The 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) had another meaning of ‘previewing the Hangzhou Asian Games’ in the immediate task of restoring the lost honor of Korean baseball. This is because several young players who are mentioned as members of Hangzhou have boarded the national team.
There was a great perception that if he performed well in the WBC, he could have a ‘priority’ in the selection of the Hangzhou national team. Basically, going to the WBC means that you have been recognized for your top-level skills in the league, and if you do well here, you can also get another title called ‘For International Stage’. However, the WBC members are struggling after entering the season, perhaps because of the aftereffects of the tournament. Especially starting pitchers.
So Joon So-jun (22‧kt), who was highly anticipated as an ace, suffered from elbow pain from the beginning of the season, and eventually received the opinion that he needed surgery. With the season out, the Hangzhou tournament was physically unavailable. It is a lightning bolt for both the players and the national team. Park Se-woong (28, Lotte), who struggled in the WBC and was selected as the most likely candidate for the wild card, is also sluggish with an ERA of 4.66 in six games of the season. Won Tae-in (23‧Samsung), Lee Eui-ri (21‧KIA), and Kim Yun-sik (23‧LG) have not yet shown their skills.
In the meantime, attention is also drawn to the three new right-handed starting pitchers in the league. Although there is still a lot of time left before the announcement of the national team list, this is because their initial pace is fierce. Mun Dong-ju (20, Hanwha), who is gathering a lot of attention with his fastball this season, Kim Dong-ju (21, Doosan), who is showing off his skills in earnest after warming up, and Lee Yong-jun (21, NC), who has emerged as a surprise star in the league and is leading the Rookie of the Year race. ) trio.
Moon Dong-ju is one of the hottest players in the league. On April 12, against KIA in Gwangju, he threw 160.1 km per hour and rewrote the KBO league’s highest speed by a domestic player. His performance is also evaluated to be much more stable than last year. Against Incheon SSG on the 13th, he had an excellent ERA of 2.28 until he showed the worst performance (7 runs in 2⅓ innings). The combination of a fastball with an average speed of 150 km per hour and a curve is excellent. There is also the advantage of being right after he realized the need for a fast ball on the international stage.
Kim Dong-joo is a hit product that Doosan has put forth with great effort over a long period of time. In his first six games, he went 2-1 with a 1.44 earned run average in 31⅓ innings pitched. He earned a spot in the starting rotation with his skills. He is equipped with high RBI coming from his tall stature and has the power to attack the high zone. Here, he freely throws two sliders that fall from the same height as his fastball. Although he is still a player with a lot to refine, his innate qualities are showing through in his season performance.
▲ Lee Yong-joon leading the Rookie of the Year race with an unusual pitch ⓒReporter Kwak Hye-mi
Lee Yong-jun emerged as a hidden card and a surprise star in NC’s dizzying starting rotation at the beginning of the season. In his first 6 games, he throws 29⅓ innings and is showing great success with an ERA of 1.53 with 2 wins and no losses. He also has a 0.170 batting average and 1.02 on-base per innings allowed (WHIP). Although his velocity is not as fast as that of Dong-Ju Moon, he is not easily touched by batters because he has good strength and vertical movement. It is evaluated that the position itself is top-notch. Even in the Rookie of the Year race, which seemed like Moon Dong-ju was running, it emerged as a strong check.안전놀이터
The KBO Power Reinforcement Committee puts recent results and achievements at the forefront as a principle for selecting the Hangzhou national team. If the struggles of WBC members continue, it is not easy to select them without justification no matter how experienced and priority they are. On the contrary, the three players have a disadvantage in that they lack experience. It is necessary to secure as much justification as possible with grades in the races of the upcoming season. Anyway, the fact that there are more players to worry about is not a bad thing for the national team.