Tokyo: South Korea's upcoming exhibition baseball games against Japan have taken on a serious tone, as manager Ryu Ji-hyun expresses a strong desire to defeat the country's sporting rival and end a prolonged losing streak. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) has scheduled four games for the national team this month to aid in preparation for next year's World Baseball Classic (WBC).
According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea recently triumphed over the Czech Republic in back-to-back games over the weekend. A 3-0 victory showcased 17 strikeouts by seven pitchers on Saturday, followed by an 11-1 win featuring 17 hits, including four doubles and a home run. Ryu's team is set to travel to Tokyo for two games against Japan at the Tokyo Dome this weekend, with the first game commencing at 6:30 p.m. Saturday and the next at 7 p.m. Sunday.
The games against the Czech Republic served as an opportunity for KBO stars to regain their form after the end of their domestic league season. Before a practice session at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, Ryu expressed confidence in his players' readiness for the challenge against Japan. He stated, "Of course, we will absolutely try to win any game against Japan." Ryu emphasized the positive atmosphere among the players, who are highly motivated for the upcoming games.
Notably, South Korea has lost nine consecutive games against Japan in professional competitions, excluding Asian Games where Japan typically fields amateur or semi-pro players. Ryu utilized the games against the Czech Republic to give his relief pitchers some work, but he plans a different approach for the games against Japan, stating, "We will run the bullpen like we would in games that count."
The Japanese national team will not feature its Major League Baseball stars, such as Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, similar to South Korea's absence of big leaguers Lee Jung-hoo, Kim Hye-seong, and Kim Ha-seong. Samurai Japan will instead be led by stars from Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), including Yokohama DeNA BayStars infielder Shugo Maki and Hanshin Tigers outfielder Shota Morishita. The pitching staff includes Shinya Matsuyama of the Chunichi Dragons and Kaima Taira of the Saitama Seibu Lions.
Ryu highlighted the potential of his pitchers to dominate hitters, stating, "We have some pitchers who can dominate hitters with pure stuff and they all had a lot of success in the KBO." He acknowledged the challenge posed by Japan's pitchers, who possess greater velocity and command of breaking balls, and emphasized the importance of learning how to attack these pitchers in preparation for the WBC next year.
South Korea, Japan, and the Czech Republic are all in Pool C at the WBC, alongside Australia and Chinese Taipei. South Korea has not advanced past the preliminary stage in the past three WBC tournaments.