“I hope Kim Gwang-hyun will lead the team well for as long as possible.”
The World Baseball Classic (WBC) Korean baseball team, led by coach Lee Kang-cheol, will play the 2nd game against Japan in Group B in the first round of the 2023 WBC finals at the Tokyo Dome in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan on the 10th.
Korea suffered a 7-8 defeat against Australia in the first match of the finals on the 9th, and a red flag was turned on to advance to the quarterfinals. In this game against Japan, victory is desperately needed. In addition, the meaning of the fateful Korea-Japan match is different.
Coach Lee Kang-cheol, who we met in the press conference room before the game, said, “I told the players not to be depressed and not to be depressed. I told them to do well in every game because there are still games left,” he said. “I think the players understood everything. I saw it,” he said.
Korea’s starting mound is guarded by Kim Gwang-hyun, the ‘Japanese killer’. International competition results are also outstanding. In 16 career games, he went 5-3 with a 3.43 earned run average in 57⅔ innings with 57 strikeouts. At the edge of the cliff, the one to trust is the veteran ace.안전놀이터
Director Lee expected, “Kim Gwang-hyun leads as many innings as possible, and the middle pitcher must block the remaining innings. I hope Kim Gwang-hyun leads as well as possible.”
Ko Woo-seok, who missed the first game against Australia due to muscle pain near his shoulder, also failed to pitch against Japan. Director Lee said, “I think it will be difficult (to start). I will try to think about it when I go up to the next round.”
Kang Baek-ho, who committed a fatal run in the game against Australia, was included in the starting lineup. Kang Baek-ho will start as designated hitter number 7. Coach Lee explained, “(Kang) Baek-ho was intended to be included in the lineup for the first game, but considering the left and right balance, I thought of him as a pinch hitter. He is in the lineup today because he feels good at hitting. Na Seong-beom will play in the second half of the game.”