The Korean baseball team failed to overcome its archenemy Japan in the 2024 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier 12.
The Korean baseball team, led by coach Ryu Joong-il, lost 3-6 to Japan in the third game of Group B of the 2024 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier 12 group stage held at Taipei Dome in Taiwan on the 15th.
Korea, which lost 3-6 in its first game against Taiwan on the 13th, won 8-4 in its match against Cuba on the 14th, but lost that day, leaving it with 1 win and 2 losses.
Korea, which was crowned the inaugural champion in the first competition in 2015 and runner-up in the second competition in 2019, set its primary goal of advancing to the super round (semi-finals) of this competition.
However, with 1 win and 2 losses, a red flag was turned on to achieve the goal.
Currently, in Group B, Taiwan and Japan are tied for the lead after winning both games. Australia has 1 win and 1 loss, followed by Korea and the Dominican Republic with 1 win and 2 losses. Cuba, which lost all 2 matches, is in last place.
Korea, which had been inferior to Japan with 23 wins and 29 losses in previous international competitions in which professional players participated until this tournament, fell further behind in its record against Japan with today’s loss.
In particular, excluding the Asian Games, where Japan sends out professional baseball players, this is their 9th consecutive loss since their victory in the Premier 12 semifinals in 2015.
They lost in the 2017 Asian Professional Baseball Championship (APBC) preliminaries and finals, the 2019 Premier 12 Super Round and finals, the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) preliminaries, and the 2023 APBC preliminaries and finals.
On this day, Korea scored first in the first inning, but was unable to maintain the lead. After being tied 1-2, they took the lead again by scoring 1 point each in the 4th and 5th innings, but were quickly reversed and gave up the win by allowing a two-run shot in the 7th inning.
Korean starting pitcher Choi Seung-yong (Doosan Bears) was dismissed early after allowing 4 hits and 2 runs in 1⅔ innings.
Korea, which activated its bullpen early, drank the bitter cup of defeat as its trusted middle pitching lineup faltered.
It was a consolation that Yoo Young-chan (LG Twins), who appeared as the second pitcher, pitched 2⅔ innings without allowing any runs. Kwak Do-gyu (KIA Tigers), who took the mound next, pitched poorly, giving up two walks and one hit to the body.
The cohesion of the batting line was also disappointing. Even after hitting 10 hits, he only scored 3 points. In particular, the Korean batting lineup struck out 17 times against the Japanese pitching staff.
7th hitter Park Dong-won (LG) played hard with 2 hits in 4 at-bats, 1 RBI, and 2 runs, including a solo home run that tied the game in the 4th inning, but the team lost.
Korea scored first in the second inning.
In the top of the second inning, Park Dong-won hit a double to left, and Joohyung Lee (Kiwoom Heroes) hit an infield hit next to the pitcher, putting the runners on first and third base with two outs. Hong Chang-gi (LG), who came to bat next, hit a timely hit to left-center.
However, a reversal was immediately allowed.
Korean starter Choi Seung-yong got consecutive hits from Shota Morishita and Ryoya Kurihara.
Third baseman Kim Do-young (KIA) jumped up and cleared the follow-up hitter Shugo Maki’s missed ball and turned it into a straight hit, but when Kotaro Kiyomiya grounded out to first base, the runners advanced one base at a time, resulting in a crisis with 2 outs and 2nd and 3rd bases.
Choi Seung-yong could not overcome the crisis. Kotaro Kurebayashi hit a timely hit with two RBIs to left, allowing Japan to come back 2-1.
Korea, which faltered in the top of the third inning with all three batters striking out, tied the score with one hit in the fourth inning.
Park Dong-won, who came to the plate in the top of the fourth inning with one out and no runner on base, fired a solo shot that went over the left field fence.
Korea gained momentum and took the lead again in the fifth inning. Shin Min-jae (LG), who hit a heavy hit as the leadoff hitter in the top of the 5th inning, advanced to second base when Do-young Kim’s infield grounder and stole third base, and scored on a double to left-center field by pinch hitter Dong-hee Yoon (Lotte Giants).
However, Korea immediately gave the lead back to Japan.
With one out in the bottom of the fifth inning, left-handed batters Kaito Gojono and Ryosuke Tatsumi came to bat in succession, and Korea replaced the mound with left-handed pitcher Kwak Do-gyu.
