National team coach → Doosan coach "I also thought I was in big trouble."" I'm worried about my student who almost got into a huge accident...

*This content was translated by AI.

The head coach of his team was more nervous than anyone else. "Doosan Bears Closer" Kim Taek-yeon, who did his best in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) national team. And this is the story of Doosan manager Kim Won-hyung.

While the Korean baseball team wrote a drama about advancing to the quarterfinals of the WBC, head coach Kim also watched the final group match between South Korea and Australia with anxiety. The result is a happy ending. With a 7-2 victory, he was able to fly to the U.S., where the quarterfinals tournament will be held dramatically.

Coach Kim, who also played as a pitching coach for the Korean baseball team in the past. Asked about WBC ahead of the exhibition game against the Kiwoom Heroes at Bears Park in Icheon, Gyeonggi-do on the 12th, he said, "I saw it. I cheered a lot. I watched the Australian game live," he said.

"When (Kim) Taek-yeon came up with a 6-1 victory, my heart kept getting nervous. In a way, it's a 0-0 situation. I cheered in my heart to throw well. However, after giving the score, I also thought, 'Oh, I'm in trouble,' he said vividly, describing the moment when he was nervous.

At the same time, head coach Kim said, "Fortunately, we finished with the desired score difference. In fact, the ball was good when Taek-yeon was selected as a substitute. Various conditions were also good. So I think the national team coaching staff used it in an important situation, he said. "The (Cho) Byung-hyun, who came out after, blocked it well." This result is likely to be of great help to the KBO league as well. I think it's a relief," he said.

South Korea, which had to achieve the complex conditions of 'winning by more than five points' and 'less than two runs'. And he was achieving that condition by leading 6-1 until the top of the eighth inning. The pitcher who took the mound in the bottom of the eighth inning was Kim Taek-yeon. However, after allowing a walk to leadoff hitter Robbie Perkins, he became a sacrifice bunt with one out and runners on second base. In the end, he allowed his follow-up Travis Bazana to make a timely hit to the left. 2-6. That's all for Kim Taek-yeon's pitch. Fortunately, South Korea added one more point at the top of the ninth inning with Ahn Hyun-min's sacrifice, dramatically reaching the quarterfinals.

Manager Kim said, "Taek-yeon is a pitcher who has to keep going under such pressure even after returning. I think the experience of dealing with hitters from strong teams such as Japan and Australia will lead to tremendous confidence," he said, expressing expectations. Regarding the timing of the business trip after the return of Kwak Bin and Kim Taek-yeon, he said, "I think we need to see when we return after the competition is over. I think the schedule will be tight until the opening, so I will check the status. You also need to check if you are going to the game. If you haven't been able to play much, you'll have to take some rest, but you'll need a process to boost your sense of play," he explained.

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*This content was translated by AI.