Coach Ryu Joong-il is preparing to play against Japan at Tokyo Dome on the 17th.
Coach Ryu Joong-il of the national baseball team ahead of the second game of the Asian Professional Baseball Championship (APBC) against Japan expressed faith in his players.
The baseball team led by Coach Ryu will play the second game of the tournament against Japan at Tokyo Dome at 7 p.m. on the 17th.
Korea won 3-2 in the first round of the preliminary round against Australia held the previous day (16th) after 10 innings of overtime. It was frustrating because the batting lineup didn't work out, but fortunately it brought results.
Japan defeated Taiwan 4-0 in the first game. They are ranked first ahead of Korea in terms of points and goal difference.
Today's game, where 1st and 2nd place face off, is important for both teams as it is like the road to the finals.
Coach Ryu, who met with reporters before the game, said, “It is an incredible experience to face Japan in a symbolic place called Tokyo Dome with a full crowd,” and added, “The players will feel and learn a lot through a game like this.”
He continued, “Still, since we played against Australia yesterday, we must have become accustomed to the Tokyo Dome atmosphere to some extent,” and added, “We did not particularly emphasize mental strength because it was a match against Japan. “I think the young players will do well on their own,” he said.
Panoramic view of Tokyo Dome about an hour before the start of the Korea-Japan match on the 17th.
The starting pitcher that day was left-hander Lee Eui-ri.
Lee Ui-ri pitched as a middle pitcher against Japan during the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) held at Tokyo Dome last March, but came off the mound with a poor record of 3 walks and 1 strikeout in ⅓ innings.
He has a strong desire to get revenge on Japan on the mound of the Tokyo Dome, which he is returning to for the first time in eight months.
Coach Ryu said, “We used a lot of bullpen power yesterday, and since the match against Taiwan is held tomorrow, we need to use less bullpen power today. “I expect Lee Ui-ri to lead the team for as long as possible,” he explained. “If Lee Ui-ri falls apart from the beginning, we will add other starters, and if he is leading after the 5th inning, we will use bullpen pitchers again.”
He continued, “The Japanese starting pitcher is a left-handed pitcher, but he has good control and drops breaking balls well,” adding, “We adjusted the batting order slightly. He raised Kim Do-young to No. 2 and lowered Choi Ji-hoon to No. 9. He added, “Moon Hyun-bin will replace Na Seung-yeop as the designated hitter.” 19가이드03