Kwak Do-gyu struck out Go Jo-no, but gave up two walks and a hit to the body in succession, putting the bases loaded with two outs.
Korea substituted Lee Young-ha for Kwak Do-gyu, but could not overcome the crisis. Lee Young-ha (Doosan) contributed a timely hit to Maki with 2 RBIs.
Korea gave up the win to Japan by allowing a two-run shot in the 7th inning.
After Choi Ji-min (KIA), who came on the mound in the bottom of the 7th inning, with one out and runners on first base, Korea changed the mound to Jeong Hae-young (KIA).
Jeong Hae-young hit a two-run home run to left-center field off Japan’s fourth batter Morishita, and Korea fell behind 3-6.
Korea was unable to find a clue to counterattack as they did not reach base in the 8th and 9th innings.
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How does team cohesion impact performance in high-stakes baseball tournaments?
Interview between Time.news Editor and Baseball Expert Dr. Min-ho Kim
Time.news Editor: Good afternoon, Dr. Kim. Thank you for joining us. With the Korean baseball team’s recent loss to Japan in the WBSC Premier 12, what are your immediate thoughts on the game?
Dr. Min-ho Kim: Thank you for having me. It was a tough game for Korea, especially considering the historical rivalry with Japan. The final score of 6-3 highlights the ongoing struggles our team faces in critical matches against them. Historically, as we can see, Japan has dominated in international competitions, and this match only adds to that narrative.
Editor: Absolutely. We’ve noticed that this was their ninth consecutive loss to Japan in international play. In your opinion, what are the key factors contributing to this trend?
Dr. Min-ho Kim: One significant factor is consistency in performance. In this match, Korea started strong but struggled to maintain that momentum. The pitching rotation has been one of the issues, as Choi Seung-yong was unable to last long, which put added pressure on the bullpen. The overall performance, including 17 strikeouts against Japan’s pitchers, is alarming and shows a lack of adjustment at the plate.
Editor: That’s concerning indeed. The Korean team has drafted plans for a comeback in future tournaments. What changes would you recommend for them to improve their chances in similar high-stakes games?
Dr. Min-ho Kim: There are a few areas I think they should focus on. Firstly, they need to strengthen their mental resilience. High-pressure situations against rivals like Japan can lead to anxiety among players. Secondly, improving their batting strategies to reduce strikeouts is imperative. Lastly, enhancing their pitching strategy—perhaps incorporating more variety in their throws to keep opponents guessing—might help as well.
Editor: The Korean team has been known for its talent, demonstrated when they won the Premier 12 in its inaugural year. How do you think their current roster compares to those past teams?
Dr. Min-ho Kim: While the current roster has talented players, there seems to be a disparity in cohesion compared to the more unified teams of the past. The 2015 team exhibited not only talent but also synergy, which is essential at this level. They need to build continuity and trust among players, so they function as a cohesive unit rather than relying on individual skills.
Editor: That’s a great point about team dynamics. Looking at the upcoming matches, what strategies should Coach Ryu Joong-il employ in the next games if they aim to advance to the super round?
Dr. Min-ho Kim: Coach Ryu needs to focus on both offensive and defensive strategies. Offensively, they should emphasize situational hitting to capitalize on opportunities, such as driving in runs with runners in scoring positions. Defensively, ensuring that pitchers can get ahead of hitters early while also managing the game effectively will be crucial. Moreover, they should consider enhancing communication on the field to avoid unnecessary errors.
Editor: In light of their latest results, do you think the team can still reach their goal of advancing to the super round?
Dr. Min-ho Kim: It’s a challenging situation, but not impossible. They need to focus on winning their upcoming matches and depend on other results in their group. Each game remains an opportunity to improve and gain momentum. If they can regroup and focus on refining their approach, they may still have a shot.
Editor: Thank you, Dr. Kim, for your insights. It’s clear that understanding the dynamics of team play is vital, especially in a sport as competitive as baseball. We hope to see some positive changes from the Korean team as they continue in the tournament.
Dr. Min-ho Kim: Thank you for having me. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for the Korean team. It’s always exhilarating to watch them compete at this level.
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End of Interview