S. Korean players wary of Japanese sluggers at WBC

TUCSON -- Japan has no shortage of star power as world No. 1 in baseball and a title favorite at the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani is a transcendent two-way phenom, and San Diego Padres starter Yu Darvish can dominate any lineup with his impressive arsenal of pitches. From the domestic league, Tokyo Yakult Swallows slugger Munetaka Murakami is coming off a 56-homer campaign.

South Korean catcher Yang Eui-ji, however, is keeping a close eye on another player: Tetsuto Yamada, a power-hitting middle infielder for the Swallows who has been a thorn in the Korean side in recent years.

"I've been watching clips of Japanese players on tablet, and we've given up some key hits to Yamada," Yang said Wednesday after South Korea's first day of training camp at Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Arizona. "We'll have to keep him in check."

In the final of the Premier12 in 2019, a tournament that doubled as an Olympic qualifier, Yamada smacked a go-ahead three-run home run in the bottom second, turning a 3-1 deficit to a 4-3 lead. Japan went on to win 5-3.

Then in the Olympic semifinal in 2021, Yamada broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the eighth with a three-run double. The clutch hit provided the final margin of Japan's 5-2 victory.

At the Premier12, Yang Hyeon-jong served up the home run, while Go Woo-suk allowed the back-breaking double at the Olympics. Both pitchers are back on the national team this time. Yang Eui-ji was the catcher on both occasions, too.

"I am looking at this tournament as perhaps my last opportunity to play for the country," the 35-year-old backstop said. "We've had some tough games against Japan before and we want to redeem ourselves this time."

In Pool B, South Korea will start the WBC against Australia on March 9 and then take on Japan the next day. South Korea will then play the Czech Republic on March 12 and China on March 13. All first round games for Pool B teams will be at Tokyo Dome.

It's the same stadium where South Korean left-hander Koo Chang-mo surrendered a two-run home run to Hotaka Yamakawa of Japan in November 2017. That came in the sixth inning of a preliminary game at the inaugural Asia Professional Baseball Championship. It was a brand new tournament open only to professional players from South Korea, Japan and Chinese Taipei under 24 years of age, or those with less than three years of professional experience.

Yamakawa's blast cut South Korea's lead to 4-3, and Japan went on to win 8-7 in 10 innings.

More than five innings have passed but Koo, who turns 26 Friday, hasn't forgotten that moment.

"I saw that Yamakawa made the WBC team," Koo said of the three-time Pacific League home run king who had 41 homers for the Saitama Seibu Lions last year. "If I get to pitch against Japan, I would love to get my revenge. We want to wash away all the bad memories against Japan. Personally, this will be a special tournament."

After the APBC, Koo was forced to sit out the 2019 Premier12 and the Olympics two years later with assorted injuries. When healthy, the NC Dinos hurler has been one of the top starters in the Korea Baseball Organization, and he claimed Wednesday he's healthy going into his WBC debut.

"I threw five bullpen sessions and also did live pitching with my club," said Koo, whose Dinos set up spring training camp in Arizona earlier this month. "I should have no trouble pitching in games now. It's been a while since I last played for the country, and I feel very proud and honored to be here." (Yonhap)