Nine consecutive defeats of shame..If Ahn Woo-jin is the starting pitcher for the Korea-Japan match, → KBO has opened the door for now
Feb 20, 2025
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However, in baseball recently, after the appearance of Shohei Ohtani (LA Dodgers), the perception that 'no longer works for Japan' has become widespread. Japan has been sending powerful fastball pitchers such as Senga Kodai (New York Mets), Shota Imanaga (Chicago Cubs), Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Rocky Sasaki (LA Dodgers) to the Major League since Ohtani. The game between Korea and Japan in baseball is nine consecutive games. The last victory was the 2015 Premier 12.
What if Ahn Woo-jin (Kium) comes out at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) next year.
Ahn Woo-jin is widely known to throw the fastest ball in Korea. If there are no major unexpected events in the future, he will be able to meet his qualifications and advance to the Major League. Ahn Woo-jin has been the only KBO League pitcher to win the Golden Glove for the past seven years.
Ahn Woo-jin was not selected for the 2023 WBC national team despite his overwhelming performance of 15 wins, 8 losses and a 2.11 ERA in 196 innings in 30 games in the KBO League in the 2022 season.
Ahn Woo-jin has been shunned by the Taegeuk mark for causing controversy over 'school violence'. The Korea Baseball Softball Association imposed a three-year suspension of qualification for high school violence. The Korea Sports Council, a high-ranking organization, has a rule that permanently disqualifies those who have been suspended for more than three years from being eligible for the national team. As a result, Ahn Woo-jin cannot go to Ollim and Asian Games, which are under the jurisdiction of the Korean Sports Council, forever.
WBC is different. It is a competition organized by Major League Baseball, and KBO will form the national team. It is not affected by the Korean Sports Council's disciplinary action. Even when selecting the WBC national team in 2023, Ahn Woo-jin was excluded because of 'public opinion'.
The atmosphere is quite different these days. The voice that scarlet letters are harsh is gaining strength. In WBC, the opinion that it is okay to select Ahn Woo-jin does not cause strong resistance as in the past.
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Ryu Ji-hyun, head coach of the national baseball team, met with reporters before leaving for a WBC power analysis business trip on the 20th and expressed a positive stance on Ahn Woo-jin.
Director Ryu Ji-hyun said, `There are many stories coming out. Ahn Woo-jin is expected to return in September. This is not the part to talk about. A consensus must be formed first. "We have to approach carefully after consensus is reached, including all parts of the club's team media as well as the fans."
In particular, coach Ryu Ji-hyun said, "The 2026 WBC national team will only select its performance and condition right before the competition." It is interpreted as a sign that Ahn Woo-jin wants to take him with him as long as he is in good physical condition.
Do baseball fans really want to see Ahn Woo-jin, the starting pitcher against Korea and Japan?
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
