*This content was translated by AI.
The coach first met with the players and emphasized not to be greedy. However, those who are especially ahead attract attention. Noh Kyung-eun (42, SSG Landers) is the "highest hold king" and Ko Woo-seok (28, Detroit Tigers), who continues to challenge the big league in the United States.
Ryu Ji-hyun (55), the head coach of the national baseball team, met with reporters at the Saipan Orelli Sports Complex on the 10th and said, "From what I heard yesterday, Noh Kyung-eun will enter the bullpen (pitching) from the last day of the first turn," adding, "I said, 'Isn't he crazy?' in a half-joking and sincere manner."
This camp is designed to help players improve their condition more effectively ahead of the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March.
Coach Ryu Ji-hyun asked the players not to be greedy and to build up their bodies step by step before leaving the country. It is to set the pace so that he can play 100% in the first group match against the Czech Republic on March 5.
In such a situation, it is Noh Kyung-eun and Ko Woo-seok who are raising their pace. Noh Kyung-eun told reporters at Saipan Airport on the 10th, "I told them that I was going to throw a bullpen right away on the last day of the first turn."
At the first training session on the day, pitchers began conditioning, warming up, and catch-ball training. He did not play for as many as three months after the end of the season. It was a catch to lightly check on the pitch type and raise his physical condition, but Noh Kyung-eun and Ko Woo-seok sprayed strong balls unlike other pitchers.
Jung Woo-ju (Hanwha) and Bae Chan-seung (Samsung), who spent their first season excellently, exchanged balls in pairs, and because of this effect, the ball became faster and faster than at the beginning, and was restrained by the coaches. Jung Woo-joo said, "The ball got faster little by little without us knowing. I think I went a little too far," he said with a smile.
Manager Ryu stressed that the coaching staff's job is to help the less experienced pitchers not to overdo themselves. Of course, Noh Kyung-eun and Ko Woo-seok's fast pace can also create old people's feelings.
However, coach Ryu said, "Each player has a different pace," adding, "That's how much he prepared for the bullpen from the third day of training." "If they do that, we help as much as we want," he said. "So (Roh) Kyung-eun and (Go) Woo-seok will pitch the bullpen on the third day."
No matter how veteran they are, it is the leader's responsibility to stop them if they see anything excessive. However, he expressed respect, saying that the decision is still tailored to each person's pace.
He is improving his condition faster than anyone else, but what the two have in common is that, ironically, it is not an over-face.
Noh Kyung-eun is in her second heyday at the age of 40. He became the oldest hold king for two consecutive years following 2024, and when young bullpen pitchers were shaken in the K-baseball series last November, manager Ryu Ji-hyun called Noh Kyung-eun.
Noh Kyung-eun, who had painful memories of WBC in 2013, unexpectedly wore the national flag in her career twilight years. I'm desperate to be of help to the team. Noh Kyung-eun said, "I didn't suddenly make my body (quickly), but I kept maintaining it after the season." "It takes a long time to rest and rebuild my body from the beginning, but if you continue to rest after the end of the season, you can quickly improve your condition before going to camp."
Noh Kyung-eun, who cites keeping her own routine thoroughly as the secret to her long run, does not make any special efforts for WBC, but just keeps her own routine. Noh Kyung-eun said, "I'm just pitching to keep my routine because I have to go to Japan and play live pitching and practice games, but I'm careful that I'm just instilling expectations for no reason." I'm not over-facing," he stressed.
Ko Woo-seok's situation is a little different, but it is the same that he is not overdoing it. Ko Woo-seok, who signed a minor league contract with Detroit and decided to continue his dream of becoming a big league once again, said, "From the first time I started baseball, I thought I wanted to go to the Major League once."
That makes it even more desperate. Noh Kyung-eun left a regret at the 2013 tournament, and Ko Woo-seok had to watch the group stage elimination from the bench without taking the opportunity to take the mound ahead of the 2023 tournament.
This time, he is pulling the reins to be a solid addition to the team. The two pitchers are more experienced than anyone else, but they plan to raise their pace in their own way so that they don't fall behind on the stage of competition, where someone is forced to drop out of the final entry.
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*This content was translated by AI.
