Facing Japan: A Test for Korea‘s Pitching Future
Teh recent evaluation match against the Czech Republic marked the beginning of a new chapter for the Korean national baseball team, a team largely comprised of players in their 20s alongside a few veteran players. However, the upcoming game against Japan is viewed as a crucial moment of self-assessment for Korean baseball, a chance to “stand in front of the mirror” and evaluate its current standing.
Historically,matchups against Japan have frequently enough been defined by standout performances. While the power hitting of players like Lee Seung-yeop was a significant factor in past victories, success was built on a foundation of strong starting pitching that kept games close. The 2006 WBC quarterfinals saw a 2-1 win fueled by Park Chan-ho’s five scoreless innings. Similarly, Kim Gwang-hyun limited Japan to one run in 5.1 innings during the 2008 Beijing Olympic qualifiers,leading to a 5-3 victory. Korea continued this success at the Beijing Olympics, defeating Japan 6-2 in the semifinals thanks to an 8-inning performance from Kim Gwang-hyun allowing only two runs (one earned). In the 2009 WBC,bong Jung-geun pitched 5.1 scoreless innings, securing a 1-0 win.
However, replicating these results has proven challenging in recent contests against Japan. The current national team, under coach Ryu Ji-hyun, differs considerably from those past squads. This team, composed entirely of domestic players, lacks the established pitching depth of players like Koo Dae-sung, Kim Gwang-hyun, and Bong Jung-geun. The game against Japan is therefore expected to be a key opportunity to identify potential pitching stars ahead of the WBC in March of next year.
Minimizing runs conceded will be paramount to any chance of victory. Fortunately, a positive trend is emerging in the KBO League. The league average fastball velocity has increased from 142 km/h in 2020 to 146 km/h this year.The national team boasts a number of pitchers capable of throwing over 150 km/h, including Moon Dong-ju, Kwak Bin, Kim Taek-yeon, Jeong Woo-ju, Kim Young-woo, and Bae Chan-seung.
Recognizing the potential lack of a dominant starting pitcher, manager Ryu Ji-hyun is exploring the possibility of utilizing a bullpen game strategy, dividing innings amongst pitchers wiht specialized skillsets. He and pitching coach Kim Gwang-sam are already developing detailed mound management scenarios for the Japan game,mirroring their approach in the match against the Czech Republic.
Left-handed pitcher Son Joo-young, known for his excellent vertical fastball movement, is also expected to play a key role in the pitching battle. Facing a strong Japanese team comprised of leading players from their domestic league, the Korean batting lineup is anticipated to struggle to score multiple runs. The outcome of the game will thus heavily rely on the performance of the young pitchers.
The growth of these key pitchers is becoming the central issue, not only for this warm-up match but also for the upcoming WBC. Manager Ryu ji-hyun stated, “Many of the current members will become key players” in the WBC pitching staff.
Ultimately, this exhibition match against Japan will provide crucial data for finalizing the WBC roster and shaping the team’s training programme.