In the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC), the mound generation change did not work properly.
Amid controversy over the selection of Ahn Woo-jin (Kiwoom Heroes), baseball team coach Lee Kang-cheol selected a large number of young pitchers for the national team. It is for a generational change while considering grades. The change of generation on the mound was on the slow side compared to the fielding pitcher.
A total of 10 new pitchers in their 20s were selected for this national team. They account for 66.7% of all pitchers (15). Among them,메이저사이트 7 players were selected for the first time in the adult national team, excluding international competitions with age restrictions such as the Asian Professional Baseball Championship. The rest of Ko Woo-seok (25, LG Twins) Park Se-woong (28, Lotte Giants) and Won Tae-in (23, Samsung Lions) also had only one or two national team careers.
However, the generational change failed. There were no outstanding pitchers in their 20s except Park Se-woong, who recorded a total of 6 scoreless innings in two games against Japan on the 10th and against the Czech Republic on the 12th.
Last year’s save king Woo-seok Ko disappeared from the finals due to simple muscle pain around his shoulder during the evaluation match. Jung Woo-young (24, LG), the king of holds, failed to adapt to his official ball and did not show his strength at all. Joon Sohn (22, KT Wiz) gave up a walk and a hit in the 7th inning against Japan 4-2, providing an excuse for a come-from-behind 3-run home run.
Lefties Kim Yun-sik (23, LG) and Lee Eui-ri (21, KIA Tigers) allowed 3 4 balls each in the game against Japan, revealing their lack of control. Gu Chang-mo, who expected to inherit the left-hander lineage of Kim Gwang-hyeon (SSG Landers) and Yang Hyeon-jong (KIA), came out twice as a relief pitcher due to his poor condition and allowed 2 runs in 1 and 1/3 innings. Kwak Bin (24) and Jeong Cheol-won (23, Doosan Bears) also failed to live up to expectations with average ERAs of 13.50 and 6.75, respectively, without making use of the strength of their fast balls.
From the process of selecting pitchers for the national team to the selection process for the game against Japan (Kim Gwang-hyun), there was a story of ‘Kim Gwang-hyun again or Yang Hyeon-jong?’ There are not many new faces to replace these veterans.
It’s not just a problem limited to this competition. Even within the KBO league, young pitchers are not growing well. The quality of the mound is seriously deteriorating. The gap with Japanese pitchers, who have a fastball of 160 km/h and even ball control, is widening. In Japan, in addition to Shohei Otani (29, LA Angels), Roki Sasaki (22, Chiba Lotte) and Yoshinobu Yamamoto (25, Orix Buffaloes) overwhelmed the opponent’s batting line. With the exception of Yu Darvish (37, San Diego Padres) and Shota Imana (30, Yokohama DeNA), the rest were filled with pitchers (13) in their 20s, and Japan pitched salty water with an ERA of 1.50 in the first round. The Korean team’s ERA was 7.55.
Former national team coach Kim In-sik, who led the 2006 WBC semifinals, 2009 WBC runner-up, and the 2015 Premier12 first championship, pointed out that “the pitchers seem to be lacking in training.” “Basically, the number of pitches (practice) is low. What’s wrong with throwing a fast ball over 150km per hour? I can’t control it.” Also, running training is lacking a lot. The lower body needs to support it so that more powerful pitches are possible.”
After returning to Korea on the 14th, coach Lee Kang-cheol also said, “If young players such as Hyung-Jun So and Eui-Ri Lee threw their balls properly, the results would have been good enough. I do. If the fans wait