World Baseball Classic (WBC) Korean national baseball team coach Lee Kang-cheol said, “I will watch about three games and narrow down the starting pitchers.”
On the 19th (Korean time), after joint training at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Arizona, USA, coach Lee said, “I am worried about the starting pitcher.” laughed
Among the 15 national team pitchers, the starting pitching resources are Kim Gwang-hyeon (SSG Landers), Yang Hyeon-jong and Lee Eui-ri (above KIA Tigers), Koh Young-pyo and So Hyeong-joon (above kt wiz), Koo Chang-mo (NC Dinos)먹튀검증, Won Tae-in (Samsung Lions), There are 10 players, including Kwak Bin (Doosan Bears), Park Se-woong (Lotte Giants), and Kim Yun-shik (LG Twins).
Considering the WBC’s unique pitching rule and minimum three hitter opponents rule, if Kim Gwang-hyun and Yang Hyeon-jong, who have good control skills, can play both as a starter and as a bullpen, the number of players who can only start will be reduced to eight.
Director Lee emphasized, “I think that in the end, the starting pitcher should make the selection.”
He added, “If the condition is similar, we plan to select a pitcher with better experience, pitch, and mentality as the starting pitcher.”
The national team will play evaluation matches against KIA on the 20th, kt on the 23rd and 25th, and LG on the 27th. Before leaving Tucson and returning to Korea on the 28th, pitchers should decide on positions so that they can test their strategy in the last three evaluation matches against SSG, the Orix Buffaloes and the Hanshin Tigers of the Japanese professional baseball leagues.
Director Lee, who watched Yang Hyeon-jong’s bullpen pitching, said, “I think he threw it with about 70% power.” do,” he explained.
Coach Lee introduced that in the second practice game against the KIA on the 20th, Koo Chang-mo will start, and nine pitchers throw about 25 pitches per inning.
Jung Woo-young (LG), Jeong Cheol-won (Doosan), and Won Tae-in, who took the mound in the first practice game against NC two days ago, will also pitch in the second game to pick up the pace.
Coach Lee praised, saying, “The players have been actively preparing for training,” and “I feel a sense of mission (as a national representative).”