Lee Kang-cheol’s D-day is clear.
It is the first round of the finals of the 2023 WBC (World Baseball Classic) against Australia to be held at Tokyo Dome, Japan on March 9 (hereinafter Korean time). On the 15th, the national team convened in Tucson, Arizona, USA, unanimously said, “We are only thinking about the game against Australia.” The importance of the first game in a short game cannot be overstated. If he gains momentum from victory, he may achieve results beyond his expectations, but if he gets hit, the damage will be painful. In order to show 100% strength in the match against ‘old enemy’ Japan (March 10), the top priority is to lighten the burden by winning against Australia.
For this reason, Lee Kang-cheol-ho is concentrating his efforts on preparing for the match against Australia. He is heating up his analysis of Australia by installing a TV in the locker room of the Kino Sports Complex, a training ground, as well as providing a tablet PC that allows you to see the power analysis meeting at the accommodation and the data of the opponent’s players at a glance.
Coach Lee Kang-cheol is also struggling over the selection card for the game against Australia.
In a situation where the number of pitches is limited (up to 65 starting pitchers, up to 30 bullpens), the mound operation will be calculated only when the Australian batters are blocked by digesting as many innings as possible. On the other hand, if the game is played in a war of attrition without being able to block the Australian lineup, the aftermath could lead to not only Japan, but also the Czech Republic and China. Even if you catch Australia at the end of the war of attrition and secure at least 2nd place in Group B with tickets for the quarterfinals, you can still face the aftermath of attrition in the quarterfinals.
The most promising candidate for the match against Australia is Koh Young-pyo (32, KT Wiz). Koh Young-pyo, a right-handed sidearm, is regarded as a type of pitcher unfamiliar to Australian hitters. Abundant international competition experience is a reliable weapon to overcome the pressure of selection for the first match. In particular, it is also a strength that he is good at two-seam and changeup, which are considered the most effective pitches for this WBC official ball. 스포츠토토
It is attractive that if Koh Young-pyo is used against Australia and the number of pitches is limited, it can be used in the quarterfinal tournament after a 4-day break. It is also noteworthy that he is in the best shape among the national team pitching staff, who are struggling to find their pitching condition. However, as revealed in the Tokyo Olympics semifinal game (5 innings, 6 hits, 7 strikeouts, 2 runs), it is a waste to use up Ko Young-pyo, a useful card against Japan, early.
In addition to Ko Young-pyo, So Joon So (22, KT Wiz), who played multi-innings in the previous four practice games, Bin Gwak (24, Doosan Bears) Se-woong Park (28, Lotte Giants) Tae-in Won (23, Samsung Lions) Kwang-hyeon Kim (35, SSG) Landers) is also considered as a starting candidate for this competition. However, So-jun So (2 innings, 5 hits and 4 runs) and Kwak Bin (2 innings, 4 hits and 2 runs) were beaten in a practice game against the national team on the 25th, Park Se-woong and Won Tae-in lacked international competition experience, and Kim Gwang-hyun was poor in pitch. is pointed out as a weakness.
In the end, it is expected that the key will be how far they can improve their condition in early March, when the tournament is imminent. Coach Lee is expected to come to a conclusion in the practice match against SSG to be held at Gocheok Sky Dome on March 3rd. “Current pitchers are increasing their innings little by little,” he said. “A pitcher in good condition may come out later. I think I will have to watch the SSG match and decide on my position.”