Korean players not looking past 1st game vs. Australia

• Published date: 08 March 2023
• Publication title: The Korea Times

Korea's stated objective at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) is to reach at least the final four and play meaningful games in Miami, the host city for the semifinals and the final later this month.

But it all begins with the first Pool B game against Australia at noon Thursday at Tokyo Dome. And Korean veterans said on the eve of that game that they weren't yet looking past that tournament opener.

"Our focus has been on trying to beat Australia. Every game is important here, but we have to take care of business in the first game," team captain Kim Hyun-soo said at the pretournament press conference at the dome. "I think the guys will start getting nervous if they start looking too far down the road. So we've been trying to think only about Australia first."

Yang Hyeon-jong, the oldest pitcher for Korea at 35, said the result of the first game will set the tone for the rest of the tournament for his team.

"If we can come away with the victory in the first game, then we will be able to ride that momentum until the end of the tournament," the left-hander said. "The first one is always the most pressure-packed game, and it's a must-win game for us."

Outfielder Na Sung-bum said he hasn't thought about a trip to Miami, because it will all depend on how Korea performs Thursday.

"We will be facing some unfamiliar pitchers tomorrow, but it will be no different than meeting new pitchers in a new season," Na said. "We will try to do whatever it takes to win."

Kim and Na, both left-handed batters, said they will...