In the end, variables could not be avoided. Now we need a B plan.
With Choi Ji-man (Pittsburgh Pirates) unable to join, Lee Kang-cheol’s first baseman plan had to be reorganized. At the time of the announcement of the final list, Choi Ji-man was mentioned as the most influential first baseman for the national team. However, due to Pittsburgh’s opposition, Ji-Hoon Choi’s joining was ultimately canceled, and the KBO selected center fielder Ji-Hoon Choi (SSG Landers) as a replacement. Cho Beom-hyeon, chairman of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) Technical Committee, said, “The decision was made after considering the recovery speed of existing first baseman Park Byeong-ho and the need for utility resources in preparation for a game.” (Hanwha Eagles) were also nominated, but after consulting with coaches including national coach Lee Kang-cheol, outfielder Choi Ji-hoon was selected.” Regarding the reason for choosing Choi Ji-hoon, he said, “Choi Ji-hoon is a player with excellent defense and counter-running skills.”
The players who are currently on the national first baseman list are Park Byung-ho (37) and Kang Baek-ho (23, KT Wiz).
As the title ‘National Geopo’ suggests, Park Byeong-ho is a player with a large proportion of hitting. However, he left a big mark by winning the Golden Glove six times (2012-2014, 2017-2018, 2022) at first base. Kang Baek-ho started as a right fielder in the 2019 season, the first year of his debut, but from the following year he has been working as a first baseman and has reached the present. 바카라
In terms of first base defense, Park Byeong-ho has the upper hand. Park Byung-ho, a former catcher, has been highly regarded for his defensive ability since his days with the LG Twins, before he stood out as a home run king. He has excellent batting ability. After he established himself as a starter with the Heroes, he displayed wide fielding range, excellent batting ability, and throw handling ability. Kang Baek-ho, like Park Byeong-ho, was also a catcher, but his defense was not highly evaluated. His batting talent goes without saying, but the majority of evaluations say that he needs more experience in first base defense. In terms of defense alone, Park Byeong-ho’s first base assignment is more stable than Kang Baek-ho’s. Chairman Cho Bum-hyeon said, “The reason why we initially selected three first basemen was because Park’s ability to play in defense was unclear.”
However, it is burdensome to entrust the first baseman position to Park Byeong-ho full-time. Managing Park Byeong-ho, who is in his late 30s, is essential in short-term matches that consume a lot of stamina. In particular, even if Park Byeong-ho, who finished the season by undergoing rehabilitation instead of surgery to compete in the postseason after rupturing ligaments in his right ankle last year, is recovering, it is unclear whether he will be in perfect condition until the WBC, which is earlier than the season begins. It is not easy for him to bear the burden of being the first baseman as he has to be responsible for one shot in the lineup.
Manager Lee seems to draw a picture of entrusting first base to Park Byung-ho. However, due to the nature of short-term battles with many variables, we cannot neglect to prepare alternatives. In addition to Kang Baek-ho, it is fortunate that the national team includes outfielders Kim Hyeon-soo (35) and Park Hae-min (33, LG Twins) with experience as a first baseman.