TOKYO, Australian pitcher Warwick Saupold will not start his team's first game at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) against South Korea on Thursday, despite his familiarity with those hitters developed during his two seasons in the top South Korean league.
Though he didn't reveal Wednesday whether he'd eventually face his former opponents from the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), Saupold said he and his team were ready to "put our best foot forward."
"It's going to be a tough one. I know their lineup very well. And there's a lot of talented players on that roster," Saupold told Yonhap News Agency at Tokyo Dome, during Australia's workout. "We'll do our research, and go back and look at some video."
Saupold pitched in 2019 and 2020 for the Hanwha Eagles, going a combined 22-24 with a 4.16 ERA in 59 starts.
All but two of 15 South Korean hitters are based in the KBO, and the national team includes veteran third baseman Choi Jeong, who once broke Saupold's perfect game bid by drawing a walk in 2020.
"He's a great hitter. I think he has a couple of home runs off me, if I remember correctly," Saupold said of Choi, who indeed had two home runs in 22 at-bats off the right-hander. "It's going to be fun to face (South Korean hitters), but at the same time, we've got a job to do and we're looking forward to taking them tomorrow."
Though Saupold didn't want to single out a Korean player to watch, he said he has been a fan of San Diego Padres infielder Kim Ha-seong, one of two major league players for South Korea, who played for the Kiwoom Heroes in the KBO from 2014 to 2020.
"I like what he's done. I love him defensively as well," Saupold said. "He's fundamentally sound."
Saupold recalled seeing Kim during his KBO days prepare for each game by checking the infield surface for any substance that could cause funny hops on groundballs.
"He was always one step ahead. Watching out on the sidelines, you knew he was going to take the next level," Saupold said of the National League Gold Glove finalist at shortstop last season. "I wish him all the best moving forward, but tomorrow it's us vs. them, and may the best team win."
Source: Yonhap News Agency