Korea and Japan, which had built their national teams with their own players, chose to change. Two key batters from the St. Louis Cardinals in the Major League will participate in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) as representatives of Korea and Japan. St. Louis second baseman Tommy Edman (27) entered the final entry for the Korean national team. Outfielder Lars Nutba (25) becomes a member of Samurai Japan. Both are Americans born and raised in the United States. Edmund’s mother is of Korean descent, and Nutba’s mother is of Japanese descent. The two players also appeared as batsmen 1 and 2 side by side in their teams.
In America, a racial melting pot, players of various ancestry and backgrounds play in the major leagues. The WBC, which was launched under the pretext of globalization of baseball, is open to players, regardless of nationality, to choose their national team according to their parental or grandparental lineage. A player of Jewish origin will represent Israel, and a player with Italian grandparents will represent Italy.
Korea and Japan were exceptions. From the 1st to 4th competitions, the national team was composed only of their own players and competed. There was talk of calling Korean and Japanese American players before, but it didn’t materialize. The symbolism of the national team, a sense of heterogeneity due to different growth backgrounds, communication problems, and cumbersome procedures became problems. Confucian culture centered on pure blood and Asian sentiment were also applied.
lifted this veil. because of sexuality The WBC is the only international competition in which major league players compete, and it is the highest competition. In terms of football, it is an adult World Cup held every four years. If you achieve impactful results, not only does your country’s baseball status rise, but it also leads to interest in and box office success in the professional league.
I experienced Korean professional baseball. The first WBC semifinal in 2006, the second WBC runner-up in 2009, and the victory at the 2008 Beijing Olympics served as catalysts for the KBO League to take a leap forward. He has also experienced the opposite situation.
The international competitiveness of Korea and Japan is not as good as before.
Japan, the winner of the 1st and 2nd tournaments, failed to advance to the finals in the 3rd and 4th tournaments. United States, Dominican Republic, Pue
Baseball powerhouses such as Le Rico were pushed back as they competed as the best members of the major leagues. Korea, which performed well in the 1st and 2nd rounds, failed to pass the 1st round in the 3rd and 4th rounds. Baseball fans were very disappointed. The sluggishness of international competitions contributed to the decline in league popularity.
National team coach Lee Kang-cheol said at a press conference on the 4th that he wanted to get out of Japan. He said that the goal was to pass the group stage of the 1st and 2nd rounds in Tokyo, the quarterfinals, and the semifinals. Everyone knows. It’s not easy with the current power. There is even an evaluation that it is the weakest power ever. In this situation, there is no choice but to gather all available power.
Japan has been preparing for a year by appointing former Nippon Ham Fighters coach Hideki Kuriyama as the full-time national team coach. I brought the atmosphere with the goal of winning. Last November, the national team was made up of domestic league players and played four evaluation matches. He persuaded Shohei Ohtani (29, LA Angels), Yu Darvish (38, San Diego Padres), and Seiya Suzuki (29, Chicago Cubs), who are active in the major leagues, to participate in the tournament. Even outfielder Yoshida Masataka (29, Boston Red Sox), who is about to make his major league debut, joins. All efforts were made to build the best power.
A major league infielder has joined the Korean national team, which lacks a competitive player. Edmund is a 2021 National League second baseman Gold Glove winner. Ha-seong Kim (28, San Diego), Oh Ji-hwan (33, LG Twins), and Edmon have completed a strong infield defense line. Edmund not only excels on defense, but also has power and mobility. In 153 games last year, he batted 2.6 with 5 runs, 13 homers, 57 RBIs and 32 stolen bases.
As a left-handed hitter, Nutba has a wide range of defense and a strong arm. Director Kuriyama has been watching for a long time. He played in 108 games last year, posting a batting average of .2 2.8, 14 home runs and 40 RBI스포츠토토. With Nutba joining the Japanese national team, Suzuki, Yoshida, and three major league players will be able to form an outfield.
Korea was drawn in Group B in the first round with Japan, Australia, Czech Republic and China. As long as there are no surprises, advancing to the 2nd round is yes
It’s hard, but in fact, every game is like a final. Edmund, who has all the karate-juices, needs to show his presence.
Japan, whose goal is to win, is more concerned about the quarterfinals than the first and second rounds. The higher you go, the more you have to deal with a strong team with the best players in the major leagues. This is the reason coach Kuriyama paid attention to the selection of Japanese Major League players. Players who have played against the best players can show competitive play on the big stage.
I wonder what kind of grades the new Korean and Japanese national teams will accept.