Was it sincere?
It is said that Lee Kang-cheol, coach of the World Baseball Classic national team, asked NC Dinos closer Lee Yong-chan, who was selected for the national team, about his intention to play against Australia in the first match of the first round to be held on March 9th.
Lee Yong-chan said at a meeting with reporters on the 9th (hereafter Korean time), “I met coach Lee Kang-cheol by chance at a restaurant last night, and he asked how to start for the Australian match.” He said, “Australian batters are weak against breaking balls. I think I should throw the ball.”
Director Lee Kang-cheol also acknowledged this. When he asked Lee Yong-chan if he had talked about the start against 안전놀이터Australia, he laughed, saying, “I asked in a cryptic way.”
Of the 30 players in the national team, 15 are pitchers. Among them, 5 professional relief pitchers are Go Woo-seok, Jung Woo-young (above LG), Yong-chan Lee (NC), Kim Won-joong (Lotte), and Jung Cheol-won (Doosan), and the remaining 10 are starting pitchers.
It can be said that there is a certain purpose in hearing Lee Yong-chan’s intention to select for the game against Australia, even though there are 10 players selected.
The focus was on the changing ball. It seems that he is trying to take advantage of the fact that Australian batters show weakness in breaking balls rather than fastballs. Lee Yong-chan plays the best forkball in the KBO League.
He recorded 128 career saves as a closer, but also noted that he had previously served as a starter. Lee Yong-chan won 15 wins as a starting pitcher in 2018.
Lee Yong-chan showed a skeptical reaction to the start. Now, selection is unfamiliar. Lee Yong-chan, who said, “It’s not easy,” said, “The starting line and the bullpen feel different.”
Lee Yong-chan said, “I started in the past and then went to the bullpen, but it’s very difficult to change that pattern.” said.