Cuban starting pitcher is Moinello, who plays in Japanese professional baseball.
‘Ryu Joong-il’ will challenge for his first win in the 2024 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier 12 against the Cuban national baseball team.
The Korean national baseball team, led by coach Ryu Joong-il, will play the second game of Group B against Cuba at Tienmu Stadium in Taipei, Taiwan at 7 p.m. on the 14th.
This is a game that neither Korea nor Cuba can back down from.
Korea lost 3-6 to Taiwan in the first game. Cuba also lost 1-6 to the Dominican Republic.
In this tournament, the second place in the group can advance to the super round (semi-finals). Korea and Cuba, who both lost the first game, must win all remaining games to advance to the super round.
Korea will put right-handed pitcher Kwak Bin (Doosan Bears) on the starting mound.
Kwak Bin recorded 15 wins (9 losses) in this year’s regular season, tying for first place in most wins.
He appeared in 2 games at the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC), allowing 3 runs in 2 innings, and allowed 1 run in 5 innings in 1 game at the 2023 Asian Professional Baseball Championship (APBC).
In the first game against Chinese Taipei, Korea lost momentum when Ko Young-pyo (KT Wiz) collapsed early, and Kwak Bin’s role in preventing long innings with the minimum number of runs became more important.
The batting line, which had only 3 sporadic hits against Taiwan, also needs to work harder.
Korea was inferior to Cuba with 5 wins and 11 losses in international competitions in which professional players participated. However, if we narrow the scope to the last 10 years, they are ahead with 3 wins and 1 loss.
Korea and Cuba played two consecutive friendly matches at Gocheok Dome in Seoul on the 1st and 2nd. Korea won both games. They won 2-0 on the 1st, and won 13-3 on the 2nd.
However, the Cuban national team was not complete at the time. In addition to playing the game at the unfamiliar Gocheok Dome, there were also issues with time lag. Moreover, not all of the players entered joined so the team was not at 100% strength.
Livan Moinello (Softbank Hawks), who was unable to join the national team because he was playing in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) at the time, will take the mound as a starter in this game against Korea.
Left-handed pitcher Moinello is also performing at a high level in NPB. While wearing the Softbank uniform since 2017, in this year’s regular season, he recorded 11 wins, 5 losses, and an average ERA of 1.88, ranking first in the Pacific League in average ERA.
Korea must take down the formidable Moinello in order to win and turn the situation around.
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How have both teams historically performed against each other in international baseball tournaments?
Interview Between Time.news Editor and Baseball Expert on the Upcoming WBSC Premier 12 Match
Time.news Editor: Good afternoon, and welcome to another edition of Time.news interviews. Today, we have a special guest with us—Dr. Emily Chen, a sports analyst and expert in international baseball. Emily, thank you for joining us!
Dr. Emily Chen: Thank you for having me! I’m excited to discuss this thrilling matchup between Korea and Cuba.
Editor: The stakes are high in this upcoming game, aren’t they? Both teams lost their opening games in the WBSC Premier 12 tournament, which makes this showdown particularly crucial.
Dr. Chen: Absolutely. With both teams losing their first games—Korea falling to Taiwan and Cuba suffering a defeat to the Dominican Republic—it becomes a must-win situation. The pressure is on both teams to secure a victory to have a chance of advancing to the super round.
Editor: Speaking of pressure, let’s talk about the starting pitchers. Kwak Bin for Korea has shown tremendous performance in the regular season, tying for first in wins. How do you think he will handle the stress of this critical game?
Dr. Chen: Kwak Bin is certainly under the spotlight. He’s had an impressive season with 15 wins and has experience in international competitions, albeit with mixed results. However, he’s faced challenges before and showed his potential to rise under pressure. He must focus on limiting runs and preventing long innings, especially after Korea’s shaky start against Taiwan.
Editor: And what about Cuba? They are starting Livan Moinello, a left-handed pitcher currently in the Nippon Professional Baseball league. How might his absence from the previous friendlies affect the Cuban lineup?
Dr. Chen: Moinello’s absence from the friendlies definitely deprived Cuba of one of their key pitchers. However, he’s been performing exceptionally well in Japan, so they are likely banking on his abilities to lead the mound effectively. With the right conditions and good support from the lineup, he can be a game-changer.
Editor: It’s interesting to note the past encounters between these two teams. Korea has been ahead in the last decade in head-to-head matchups. How much do historical results weigh on the players’ minds?
Dr. Chen: Historical performance can influence the confidence of the players. Korea has won three out of the last four encounters against Cuba, and that track record could give them a psychological edge. However, it’s essential to remember that each game is different; so many elements—like player form, conditions, and even the venue—can change the outcome.
Editor: It’s also worth mentioning the challenges Cuba faced in the lead-up to this tournament—time lag and player unavailability. Do you think these factors will play a significant role in their performance?
Dr. Chen: Yes, those logistical challenges could be detrimental. Unfamiliarity with the venue and fatigue from travel can impact player performance. If Cuba plays at less than full strength, they may struggle against a more prepared Korean side that just recently beat them in warm-up matches. However, the spirit of international competitions often sparks unexpected performances.
Editor: As we bring this to a close, what tactical approach do you think each team needs to adopt to secure a win?
Dr. Chen: For Korea, they’ll need to focus on offensive consistency. Their batting lineup needs to rebound from their previous three-hit performance. If they can support Kwak Bin effectively, they stand a good chance. For Cuba, Moinello must set a strong foundation on the mound, limiting runs and providing the offense with room to breathe. They also need to rely on their experience and resilience to turn things around.
Editor: Thank you, Dr. Chen, for your insights. The game promises to be exciting, and we can’t wait to see how it unfolds.
Dr. Chen: My pleasure! Let’s hope for a thrilling match that showcases the best of international baseball.
Editor: Definitely! Stay tuned to Time.news for more updates on the tournament!