(WBC) S. Korean roster construction to face crucial test in opener vs. Australia

▲ Tommy Edman (L) and Kim Ha-seong of South Korea celebrate a play during an exhibition game against the Orix Buffaloes ahead of the World Baseball Classic at Kyocera Dome Osaka in Osaka on March 6, 2023. (Yonhap)

▲ Ko Young-pyo of South Korea pitches against the SSG Landers during a scrimmage for the World Baseball Classic at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on March 3, 2023. (Yonhap)

▲ Kim Ha-seong of South Korea hits a single against the Orix Buffaloes during an exhibition game ahead of the World Baseball Classic at Kyocera Dome Osaka in Osaka on March 6, 2023. (Yonhap)

▲ Lee Jung-hoo of South Korea takes a swing against the Orix Buffaloes during an exhibition game ahead of the World Baseball Classic at Kyocera Dome Osaka in Osaka on March 6, 2023. (Yonhap)

(WBC) S Korea-opening

(WBC) S. Korean roster construction to face crucial test in opener vs. Australia

By Yoo Jee-ho

OSAKA, March 7 (Yonhap) -- Every time reporters asked him about his starting pitcher for South Korea's World Baseball Classic (WBC) opener against Australia in the past several days, manager Lee Kang-chul resorted to his new pet phrase.

"I don't appreciate the friendly fire," Lee would say with a wry smile, implying that he didn't want media from his own country to make him tip his hand and reveal his card early.

Soon enough, Lee will have no choice but to announce his starter for that game, which starts at noon Thursday at Tokyo Dome.

One thing is certain, though. No matter who the starter will be for South Korea, it will be someone who can induce a ton of grounders.

When Lee unveiled his 30-man roster in January, the manager acknowledged that he had deliberately selected a handful of groundball pitchers, with Australia in mind.

And South Korea had long circled the date of the first game against Australia, March 9, as the make-or-break affair.

The top two nations among South Korea, Australia, Japan, the Czech Republic and China after round-robin play will reach the quarterfinals. With Japan, as world No. 1 and one of the top title contenders, expected to run the table in Pool B, South Korea and Australia are expected to duel for second place.

Beat Australia, and it could be mostly smooth sailing for South Korea for the rest of the first round. It can afford to lose to Japan, as long as it beats China and Czechia as expected, and Australia doesn't upset Japan.

But a loss to Australia will turn the Japan game Friday into a must-win contest for South Korea. And it will be a tall order to try to get past the home team led by transcendent superstar Shohei Ohtani.

Lee and his staff concluded that Australian hitters packed power but could be vulnerable against groundball pitchers living off two-seamers, sinkers or splitters. And this makes sidearm right-hander Ko Young-pyo the logical choice to be that game's starting pitcher.

Among all qualifying Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) pitchers last year, Ko had the highest groundout-to-airout (GO/AO) ratio at 1.92. The national team also includes seven other pitchers who ranked inside the top 10 among South Korean-born pitchers in that category.

About 84 percent of all pitches that Ko threw at hitters last year were either sinkers or changeups.

Zoom out further, and among those who threw at least 50 innings, national team reliever Jung Woo-young had an absurd 4.76 GO/AO ratio. This basically means he recorded almost five times as many groundouts as flyouts in 2022.

And when opposing hitters bounce balls into the ground, South Korea has just the infielders to gobble them up. With Kim Ha-seong of the San Diego Padres and Tommy Edman of the St. Louis Cardinals up the middle, South Korea may just have the best double play combos in the tournament. Edman won the National League Gold Glove at second base in 2021, and Kim was a finalist for the award at shortstop last year.

The status of that all-major league middle infield will depend on the health of third baseman Choi Jeong, who has been dealing with some bumps and bruises lately.

Choi didn't start South Korea's exhibition game against the Orix Buffaloes in Osaka on Monday. Kim was forced to handle the hot corner, where he has some experience in the majors, while reserve shortstop Oh Ji-hwan took Kim's spot to the right of Edman.

Oh ended up committing two errors in one inning in the 4-2 loss. Choi did come off the bench in later innings and Kim moved to his more natural position at shortstop, though Kim too was charged with an error in that game.

Edman, on the other hand, came as advertised on the field, making play after play and looking silky smooth in the process.

Australia, of course, will not go down without fighting. Though South Korea may be favored on paper, Australia will counter South Korea's groundball pitchers with left-handers tasked with keeping many South Korean left-handed batters in check.

South Korea's best hitter, the reigning KBO MVP Lee Jung-hoo, bats left, along with All-Star sluggers Kim Hyun-soo, Na Sung-bum and Kang Baek-ho.

South Korea will try to get past the first round for the first time since 2009. South Korea lost its opening games in both 2013 and 2017, first to the Netherlands and then to Israel, and went on to miss out on the second round on both occasions.

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