Do-young, Ha-sung, Jung-hoo, and Hyesung's all-time dream lineup, but why is 'Korean baseball' anxious
Do-young, Ha-sung, Jung-hoo, and Hyesung's all-time dream lineup, but why is 'Korean baseball' anxious
Blog Article
There is only one year left until the 2026 World Baseball Classic. While fielders are expected to have ultra-luxury lineup centered on major leaguers, pitchers still tilt their heads.스포츠토토
Korea was humiliatingly eliminated in the first round group league at the 2023 WBC in March 2023. It was the third consecutive time that the team failed in the first round following the 2013 and 2017 competitions. At that time, Korea was in Group B with Japan, Australia, China, and the Czech Republic. Korea lost to Japan, the world No. 1, and also to Australia, an ambush, so it finished the tournament with two wins and two losses and third place in its group. Japan ranked No. 1 with four wins, and Australia ranked second with three wins and one loss. Korea had to be satisfied with securing a ticket to the 2026 WBC finals by catching weak China and the Czech Republic.
The 2023 WBC was still a highly anticipated event for veteran players who have relied heavily on and relied on each other in international competitions, including pitchers Kim Kwang-hyun (SSG Landers), Yang Hyun-soo (LG Twins), and catcher Yang Eui-ji (Doosan Bears). As the team failed to pass the first round, criticism against the team grew louder, and Kim and Kim announced their retirement from the team amid shock.
As Kim Kwang-hyun and Kim Hyun-soo, the main players of the 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medal and the youngest players of the golden generation of the national team, returned the national flag, the wind of generational change rapidly blew. Under the guise of preparing for the 2026 WBC, KBO recruited a large number of young players in their early to mid-20s to gain experience in international competitions.
Although the attempt to change the generation led to the gold medal at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, there was another Korean baseball crisis theory as it failed in the first round of the 2024 WBSC Premier 12. The Premier 12 was even more shocking because it was a competition where South Korea consistently performed, including the first win in 2015 and the runner-up in 2019. Although it was a hostile to South Korea, losing to Taiwan, which was considered a step below, was a decisive factor in elimination, and Taiwan emerged as a new powerhouse in Asian baseball as it beat Japan to win the tournament.
The WBC is the only international competition where major leaguers can participate. Infielder Kim Ha-sung (Tampa Bay Rays), Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Kim Hye-sung (Los Angeles Dodgers) and outfielder Lee Jung-hoo (San Francisco Giants) are expected to join the national team, unless something unexpected happens. Tommy Hyun-soo (Dodgers), who won the national flag in the 2023 event, is also a leading candidate. If Kim Do-young, the MVP of last year's KBO League, is added to the lineup, it is no exaggeration to say that it will be a dream come true. Players who will be responsible for long hitters such as Kang Baek-ho (kt Wiz) and Noh Si-hwan (Hanwha Eagles) are also singing a rebound this year.
The cause of concern lies in the mound. Rumors have it that Ryu Hyun-jin (Hanwha), who will turn 39 in 2026, will return to the national team. In fact, the Korean team's batting performance was not bad at the 2024 Premier 12. It was painful for them not to be able to play as starting pitchers. Moon Dong-ju (Hanwha), Won Tae-in (Samsung Lions), and Park Se-woong (Lotte Giants) left the team due to injury and admission to the training center. No starting pitcher was able to play at least five innings in a game. Although the bullpen consisting of Park Young-hyun (kt), Jeong Hae-young (LG), Kim Tae-yeon (Doosan), Kim Seo-hyun (SSG) and Cho Byung-hyun (SSG) was highly evaluated, it was not easy to keep the mound that collapsed before the fifth inning.
Ryu Ji-hyun, the new coach of the national team, is expected to put all his heart and soul into finding an ace player for the rest of the year. Moon Dong-ju, who recovered from injury, is the most promising candidate. Another point to watch is the growth of Kwak Bin (Doosan), a duo with 15 wins and multiple wins, and Won Tae-in last year. It is curious whether Ahn Woo-jin (Kium Heroes), who is currently dealing with military issues as a social service worker while rehabilitating from Tommy John surgery, will wear the national flag. Ahn is currently recognized as the highest ball power among KBO league pitchers. He has yet to join the national team due to disciplinary action against school violence, but there are constant calls for giving a chance to WBC players who are not affected by the disciplinary action.