Currently, a series of promising pitchers who can throw more than 150 kilometers are emerging in the Korean amateur baseball world. A number of promising pitchers come out every year.

Currently, there are many promising players in high school baseball that can catch the attention of the Major League. Shim Joon-seok, Kim Seo-hyun, and Shin Young-woo are attracting attention from the Major League as well as the KBO League. It is evaluated that it can lead to a sense of power immediately enough. However, the reality is that there are no promising batters. It is a cold analysis that there are no good hitters who can hit a light ball that is more than 150km properly and make a good ball. Probably because most of the U.S. major leagues were pitchers. (Chan-ho Park, Byung-hyun Kim, Jae-eung-seo, Sun-woo Kim, Hyun-jin Ryu) Pitcher Hee-seop Choi, Choi, Shin Soo-chu, and some players are playing in the U.S. Major League after several years.However, he seems to think that success as a batter is difficult except for a few fielders.Of course, Ha Sung-Kim is a brilliant multi-infielder (3rd base, shortstop, 2nd base) after going through Korean professional baseball in the San Diego Padres. However, he is evaluated as a backup player rather than a main player, and in comparison, he is okay. It seems that he is still adjusting to hitting.

Scout A said, “I think the absence of a power heater is something that the Korean baseball community should seriously consider. That phenomenon has intensified in recent years. There was Kim Do-young last year, but it was difficult to see him as a typical power hitter. High school baseball resources that can grow into big guns are gradually decreasing. It is safe to say that the seeds have dried up recently. If there is no power heater, it can be a problem for the league’s box office. Currently, the number of typical home run hitters in the KBO league is gradually decreasing. I think this is a phenomenon that occurs as the number of players who are likely to grow in amateurs continues to decrease. I think it’s time to think about whether there is a problem with the coaching method or the players’ choices. Recognizing that it is a crisis in Korean baseball, I think we should consider the problem of the absence of a power heater. I’m just a passing guest, but shouldn’t Korean baseball maintain its roots? As a person who cares about the KBO League and Korean baseball, I’m really worried about this,” he said.

It is clear that pitching power is the priority of all teams. Only when he has pitching power can he challenge for the championship. In any team, pitchers are treated better. Good resources are joining each team one after another every year.

However, home run hitters are very rare. It is now difficult to find a player who is considered a definite big gun.

Players who have the advantage of defense and base running are entering the professional league, but it has been a long time since finding a power heater has become a power heater. Han Dong-hee and Noh Si-hwan can be the last generation. Han Dong-hee and Roh Si-hwan also need to learn more from professionals to grow into typical home run hitters.

It has become difficult to find a power heater in high school baseball to the extent that Major League scouts are worried. It is a serious situation that can be directly connected to the success of the KBO League.

Scout A said, “I’m not just talking about high school seniors right now. Reports keep coming up that it is difficult to find a possible batter among the first and second graders. Reinforcing power heaters in Korean high school baseball is tantamount to giving up. Power heaters do not necessarily have to come to the Major League, but I think they should also have a sense of crisis in the KBO League. Leaders should think about why there is no good power heater coming out and think about it.

KS CHOI

ASIA JOURNAL

The Korea Women’s Baseball Federation said, “On June 18, the 2022 Women’s Baseball Festival will be held for women in the first baseball field of Nanji Hangang Park in Seoul. If you’re a woman who likes and enjoys baseball, you’re the star of this event.”

The event is hosted and organized by the Korea Women’s Baseball Federation under the purpose of “activating women’s baseball and expanding the base,” and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation. In line with the purpose of the event, various experiences and events were held so that women could not only watch baseball but also participate in person.It has already been 15 years since the federation was formed, and festivals are held steadily every year. Led by the sixth chairman (Jung Hee-hwang), the vice president of the administration, the advisors of the first to fifth former chairmen, and former professional baseball leaders are composed of advisors.

Among several countries (US/Korea/Japan/Taiwan) where Korean players play in the U.S. Major League and have professional leagues, popular sports baseball will already be of constant interest to the public. Of course, it may be considered a spectator sport, but the U.S./Japan, which already has a solid foundation and base beyond women’s participation and fostering sports as players, has a considerable number of domestic leagues and players. It is regrettable that in Korea, it is still supported by the government as part of social sports, or hobbies.

