The Nightmare of the '11-Game Losing Streak' in Korea-Japan Rivalry: Kim Do-young and An Hyun-min's Dual Threats Ready to Fire... Manager Choi Won-ho's Resolve, "I Want to Win Too" — Can They Pull Off an Upset at APBC? [On the Ground in Gimpo]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

"Of course, I want to win as well."

Manager Choi Won-ho (53), who is set to make his debut as head coach of the national team, did not hide his desire for a victory in the Korea-Japan matchup. To achieve this, he expressed his intention to actively utilize players such as An Hyun-min (KT) and Kim Ji-chan (Samsung), centered around Kim Do-young (KIA).

Manager Choi spoke with reporters at Gimpo International Airport on the 9th before departing for Tokyo, Japan, sharing his thoughts ahead of participating in the 2026 Asia Professional Baseball Championship (APBC).

Manager Choi stated, "I hope this tournament allows players making their debut to get accustomed to the atmosphere of international competitions and to grow by a level through matches against high-level Japanese players." He added, "While the roster is centered on promising young players, as this is an inter-national competition, I would like the players to show fans more serious and best-effort play."

The APBC is a tournament composed primarily of players aged 24 and under, designed to provide international competition experience to each country's promising players and create a foundation for their growth.

Among the 28th players participating in this tournament, only Kim Do-young and An Hyun-min, along with Moon Hyun-bin and Heo In-seo (both of Hanwha), Kim Ju-won (NC), and Kim Jin-wook (Lotte), can be evaluated as being at the top level of the league.

Even so, there is one match that is certainly desirable: the game against Japan. Excluding the Asian Games, where they faced amateur players, their last victory in a contest between elite squads was the 2015 Premier12 semifinal (4-3). Since then, they have been struggling with an 11-game losing streak.

Kim Do-young's role is crucial for securing a victory. While Manager Choi said, "Of course, I want to win," he noted, "However, within the limited pitching roster, we must play four consecutive games. For the preliminary match against Japan, it seems we will need to determine our bullpen strategy by observing the game situation. Since matches continue with the next day's game against Taiwan and beyond, managing the pitcher's mound according to the situation is necessary," emphasizing that a cold-headed judgment is important.

Given concerns about pitching strength, the lineup led by Kim Do-young must step up. Manager Choi said, "I am not considering placing (Kim Do-young) in the leadoff spot." He continued, "I think placing him second or third would be best. We also need to consider the connection with the batters before and after him, as well as confirming whether An Hyun-min or Kim Ji-chan will play. After checking the condition of all players, we will make a final decision in line with our operational plan for the match against Australia."

The physical condition of An Hyun-min and Kim Ji-chan is a variable. In particular, Kim Ji-chan has played five playoff games and five Korea Series games, so he carries a significant physical burden. We may also need to utilize other options for the center fielder position, which is typically one that can be trusted.

Tailored lineup preparation against Japan's starting pitching staff is already underway. Manager Choi stated, "There are quite a few left-handed pitchers in Japan's starting rotation, so our core batters need to prepare for that," while adding, "However, there is also the unexpected possibility of a right-handed pitcher appearing, so we are preparing the lineup to handle both left- and right-handed starters."

The players' condition heading into the games is also satisfactory. Manager Choi had worried about the live-game feel of players who did not play defensive innings during practice matches, but he said, "Their condition was better than I feared," expressing confidence that "I expect good performance in the main tournament as well."

An Hyun-min, Kim Ji-chan, and Lee Jae-hyun (Samsung), who went through the Korea Series, will join the team directly in Japan on the 10th after resting. Manager Ryu stated, "Once they join, we will first check their condition and then decide whether to play them."

After arriving in Tokyo and completing a final condition check, the national team will begin with a match against Australia on the 12th (12:00 PM), followed by matches against Japan on the 13th (7:00 PM) and Taiwan on the 14th (7:00 PM). Depending on their ranking, they will then play either the third-place playoff or the final.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original