There's no competition next year? It's too late to prepare now. Now I need to get good grades. Will the coach change?

Dec 25, 2024

On the 16th, the Premier 12 baseball team played against the Dominican Republic at Taipei Tiananmen Stadium in Taiwan. Ryu Joong-il and coaches preparing for the game. Taipei (Taiwan) = Song Jeong-heon Reporter's songs@sportschosun.com/2024.11.16/

There are no international competitions scheduled, but there is not much time. It is too late to start preparing now.

The national baseball team failed to advance to the Super Round at the 'Premier 12' held in Taiwan last month. In the Group B qualifying round in Taipei, Taiwan, they defeated Cuba 8-4 after a 3-6 shock loss to Taiwan in the first match, but failed to cross the Japanese wall and suffered a second defeat. Afterwards, he failed to make the next round, the Super Round, after being held back by two losses against Asian rivals despite a dramatic come-from-behind victory in the Dominican Republic and a complete victory over Australia.

The national baseball team made a disastrous failure at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March last year. He failed to advance to the second round for the third consecutive time in the WBC, losing to Australia in the first game and Japan in a complete defeat. He could not avoid criticism that he was a frog in a well, and the national team team also returned home with its head bowed.

The Premier 12 baseball team played against Australia at Taipei Tiananmen Stadium in Taiwan on the 18th. The national team won 5-2 against Australia. Players sharing the joy of victory after the game. Taipei (Taiwan) = Song Jeong-heon Reporter's songs@sportschosun.com/2024.11.18/

Since the WBC, which was a shock itself, KBO and the baseball team have been setting up a young national team under the pretext of `generation change.' In WBC, coach Lee Kang-chul, who concurrently served as the head coach of KT Wiz, took the helm, but later decided to revive the full-time supervisory system.

Former LG Twins manager Ryu Joong-il, who was confirmed as the head coach of the Asian Games at the time, naturally increased his term as the Asian Games were postponed by a year in the aftermath of COVID-19.

Since the announcement of the replacement of the national team generation, the national team has been formed with key KBO league players in their mid-to-late 20s, including last year's Asian Games, APBC (Asian Professional Baseball Championship), and Premier 12. The cause of generational change was clear, but honestly, it is difficult to say that it is a success.

The Premier 12 baseball team played against Taiwan at Taipei Dome Stadium in Taiwan on the 13th. Ko Young-pyo, who allowed Cheon Chun-wei to load the bases in the second inning. Taipei (Taiwan) = Song Jeong-heon Reporter's songs@sportschosun.com/2024.11.13/

There is no rebuilding without success, but it is difficult to say that the national team's performance over the past year is satisfactory. In the Asian Games, he also won the gold medal, his ultimate goal, but he did not avoid criticism of the poor performance in some games. In APBC, where players in their 20s mainly participated, they failed to cross Japan's wall, and Premier 12 also confirmed the cold reality of losing ground to Taiwan.

Taiwan, which had always been considered one level below, was completely successful in changing the generation of young players playing in the U.S. minor leagues in the Premier 12. Taiwan also beat world No. 1 Japan in the final to win its first-ever championship. The level of the professional league is much higher in KBO, and the fact that the Korean baseball team has been struggling with the Taiwanese national team for several years proves that the national team has failed to make proper preparations and implement them in practice.

Now we need a definite result. I can no longer be satisfied with 'I saw hope because I am in the middle of a generation change. You have to get good grades. The KBO League is considered the third-class professional league in the world after the U.S. Major League and Japanese professional baseball. However, the international competitiveness of the baseball team is regressing compared to 2006-2010.

The Premier 12 baseball team played against Australia at Taipei Tiananmen Stadium in Taiwan on the 18th. The national team won 5-2 against Australia. Coach Ryu Joong-il greets his fans after the game. Taipei (Taiwan) = Song Jeong-heon Reporter's songs@sportschosun.com/2024.11.18/

Ryu Joong-il's tenure as head coach of the national team ended with the closing of the Premier 12. While the full-time supervisory system is expected to be maintained, KBO has comprehensively reported on several candidate groups, but has not yet rushed to appoint the next manager. This is because there is no big international competition scheduled for next year 'A national team'. However, there is no room for it.

The WBC, which will be held in March 2026, will actually have to be prepared all year round next year. Considering the humiliation of being eliminated in the first round for three consecutive times, especially when players struggled with the March tournament just before the opening of the regular season, they should show a different side this time. In particular, WBC's status in the tournament is increasing as the host MLB Secretariat actively encouraged major leaguers to participate since the last tournament. Next year, many of the world's best players, including Shohei Ohtani, are showing their willingness to participate. Perhaps WBC is the best stage to show that Korean baseball has become stronger again.

However, if it ends in failure, the cause for the replacement of the generation of the national team will disappear without any meaning, and the whole country will lose its direction and drift away. The regret clearly confirmed in this Premier 12 should not be repeated again.

youll@sportschosun.com

There's no competition next year? It's too late to prepare now. Now I need to get good grades. Will the coach change?

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