"Hell's 3rd base," which even the "Home Run King" can't be guaranteed, and the competitor is the MVP-major leaguer... The variable is whether to join Song Seong-moon or not. [Saipan site]

*This content was translated by AI.

They are prominent candidates who won the home run king and MVP, but under the current circumstances, they cannot guarantee their participation in the World Baseball Classic (WBC). This is because Song Sung-moon (30, San Diego Padres), who played the most overwhelming performance last season and even advanced to the Major League Baseball (MLB).

Asked about Song Sung-moon at the first Saipan camp recently, Ryu Ji-hyun (55), the head coach of the national baseball team, said, "I don't know now," adding, "Song Sung-moon will be classified as an overseas player from now on. "We have to approach it in a different way from domestic players, and rather than our will, the club or himself should convey our intention," he said.

The third base position is one of the most intense positions. Noh Si-hwan (26, Hanwha Eagles), who won the home run and RBI title in 2023, and Kim Do-young (23, KIA Tigers), the MVP of 2024, are raising themselves in Saipan camp, and Song Sung-moon is a big variable.

Roh Si-hwan, who slowed down a little after winning two hits, rebounded again last year with 32 home runs and 101 RBIs. Noh Si-hwan, who was named in the national team again, continues to run even after the training is over, showing an active attitude.

Noh Si-hwan said, "I'm not going to think about WBC first, but I have to listen to the second entry first. He said, "I don't think I was chosen at all because foreign players can join and (Kim) Ha-sung and (Lee) Jung-hoo can all come in, and there are many better players, so my goal is to start with the second entry."

There's not much I can show you in this camp. It is the difference between who raises his condition and how well he or she improves his condition without any major injuries.

The national team has recently left a regret that it has been eliminated from the group stage for three consecutive times, but Noh Si-hwan's memory of the national flag is a little different. "I'm not worried. I only remember being good in the national team all the time," he said.

Noh Si-hwan, who has been the batting king and best 9 with a batting average of 0.692 since the under-18 baseball championship in 2018, led South Korea to victory with a batting average of 0.438 OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 1.140 at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, and also hit hard with a batting average of 0.389 and an OPS of 0.921 at the Asian Professional Baseball Championship (APBC) that year.

Kim Do-young is also desperate for the national team. It is an opportunity to verify this in advance because it is a stage to show that it is still in good shape as it left a regret last year and is aiming to advance overseas in the long term.

Kim Do-young said, "Because I'm representing Korea, I feel more responsible and I want to go out more because it's a big competition," adding, "I'm worried a lot around my team, but I'm full of confidence and I'm not going to save myself."

He suffered three hamstring injuries last year. When he played in the game, he showed off his strong presence with a batting average of 0.309 and an OPS of 0.943, but played only 30 games.

The variable is, of course, the state of the body. Kim Do-young said, "If you ask all the people who got hurt in the hamstring, they said they have anxiety, and if they don't have that, it's a lie," but added, "I think it's a process of getting through it." He is adapting by playing in the ballpark again, and his anxiety is gradually disappearing. He expressed his confidence, saying, "I made my body really well."

Then there are words such as "the ground hardens after rain" and "a new sun rises tomorrow." The bad days have already passed, so I think we should only think about what lies ahead," he said.

Nevertheless, Song Seong-moon catches the most attention. Song Sung-moon was the hottest hitter in KBO last season. Although he has been unknown for a long time since his debut, the fact that he became the best hitter in KBO with his recent two seasons and even made it to the big leagues shows how scary his momentum was.

The international stage, especially the WBC, where the most outstanding players are dispatched, is also very important in defense. Song Sung-moon won the third baseman's defense award last year. For now, he is the most complete player in batting. Unlike Kim Do-young, who is still anxious due to a series of hamstring injuries, he has no concerns about his running ability.

When asked about his participation in the WBC after completing his contract in San Diego on the 23rd of last month, Song Sung-moon said, "There is something I need to consult with the club. "It's hard to give you an answer yet," he said. "If the club gives me permission, I'll also think about it, but I wasn't sure because there would be an environmental impact on the team and it's the same now."

What message San Diego sends will determine whether Song Sung-moon will participate in the national team, which will also have a significant impact on Noh Si-hwan and Kim Do-young, who are fiercely competing in good faith.

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*This content was translated by AI.