San Diego Padres infielder Kim Ha-seong (28), who is scheduled to play for the World Baseball Classic (WBC) Korean national team, will be delayed joining the team.
KT Wiz coach Lee Kang-cheol, who also serves as the national team coach, said at a meeting with reporters ahead of their departure from the US on the 27th, “(Kim) Ha-seong is known to have joined us from Gocheok when we came in.”
The national team is scheduled to return to Korea after training in Arizona from February 14 to 27, then train at Gocheok Dome on March 2 and 3 before moving to Japan on the 5th. Kim Ha-seong decided to join the team when the national team was convened at the Gocheok Dome.
Until Kim Ha-seong joins the national team, he digests camp with his team, the Padres. He plans to join after digesting some of the exhibition game schedule.
Director Lee Kang-cheol positively evaluated the delay in joining Kim Ha-seong, saying, “It worked better.” He said, “I was told that he could come after playing about four exhibition games in the team. He said it was better because he saw a fast ball,” he explained the reason. 토토사이트
Kim Ha-seong, who held a press conference after leaving the country, also accepted this positively, saying, “I personally don’t think it’s bad for major league pitchers to join after hitting the ball.”
He predicted that the delay in joining the national team would not cause any problems, saying, “I was close to my brother and fellow players during my playing career in Korea, so communication will not be a problem.”
Neither the coach nor the players seem to worry too much about the delay in joining the national team. This is possible because there is trust in the players. Kim Ha-seong said, “The coach said, ‘I will do well on my own, but I hope I come with a good body,’ and I said that I am confident in that area.”
Meanwhile, another major league player on the national team, Tommy Edman (St. Louis), is expected to join the team around the same time. Director Lee Kang-cheol said, “I heard that he told Edmon that he would like to come to Gocheok.”
In the case of Choi Ji-man (Pittsburgh), who underwent right elbow surgery during the offseason, “I haven’t been contacted yet. He says he is checking, but we have to wait.” Manager Lee Kang-cheol added that if Choi Ji-man’s joining fails, he may choose a substitute for a position other than first baseman.