*This content was translated by AI.
The "major leaguer keystone combination" plan went up in smoke. Kim Ha-sung (31, Atlanta Braves) injured his finger in an unexpected accident, failing to participate in the World Baseball Classic (WBC). Naturally, the value of Kim Joo-won (24, NC Dinos) is soaring.
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said on the 19th, "Kim Ha-sung and Song Sung-moon (San Diego Padres) have been confirmed to be absent from the WBC due to injuries."
Kim Ha-sung, who fell on the icy road and ruptured his right middle finger tendon, underwent surgery in Atlanta and is expected to take four to five months to recover. Song Sung-moon, who recently signed a contract with San Diego, is also being treated in Japan for a side injury, but his participation in the WBC was ultimately canceled.
Song Sung-moon had the best performance in the KBO League last year, but there are many players there. Roh Si-hwan (Hanwha), Kim Do-young (KIA), and Moon Bo-kyung (LG), who participated in Saipan's first camp, are all replaceable resources.
However, there is a big difference in shortstop. It will not be easy to completely fill the vacancy of Kim Ha-sung, who won the Gold Glove for the first time as an Asian infielder in the Major League and showed explosive power in hitting during his KBO league days.
Therefore, Kim Joo-won's shoulders are heavier. Kim Joo-won was the only shortstop in this national team camp. Kim Hye-sung (LA Dodgers) may be in charge of shortstop, but for now, it is the most natural picture for Kim Joo-won to work with Kim Hye-sung as a shortstop.
Kim Joo-won received praise from coach Ryu Ji-hyun at Saipan camp. As a weight training partner with Moon Hyun-bin (Hanwha), he worked harder than anyone else. Director Ryu said, "Our babies, (Kim) Joo-won (NC) and Hyun Bin remained from day one to the very end. It was also impressive, he said. "I'm not looking at anyone, but I'm doing it because I feel they need it on their own. That's the most important point," he said.
There is still a lot to compare with Kim Ha-sung, but Kim Joo-won also drew a big growth last year. In all 144 games, he played a batting average of 0.289 with 15 home runs, 65 RBIs, 98 runs and 44 steals, 0.379 on-base percentage, 0.451 on-base plus slugging percentage, and 0.830 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) and dominated the KBO defense award along with the Golden Glove for the first time in his life.
Kim Joo-won was not sure about playing in the WBC because there was a big wall called Kim Ha-sung. "If I can't go to the WBC and join the team camp, I think it will be a shame and futile," he said at Saipan camp. "The national team is a position to do well. "I think that's more (responsible) because my performance at the recent international competition was poor."
Throughout the training, she followed her role model, Kim Hye-sung. Kim Hye-sung asked coach Lee Dong-wook to hit a few more in the infield fungo, and Kim Joo-won stayed with him and increased the amount of training equally. Coach Lee Dong-wook also smiled happily, saying, "Don't copy Hyesung for no reason."
Kim Joo-won said, "Hye-sung is taking the initiative, so I think he works hard to see and learn more," adding, "I also work harder not to fall behind." I want to talk a lot while I'm here," he said, expressing his side of "Kim Hye-sung's Love."
He led the gold medal at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games and also hit hard at the Asian Professional Baseball Championship (APBC) that year. He also wore the national flag in the K-baseball series held in November last year, especially when he threw a dramatic tying solo shot against Japan's best bullpen pitcher Taisei Ota with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning when he was dragged 6-7 in the second game against Japan, leaving Tokyo Dome silent.
That's how much experience has been accumulated. Kim Joo-won smiled, saying, "I think watching KBO League pitchers' balls and seeing pitchers from other countries has gained experience and broadened my eyes," adding, "I just watch it with my eyes, learn how to play, and make it my own, but seeing it at international competitions makes me experience more and I think it's a good textbook."
Kim Ha-sung's departure is painful, but it is expected to be an opportunity for Kim Joo-won to grow further. There's a picture that WBC imagines. "The list has not been announced, but when Ohtani comes up (to the mound), I want to experience many balls such as Ohtani's ball, Yamamoto, and Imana," he said.
Kim Joo-won, who will return home on a four-hour flight from Saipan this night, will head back to the United States after a four-day break. He heads to Los Angeles Airport on a long flight at 11 o'clock and then moves back to Tucson, Arizona, on a domestic flight. It takes almost a whole day to go on a burdensome expedition.
Nevertheless, there is also a way to build up in the second-tier campground, such as Cho Byung-hyun and Noh Kyung-eun of SSG Landers. Nevertheless, Kim Joo-won said, "The options are Masan or Taiwan, so going to Arizona is much easier to build and the environment is familiar."
For the WBC, we need to raise the pace faster. He will work hard in a warm climate and spend a busy winter to take charge of South Korea's shortstop position.
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*This content was translated by AI.
