The infield special combination of '1 Sihwan-3 Witcom' is out, will the Korean-U.S. home run king duo erase their weaknesses on the mound

*This content was translated by AI.

The scenario of a special infield team that will lead the Korean national baseball team, which has set up camp again in Okinawa, has been revealed. Roh Si-hwan (26, Hanwha Eagles) and Shay Witcom (28, Houston Astros), the home run king duo of the KBO League and the minor league, are expected to be used as corner infielders.

The Korean baseball team, led by head coach Ryu Ji-hyun, was convened again in Okinawa on the 15th. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) released the training site held at Kadena Baseball Stadium in Okinawa on its official YouTube channel on the 16th.

The warm-up players began training with the youngest Jung Woo-joo's fighting slogan. After that, the team went into defensive training. First, he relaxed his shoulders with a catch ball and then went into funkgo.

An eye-catching scene has been confirmed. In the double-play training, second baseman Shin Min-jae (LG) and shortstop Kim Joo-won (NC) worked together and worked together cleanly. It seemed natural up to this point. This is because there are only two professional second baseman and shortstop resources among the players currently called up to the national team.

However, I was able to confirm an unexpected painting in the later scene. This is because Noh Si-hwan, who played only as a third baseman in 143 games last year, was receiving the ball from the players at first base. Roh Si-hwan was considered the number one main third baseman. Kim Do-young (KIA) had a sense of stability in defense, and Moon Bo-kyung (LG) was disappointed in explosive power in batting, and Noh Si-hwan was evaluated as the most balanced player.

However, someone had to take charge of the first baseman, but there were no significant resources within the league. Coach Ryu Ji-hyun tried to solve both the first and third base problems by selecting several third basemen. Roh Si-hwan was also prepared for the situation. He also said in November last year that he had prepared first baseman mitts ahead of the K-baseball series.

On this day, Noh Si-hwan received the players' ball at first base, and Kim Do-young trained at the most familiar third base. Healthy Kim Do-young can perform tremendously in batting, but the anxiety factor is that he feels relatively anxious. In 2024, when he was named MVP, he also made 30 mistakes in defense and was disgraced as No. 1 in this category.

Initially, Moon Bo-kyung was expected to be the first baseman. This is because Moon Bo-kyung also received many opportunities as a first baseman in her team and has consistently played as the main first baseman of the national team. However, if Noh Si-hwan takes first base rather than third base, he can expect to increase his explosive power in hitting compared to Moon Bo-kyung.

If so, it can be considered that Witcom is considered as the main third baseman. Witcom has yet to stand out in the major leagues, but he is a giant who boasts tremendous destructive power in Triple-A. In 2023, he became the home run king with 35 cannons and hit 25 home runs in succession in 2024 and last year. In particular, he also boasted his ability as a troubleshooter who swept 120 RBIs last year.

There is no problem with the defense. Witcom, a super utility that can play to the outfield, played 28 games, the most at third base last year.

Compared to the mound where Moon Dong-joo (Hanwha) and Won Tae-in (Samsung) left one after another, corner infield concerns can be a full concern in a way. However, picking out the best combination can minimize the weakness of the mound, so we have no choice but to think more fiercely.

Okinawa's second camp is an opportunity to test these concerns in many ways and find solutions. If Saipan's first camp was aimed at quickly raising the players' pace, Okinawa's second camp is expected to be an opportunity to find the best combination through six practice games, although big league players did not join.

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*This content was translated by AI.