Seoul: The South Korean national baseball team, gearing up for the World Baseball Classic (WBC), is set to welcome its U.S.-based players to their training camp in Japan this week. Managed by Ryu Ji-hyun, the team has been training and engaging in scrimmages in the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa since February 16. However, they have been without a half-dozen players who are currently in spring training with their U.S. clubs.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee Jung-hoo of the San Francisco Giants, Kim Hye-seong of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Jahmai Jones of the Detroit Tigers, and Shay Whitcomb of the Houston Astros are included in their respective 40-man rosters. Additionally, pitchers Go Woo-suk and Dane Dunning are on minor league deals with the Tigers and the Seattle Mariners, respectively, with Dunning having already participated in a spring training game last week.
Kim is expected to play an additional spring training game before arriving in Japan on Saturday, while the rest will join on Friday, as confirmed by Ryu. Lee, serving as South Korea's captain, will take the position of starting center fielder, with Kim covering second base. Whitcomb and Jones are anticipated to bring power to the middle of the lineup. Dunning's role will be either as a starter or a long reliever, while Go, a former star closer in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), will strengthen the bullpen.
Ryu expressed confidence in the players' readiness, stating, "These players have been playing games against quality opponents, and I expect them to be in great shape. As long as they get their jet lag out of the way, they will be fine."
This week, South Korea has played four scrimmages against KBO clubs. After a day off on Wednesday, they will face the Samsung Lions on Thursday and the KT Wiz on Friday. The national team will then travel to Osaka on Saturday for two exhibition games against Nippon Professional Baseball clubs at Kyocera Dome - the Hanshin Tigers on Monday and the Orix Buffaloes on Tuesday. Following that, they will proceed to Tokyo, the site of their Pool C games.
South Korea's journey at the WBC will begin on March 5 against the Czech Republic, followed by matches against Japan on March 7, Chinese Taipei on March 8, and Australia on March 9. The top two teams from the group will advance to the quarterfinals in Miami. Notably, South Korea has not advanced past the first round in the past three WBC tournaments.