"Korea-Japan war? Nothing special." Should I lead Ryu Joong-il to Tokyo, the 23-year-old left-hander's deep guts
Nov 15, 2024
|
|
Attention is focusing on the performance of Choi Seung-yong (Doosan Bears), who will start in Group B of the 2024 WBSC Premier 12 group stage against Japan. Attention is focusing on how he will perform in his first international start after being selected as the first adult national team at the APBC (Asian Professional Baseball Championship) last year and playing as an intermediate pitcher in all three games.
Choi Seung-yong started Game 2 of the K-baseball series against Cuba at Gocheok Sky Dome on the 2nd and recorded three hits, four outs and one strikeout in two innings. Manager Ryu Joong-il, who predicted 'Beeball' due to the starting pitcher's line injury, experimented with the possibility of Choi Seung-yong, who started with Doosan as a bullpen this season and finished the season as a starter, and eventually reached the starting point against Japan.
Choi Seung-yong, who joined Doosan in the second round of the 2021 rookie draft, has been steadily taking selection classes. However, after the end of last season, he was diagnosed with a fracture due to elbow fatigue and was unable to stand on the mound in the first half. He started in the bullpen, but soon switched to a starter, and won his first win of the season with a quality start (more than six innings, less than three earned runs) in six innings against KIA on September 19. On September 24, he won again against NC by allowing two runs in five innings. Choi Seung-yong, who was in charge of starting again in the second game of the wild card decision, pitched four ⅔ innings with three hits, no four outs, and two strikeouts, but he had no choice but to watch the team lose.
|
Despite this, Ryu Joong-il, the head coach of the national baseball team, gave Choi Seung-yong an important role because of Choi Seung-yong's 'Baejjang'. In the meantime, when he started a big game at Doosan, he did not show much shaking, so he was evaluated as having a lot of guts for his age. Expectations are interpreted as the background of the selection decision that he will be able to overcome the pressure in the match against Japan, which is considered a "one-up."
Immediately after Choi was decided to start against Japan, there is nothing special about Japan. There are players I know, but I try not to be as conscious as I can"Rather than from a specific point of view, I will throw it with spirit as I am young."
There have been left-handers in the national team, including Ryu Hyun-jin, Yang Hyun-jong, and Kim Kwang-hyun, who have been crowned heroes of the Korea-Japan match. Will Ryu Joong-il-ho and Choi Seung-yong, who are taking steps to change generations with the goal of the 2026 WBC and 2028 LA Olympics, be able to take over the lineage of 'national left-hander'.
|
ppark@sportschosun.com
