Final rehearsal 'all pitchers mobilized,' but 'Kwak Bin, Choi Min-seok, So Hyoung-jun' are absent... Complex calculations for the representative team just before AG [Gocheok]

*This content was translated by AI.

The Korean baseball representative team, led by head coach Ryu Ji-hyun (55), is embarking on its final rehearsal ahead of departure for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

The 24-member baseball representative team gathered on the 14th and held its first training session at Seoul's Gocheok Sky Dome on the 15th, then reconvened at the same venue again on the afternoon of the 16th.

Although they were unable to conduct sufficient training due to activities such as group photo shoots the previous day, today they spent nearly three hours warming up and participated in batting practice to fine-tune their readiness for the Asian Games.

On the 17th, they will play a practice game against the Army Corps (Sangmu). This is the final mock match ahead of the first group stage game against Taiwan on the 21st. Although the players assembled during the season, as this is their first official game as a unified team, they plan to focus on checking defensive coordination and the physical condition of pitchers.

The game will be played over eight innings. Since Sangmu must prepare for Futures League postseason play, there was no reason for the representative team to push themselves, so both sides agreed on this format. Among the 11th players in the representative team's roster, only three will sit out: Choi Min-seok (Doosan), So Hyoung-jun (KT), and ace Kwak Bin (Doosan), who all made their final starts for their respective teams on the 13th. Although Kwak Bin threw his last pitch on the 9th, it was decided not to overexert him.

Coach Ryu stated, "Choi Min-seok and So Hyoung-jun played on Sunday (the 13th), so they are ineligible to play tomorrow's game," adding that Kwak Bin was also excluded.

The main reason for playing an eight-inning game is to evaluate all eight pitchers other than the three excluded ones, giving each one inning of work.

This provides a significant clue. In reality, pitchers who do not participate in the Sangmu game are highly likely to start against Taiwan. While Kwak Bin, who is available to pitch, is considered the strongest candidate, there is also a considerable possibility that either Choi Min-seok or So Hyoung-jun could be selected. Although Kwak Bin is indeed the number one starter, if they face Taiwan again in the final match, having him start twice against the same team could give Taiwan valuable learning opportunities.

Therefore, nothing has been officially decided yet, and premature predictions are difficult. There is no reason to reveal too many clues in advance, especially to keep Taiwan guessing until the end. This is also consistent with regulations. Coach Ryu stated, "I understand that pitcher names will not be disclosed in advance, but whether they are left-handed or right-handed pitchers will likely be announced."

Since Kwak Bin, Choi Min-seok, and So Hyoung-jun are all right-handed pitchers, even if a right-hander is chosen to start the first game, it is impossible to pinpoint which one.

All other pitchers will participate in the game. However, since there is no need to overexert themselves, there will be a pitch count limit. Coach Ryu explained, "With three days from Friday through Sunday leading up to Monday's (the 21st) game, exceeding 30 pitches might be too much," and added, "We also received confirmation that Sangmu has to play in the playoffs, so they are not in a position to be overly accommodating." If any single pitcher exceeds 30 pitches, the inning will end immediately.

Additionally, as a contingency measure, tiebreaker rules will be implemented. According to regulations, extra innings begin with no outs and runners on first and second base; however, since this is an eight-inning game, the eighth inning will proceed under tiebreaker rules.

The focus was less on preparation and more on awareness. Coach Ryu explained, "Only one pitcher will throw in that inning. There isn't much experience to be gained from just one inning," but added, "We don't know what situations may arise during the tournament. Being aware of potential scenarios beforehand makes a significant difference. This is intended to familiarize players with hypothetical situations where they might face specific challenges."

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*This content was translated by AI.