Korean-Japanese baseball critic Jang Hoon pointed out that the Japanese baseball team participating in the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC), which will be held in March, has “no leader.”
On the 8th, Hoon Jang appeared on Japan’s TBS’s Morning Sunday and said, “I have high expectations for the Japanese baseball team coach Hideki Kuriyama. (The 12 players who were revealed first) 메이저사이트 are good players, but I think coach Kuriyama will select the other 18 players well.” said.
On the 6th, coach Kuriyama revealed the 12 players who made the final list (30) of the WBC.
Three active major leaguers were selected: Shohei Otani (LA Angels), who doubles as a pitcher, Yu Darvish (San Diego Padres), and Seiya Suzuki (Chicago Cubs).
In addition, Roki Sasaki (Chiba Lotte), Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Orix Buffaloes), Shota Imanaga, Shugo Maki (above Yokohama DeNA Baystars), Shousei Dogo (above Yomiuri Giants), Takuya Kai, Kensuke Kondo (above Softbank Hawks), Genda A large number of players who made great strides in Japanese professional baseball, such as Sosuke (Seibu Lions) and Murakami Munetaka (Yakult Swallows), were also included in the final list.
Having built their best team, Japan will announce the players to be included in the remaining 18 spots on the final roster later this month.
Jang Hoon expressed his expectations for Japan’s mighty power, but was concerned about the lack of a central point for the team. He said, “(Leaving from Japan to the United States when advancing to the semifinals), I have to travel long distances, and since the Japanese professional baseball season starts right after the tournament, I am concerned about the accumulation of fatigue among the players.” “I’m worried that there is no leader to lead,” he said.
Japan, which won the WBC championship in 2006 and 2009, is aiming for a third title in its career at this tournament. Japan was drawn in Group B with Korea, Australia, China, and the Czech Republic in the first round of the WBC, and the match between Korea and Japan is scheduled to take place on March 10 at the Tokyo Dome.