Major League Baseball’s official website (MLB.com) has selected 10 great WBC matches ahead of the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) to be held in March. The first place was the 2009 final match between Korea and Japan.
Due to the complicated history, Korea and Japan are forming a rivalry representing Asia in the sports world, and now baseball fans around the world are also aware of the fierce atmosphere of the Korea-Japan match. In the 2006 and 2009 tournaments, Korea and Japan often faced each other in fierce matches. In terms of objective power, Japan was always ahead, but the atmosphere unique to the Korea-Japan war caused various variables, and Korea also caught Japan uncommonly and shocked the archipelago.
Such Korea and Japan will meet in the first round of the 2023 WBC qualifiers. The two teams belonged to Group B of the qualifiers along with Australia, China and the Czech Republic. Compared to the other three teams, Korea and Japan have a good chance of advancing to the second round given to the top two teams. In the end, the result of the Korea-Japan match is expected to separate 1st and 2nd place in the group. It is also the first match in 14 years at the WBC.
While fans on both sides focused their attention, Ryu Hyun-jin (35, Toronto), who inevitably missed the tournament due to rehabilitation after elbow surgery, also recalled the special meaning of the Korea-Japan match. Ryu Hyun-jin experienced the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where Korea performed well, and the Korea-Japan match at the 2009 WBC. Although he did not pitch directly, he felt a fierce air in the dugout, and he was also a player who directly observed and accompanied the team’s determination.
The definition of the Korea-Japan match that Ryu Hyun-jin says is literally ‘win’. On the 17th (Korean time), on the first day of team spring training official training, Ryu Hyun-jin smiled at the meeting with ‘Sport TV News’, saying, “If you are a Korean player, the Korea-Japan match is a game you must win unconditionally.” It is said that the match between Korea and Japan is a match that evokes such determination while suggesting that the pressure on the players is not easy.
Regarding the evaluation of the Japanese national team, he said, “I am a bit skeptical about the players, but there are many good players in Japan. A lot of major league players are participating this time too,” he said, highly evaluating Japan’s strength.
However, he carefully pointed out the variables of the competition rules. The WBC has a set limit on the number of pitches per round. You cannot pitch more than 65 pitches in the first round. It is difficult for the powerful starting lineup that Japan is proud of to take full responsibility for a game. In the end, various factors such as pitcher replacement timing, bullpen fights, and short-term game variables are complexly intertwined. 메이저사이트
Ryu Hyun-jin said, “There is a limit on the number of balls for pitchers,” and “I think it will be a good game. I will cheer for you,” he said, looking forward to the success of his juniors. Ryu Hyun-jin said, “First of all, you have to be proud. The first thing is to be careful of injuries,” he said. If I do it without injury, I wonder if I can get good results.”
Conversely, Japan was also very wary of Korea’s military power. Kodai Senga, an ace-class pitcher of the Japanese national team who signed a contract with the New York Mets this year and was unable to participate in the WBC due to team adaptability, said in an interview with ‘Sport TV News’, “Japan includes players who are active in the big leagues, such as Yu Darvish and Shohei Otani. There are many great players. I think it’s a dream team,” he said. “The Korean team also has many good players, including players who are active in the major leagues. The confrontation between the two teams will be a hot match that cannot be seen anywhere else. I am going to have fun watching it on TV.”