Likely Game 1 starter for WBC

▲ Ko Young-pyo of South Korea pitches against the SSG Landers during a scrimmage for the World Baseball Classic at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on March 3, 2023. (Yonhap)

baseball team-pitcher

Likely Game 1 starter for WBC

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, March 3 (Yonhap) -- If indeed he will start the first game of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) for South Korea next week, sidearm pitcher Ko Young-pyo had himself a rock solid tuneup Friday.

The right-hander worked three hitless innings and struck out four, as South Korea beat the minor league affiliate of the SSG Landers 10-2 in its final scrimmage at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul.

In an informal game designed to give national team pitchers enough work, Ko ended up recording six outs after facing seven batters in the third inning. He was so efficient that he ended up throwing only 37 pitches to get his 12 outs.

South Korea's first Pool B game is Thursday against Australia at Tokyo Dome. With his unusual delivery and ability to keep hitters off balance with an array of pitches, Ko is a logical choice for the starting assignment in that crucial tournament opener.

He will be going on a regular five days' rest, were he to take the mound against the Aussies.

"I think I will just have to pitch the way I've been doing all along," Ko said, when asked about his approach for the possible opening game assignment. "If I set too high of a bar, I may start feeling some pressure. I will take it one batter at a time, try to throw strikes and stay focused on things that I do well."

One thing Ko has done well throughout his Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) career is induce groundballs. He had a 1.92 groundout-to-flyout ratio last season, tops in the league.

And behind Ko will be one of the top defensive middle infields in the tournament, with Kim Ha-seong of the San Diego Padres at shortstop and Tommy Edman of the St. Louis Cardinals at second base. Edman won the National League Gold Glove at second base in 2021, and Kim was a finalist at shortstop last year.

"It's going to be reassuring to know that I have two great major league fielders behind me," Ko said. "I know I induce more groundballs than just about everyone else in the KBO. I am going to trust those guys and keep throwing my two-seam fastballs to get grounders. I hope they will catch all of them, even if they may get exhausted on the field."

Pitchers in the first round of the WBC will be limited to 65 pitches. Most starters will not get to pitch past the fifth or sixth innings, putting a premium on relief pitching.

Ko said he has tried to keep that in mind during his preparation.

"First and foremost, I have to keep the other team off the board. Even if I run up my pitch count, I know I have great pitchers coming up behind me," Ko said. "I tried to be a bit aggressive today, and I have to be a little sharper with my command."

(END)

(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved