot-tempered personality may suit the KBO league unexpectedly. Korean players are usually calm and reluctant to express themselves to the outside world. Players who elevate the mood are essential to the team. Wouldn't it be helpful to Hanwha's current situation?"
In fact, Ponce is also playing a role in boosting the mood of the dugout in Hanwha. At the home game in Daejeon on March 28, he called the players in front of the dugout after pitching in the top of the fifth inning, and said, "I trust you guys. If you score just one point, it will work out well, so let's cheer up."
Other foreign players from the Hanwha Eagles, Ryan Weiss and Esteban Floral, are even players with very calm personalities. One way or the other, it is quite clear why Ponce should raise the so-called "tension."
It is icing on the cake for Hanwha that there are veteran catchers who sanction excessive cases. Choi Jae-hoon (36), who mainly works with Ponce this year, is constantly exchanging conversations in and out of the ground whenever Ponce takes the mound. He is in charge of controlling the strength and weakness of Ponce's hot-tempered personality, helping him to produce the best performance this year.