KBO clubs to stay home for 2nd straight spring training

▲ In this file photo from Feb. 2, 2021, members of the KT Wiz gather for a meeting in front of a dugout at Gijang Hyundai Motor Dream Ballpark in Busan, some 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)

▲ In this file photo from Feb. 1, 2021, members of the Kia Tigers run in the underground parking lot at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)

▲ In this file photo from Feb. 1, 2021, members of the NC Dinos stretch at Masan Baseball Stadium in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, at the start of spring training. (Yonhap)

▲ In this file photo from MArch 5, 2021, members of the SK Wyverns take part in the "Goodbye, Wyverns" event after an intrasquad game at Kang Chang-hak Baseball Stadium in Seogwipo, Jeju Island. It was the final scrimmage prior to the Wyverns' name change to the SSG Landers under the new ownership by Shinsegae Group. (Yonhap)

▲ In this file photo from Feb. 1, 2021, members of the Kiwoom Heroes form a huddle outside the first base dugout at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul before the start of spring training. (Yonhap)

baseball-spring training

KBO clubs to stay home for 2nd straight spring training

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Jan. 5 (Yonhap) -- With the global coronavirus pandemic still raging, all 10 clubs in South Korean baseball will open their spring training in February on home soil, instead of traveling overseas in search of warmer conditions.

As recently as November, some teams in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) explored possibilities of setting up their offseason camp overseas. Things were opening back up nationwide as South Korea eased social distancing curbs.

But that was pre-omicron time. The new variant has been wreaking havoc around the world, and traveling outside the country to train and play exhibition ball is no longer an option.

The 10 KBO clubs have informed Yonhap News Agency that they will all set up shop at home. The defending champions KT Wiz are returning to the same facility that they'd used last year in Busan, some 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and their camp will open on Feb. 3, after the Lunar New Year long weekend.

They are among seven clubs to take the entire long weekend off. The SSG Landers, the Kia Tigers and the Hanwha Eagles, all of whom missed out on the postseason in 2021, will not waste any time, as their camps are scheduled to begin on Feb. 1.

The Doosan Bears, runners-up to the Wiz last year, will use their minor league facilities in Icheon, 80 kilometers south of Seoul. Then around the middle of February, they will move farther south to Ulsan for some exhibition games.

The Samsung Lions will also run their camp at their minor league home in Gyeongsan, just east of their home city, Daegu.

The LG Twins and the Kiwoom Heroes have picked different locations from a year ago.

The Twins trained at their minor league park in Icheon last year but will be down at Tongyeong, some 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul. A Twins official said the team wanted to find a warmer place for this year. Players will be in Icheon in the early days of camp before traveling south at some point in February.

Last year, the Heroes had the luxury of training right at their home stadium, Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, because they were protected from elements inside the only domed baseball park in the country. On the flip side, players experienced difficulties adjusting to open-air settings early in the season because they had spent too much time training and playing indoors.

They are in talks with local officials in Goheung, about 470 kilometers south of Seoul, to train in the county located in South Jeolla Province. The Heroes plan to spend the first 10 or so days at the dome before moving south.

There are no changes to venues for the five nonplayoff clubs: the Landers, the Tigers, the Eagles, the NC Dinos and the Lotte Giants.

The Landers will be on Jeju Island again, though they were still called the SK Wyverns during 2021 spring training, which was held just prior to the ownership change.

The Tigers will train at their minor league home in Hampyeong, about 380 kilometers south of Seoul. The Eagles will be at a sports complex in the southern island of Geoje for the second straight camp.

The Dinos will once again split their time at their current stadium, Changwon NC Park, and their old one, the adjacent Masan Baseball Stadium.

The Giants' minor league facilities in Gimhae, about 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul, will serve as spring training home for their KBO squad and minor league team.

Teams will play unofficial practice games in February, and the league office will schedule 16 official spring training games per club, starting on March 12.

The new regular season is scheduled to begin on April 2.

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