"O'Brien-Jones will join" coach Ryu Ji-hyun's confidence leaves Saipan camp for the WBC national team, "There will be no four consecutive extortion" [Incheon Airport site]

*This content was translated by AI.

There should be no humiliation to be eliminated from the group stage for the fourth consecutive time. The Korean national baseball team, which is preparing for the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), will begin tempering early to cope with the increased baseball fever.

The baseball team, led by head coach Ryu Ji-hyun (55), boarded a flight to Saipan, the first camp site of the WBC, through Incheon International Airport on the morning of the 9th.

Coach Ryu Ji-hyun, who met with reporters ahead of his departure, said, "I think I'm getting a lot of attention even at such an early time because professional baseball is the most loved sport," adding, "I talked to the team yesterday (8th), and when I saw a very bright face, I felt that I would go very positively."

It is still a training session before the club's spring camp begins. There is a limit to excessively raising your body condition. Manager Ryu said, "I think Saipan's first camp will be dominated by pitchers. "Because it's a process for pitchers to start building up, I think it will be a starting point for them to continue to the team spring camp and then Okinawa to improve their condition," he said.

In the K-baseball series held in November last year, the national team faced Japan and the Czech Republic twice, which they will meet in the WBC group stage, and they desperately felt the lack of pitching experience. In response, Noh Kyung-eun (42, SSG Landers) and "Korean Express" Ryu Hyun-jin (38, Hanwha Eagles) were joined.

In addition, Kim Hye-sung (27, LA Dodgers) and Ko Woo-seok (28, Detroit Tigers), who play in the U.S., will accompany them in the first camp.

Coach Ryu said, "In the process of selecting 35 preliminary entries from the Korea Power Reinforcement Committee, Ko Woo-seok judged that he was competitive if he maintained good condition based on his ball power," adding, "I heard that he is preparing first and is doing best."

There are also Lee Jung-hoo (28, San Francisco Giants) and Kim Ha-sung (30, Atlanta Braves), but they still seem to lack to achieve their goals. Moreover, it is difficult for players who join the first camp to join the second camp in Okinawa, Japan, in February. This is because it is the time when the club camp begins in earnest.

Therefore, it is a national team that is already in more desperate need of Korean foreign players with more competitive skills than domestic players. Coach Ryu Ji-hyun said, "We've done all the procedures we can. "I think we will officially go through some approval process at the WBC Organizing Committee within the end of January," he said.

It also delivered very positive news. "I don't know how many people I will approve," he said, but added, "As it is known outside, (Lily) O'Brien (St. Louis) and (Jermai) Jones (Detroit) have been very active since last year and have been so far. If there are no major problems, I expect to join," he said.

"I'm looking forward to about three to four people. I hope there will be good results in that," he added.

Coach Ryu, who met with the players the day before, said, "I explained the background because it's an unusual camp to start first. I thought there would be a training effect only if there was such a consensus, he said. "It was a very positive response. If we go to a good environment, a warm place, and train, I think we will be able to improve our condition," he said.

Expectations and a sense of mission are greater than ever. Director Ryu said, "Actually, we prepared for a year. After being appointed as the national coach in February last year, I thought about what situation would be the best situation and how to prepare for the national team, he said. "I think I'm ready to sleep step by step so far in the process." I will show you good results," he said.

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*This content was translated by AI.