If Kwak Bin is not 100%…
Kwak Bin (Doosan) was designated as the core of Ryu Joong-il’s starting lineup along with Moon Dong-ju (Hanwha). However, he was unable to throw a single ball in the qualifying round due to back pain. The possibility of pitching against Japan and China in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games Baseball Super Round, which will be held on the 5th and 6th (Korean time), cannot be guaranteed.안전놀이터
There are 11 pitchers on the national team. Among them, the starting players other than Moon Dong-ju and Kwak Bin are Won Tae-in (Samsung), Na Kyun-an, Park Se-woong (Lotte), and Jang Hyun-seok (LA Dodgers). Numbers are abundant, but quality is a concern. This is because there is no special ace like Gwang Hyeon-jong in the past.
Right now, the starting pitchers for the game against Japan on the 5th and against China on the 6th are a mystery. These are two opponents that we must beat to win the Asian Games for the fourth time in a row, but we do not have suitable starting pitchers. Won Tae-in appeared as a starting pitcher against Hong Kong on the 1st (47 pitches in 4 innings), and Jang Hyun-seok pitched 17 pitches in 1 inning as a relief pitcher that day.
Moon Dong-ju and Park Se-woong pitched 70 pitches in 4 innings and 18 pitches in ⅔ innings, respectively, against Taiwan on the 2nd. And Na Kyun-an appeared as a starting pitcher against Thailand on the 3rd (4 innings, 54 pitches). Realistically, there seems to be no pitcher other than Jang Hyun-seok who can take the starting role in the Japan game. No matter how small the number of pitches is, a starting pitcher cannot come back after just 2-3 days of rest. It appears that Won Tae-in will be able to play again in the game against China on the 6th.
If Kwak Bin has to sit out the entire tournament, it looks like he will definitely have a hard time making plans for starting pitchers and pitching. It would be best if Kwak Bin took charge of just one game with his unique fast ball, but it is not easy to expect that. It seems likely that Jang Hyun-seok will play against Japan and Won Tae-in will play against China. The weight is a bit lacking.
There could have been more selection agents. Lee Ui-ri (KIA) and Koo Chang-mo (NC). However, Koo Chang-mo has been advised to undergo reoperation on the collateral ligament of his forearm. However, this may be disappointing. Manager Ryu Joong-il replaced Lee Ui-ri with Yoon Dong-hee (Lotte) after realizing that he had a blister issue and would not be able to throw more than 80 pitches during the tournament. It is true that there are few outfielders.
Although Yoon Dong-hee is very active in this tournament, it is true that there is still some regret about not selecting Lee Ui-ri. Even Lee Ui-ri allowed 4 hits, 4 strikeouts, 5 walks, and 1 run in 5⅓ innings against Suwon KT on the 3rd. He pitched a whopping 109 pitches. Contrary to what Coach Ryu said, he threw 109 pitches during the tournament. Of course it doesn’t hurt.If Kwak Bin ends the tournament like this, Coach Ryu Joong-il’s replacement of Lee Ui-ri will inevitably come as an even bigger disappointment. Although Lee Ui-ri’s pitch control is up and down, the advantage of being a card that can overwhelm the batting lineup with its pitch is clear. Coach Ryu Joong-il’s management of the mound against China and Japan is expected to change the color of the medal.