'Shock' FA's biggest fish is out of the national college...It's not even an injury, why on earth?

Nov 07, 2024

The 2024 WBSC Premier 12 warm-up match between the South Korean baseball team and the Cuban national team was held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 2nd. Um Sang-baek is catching his breath. Gocheok = Reporter Park Jae-man pjm@sportschosun.com /2024.11.02/

FA's biggest fish is out of the national team? It's not even an injury?

It is a surprise. It was predicted that other eliminated players would be eliminated, but no one expected that Um Sang-baek would be eliminated.

The final list of 28 players to compete in the Premier 12 was announced on the 7th. The national team, led by head coach Ryu Joong-il, designated a 35-man training list and selected the final six eliminated players among 34 players, excluding Koo Ja-wook (Samsung), who could not join at all due to knee injury.

The elimination list was decided by pitcher Kim Si-hoon (NC), Um Sang-baek (KT), Jeon Sang-hyun (KIA), Cho Min-seok (Sangmu), catcher Han Jun-su (KIA) infielder Kim Young-woong (Samsung).

Kim Si-hoon and Cho Min-seok were more likely to be eliminated because they were additionally selected during training. In the case of Jeon Sang-hyun, the bullpen was so solid and the finishings of each team gathered, so the competition rate was high. Catchers were also very likely to pick Park Dong-won (LG) and Kim Hyung-joon (NC), and Kim Young-woong was injured.

But Um Sang-baek is shocking. The national team is currently suffering from selection difficulties. Moon Dong-joo (Hanwha), Won Tae-in (Samsung), and Son Joo-young (LG) were injured, and some even said there was no player to throw. It even reached the point of calling Lim Chan-kyu (LG) in a hurry.

The Korean national baseball team participating in the Premier 12 trained at Gocheok Dome in Seoul on the afternoon of the 24th. Um Sang-baek, who is training with his teammates in the national team. Gocheok = Reporter Song Jeong-heon @sportschosun.com/2024.10.24/

In the meantime, there was also Um Sang-baek, so he was expected to be in charge of one of the starting positions. He won 13 games this season, and he also ranked sixth overall among foreign players in strikeouts. After this season, he became a FA and is currently playing the title of 'FA Biggest Fish'.

Why did such a player get eliminated from the national team. Is there something wrong with your physical condition. As a result of checking with multiple routes, there is no abnormality in the body of Um Sang-baek. Eventually, it is settled as a situation where competition has been pushed back in terms of ball power and style.

Ryu Joong Il-ho will play five games in the Group B qualifying tournament in Taiwan. So at first, the scenario was likely that five starters would be responsible for one game each. However, if the ace took charge of the first game against Taiwan and the last game against Australia, he only needed four starters. First of all, Um Sang-baek finished at the bottom of the selection competition, and then the other starter can be put in the 1+1 concept, and it can be said that Um Sang-baek was behind other candidates in the +1 competition.

In any case, unintentionally, Um Sang-baek will be able to focus on FA negotiations in his lighthearted mind.

awesome@sportschosun.com