However, even with poor support such as players and coaches, passion and effort can be felt great. Of course, the annual women’s baseball festival is seen as a representative event for it

The opening ceremony was held at 1 p.m. on the 18th. Various events and events are held before and after the opening ceremony. Women’s baseball promotion and experience zones and flea markets were held at the square around the first baseball stadium in Nanji Hangang Park. Then, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the 18th, the Women’s Baseball Promotion and Experience Zone will be operated, allowing various people, including women’s baseball players as well as family and friends, to enjoy baseball together. The federation gave small souvenirs to participants who participated in events and experiences

After the opening ceremony, there was a friendly match between women’s national baseball players and youth baseball players, and it was a place where you could see the present and future of women’s baseball in one place.

The festival lasted until the 26th. On the 19th, 25th, and 26th, women’s baseball players played as scheduled at Nanji Hangang Park 1st Baseball Stadium and Hwaseong Dream Park Women’s Stadium. The game was watched for free.

KILSUNG CHOI

ASIA JOURNAL

Starter Wook Kyu-min tossed four shutout innings, and No. 2 hitter Seo Geon-chang went 5-for-5 at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul to lead South Korea to its third straight victory in the lead-up to the tournament.

South Korea earlier defeated Cuba in back-to-back games last weekend.

South Korea will host Pool A games in the first round against Israel, the Netherlands and Chinese Taipei, starting on March 6. Australia has been paired with Japan, Cuba and China in Pool B, with Tokyo as the host city.

The top two teams from Pools A and B will clash in the second round, which will also take place in Tokyo. South Korea scored the first run in the bottom third. Leadoff man Lee Yong-kyu drew a walk to start the inning, and came all the way around to score on an ensuing double by Seo.

However, the middle of the order that had been quiet in earlier games was silent yet again. No. 3 hitter Kim Tae-kyun popped out to first, and cleanup Choi Hyoung-woo and No. 5 man Lee Dae-ho both grounded out to third, leaving Seo at third base.

South Korea added three more runs in the bottom fourth, with former big leaguer Ryan Rowland-Smith on the mound as Australia’s second pitcher. With one out and men on first and second, No. 9 hitter Kim Jae-ho hit a double down the third base line for a 2-0 lead. Lee Yong-kyu followed up with a sacrifice fly, and Seo hit a single to left to knock in the third run of the frame.

South Korea could have tagged on more runs, but Kim Tae-kyun struck out looking for the inning’s final out.

Australia got a run back in the top sixth, as Mitch Dening hit an RBI single off the left foot of new pitcher Cha Woo-chan. The ball sailed over the outstretched glove of second baseman Seo Geon-chang and into shallow center field, and James Beresford, who’d hit a double off the South Korean left-hander, came home easily.

South Korea responded right away in the bottom sixth, as Kim Tae-kyun delivered an RBI double for a 5-1 cushion.

Australia countered with a pair of runs in the eighth, off South Korea’s third pitcher, Rhee Dae-eun. Allan de San Miguel hit a line-drive solo shot to left field to cut it to 5-2. Trent D’Antonio followed up with a double, and came home to make it a 5-3 game after a wild pitch and a groundout.

Kim Tae-kyun gave South Korea a bit more breathing room with a two-run double in the bottom eighth, and Oh Jae-won’s single later in the inning made it 8-3. Though South Korea pounded out 15 hits, the 3-4-5 hitters, Kim Tae-kyun, Choi Hyoung-woo and Lee Dae-ho, went a combined 2-for-10 with a walk and two strikeouts. Both hits belonged to Kim, who did have three RBIs. Choi and Lee were lifted after the fifth inning.

On the mound, Woo, a right-hander for the Samsung Lions with a sidearm delivery, was far from spectacular, but was good enough to keep Australia off the board. He worked around a one-out double in the second, and stranded a two-out single in the third inning. He made 65 pitches, 41 for strikes, with a mix of fastball, curve, slider and changeup.

Cha walked the tightrope in his three innings of work. He gave up some well-hit balls — three of them flying all the way to the track — before allowing a two-out double to Beresford and that comebacker off the bat of Dening in the sixth.

Cha gave up another double with one out in the seventh, but escaped the inning unscathed. Rhee was just as shaky, giving up a home run to Australia’s No.9 hitter in what turned out to be a two-run eighth inning.