The first foreign player in the baseball team. This is how Tommy Hyun-soo Edman and the Korean national team came to an end. There are regrets, but I also confirmed new possibilities.
The baseball team, led by coach Lee Kang-cheol, won a great 18-2 victory over China on the 13th, and finished all of the 2023 WBC (World Baseball Classic) group stage schedule. Losing to Australia and Japan, and winning against the Czech Republic and China, the national team recorded 2 wins and 2 losses, but failed to advance to the quarterfinals.
The player who received the most attention ahead of this tournament was, of course, Edmon. He is an active major leaguer and mixed-race Korean player. Born to an American father and a Korean mother, Edmund is currently the starting second baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals. He is a switch hitter, capable of playing a variety of defensive positions, and boasts the most stable defensive power in the major leagues.메이저놀이터
He’s not bad at hitting either. Although he is not a long hitter by major league standards, he recorded double-digit home runs and 50 or more RBIs for two consecutive years in the big leagues. 2021 season 11 home runs-56 RBIs, 2022 season 13 home runs-57 RBIs. As a second baseman, he has excellent punching power.
Edmund, who received the anticipation and support of his Korean family, received a lot of attention even before joining the national team, and the player also tried to adapt quickly by studying Korean. Captain Kim Hyun-soo said, “I’m not worried because it seems like a player I was originally.” Officials of the national team also praised Edmund as “a smart player with good manners.”
Of course, there were also regrets. Edmon’s performance in the game did not stand out much when he came in without playing many real matches. He played good defense, but the bat seldom came alive. Manager Lee Kang-chul entrusted Edmon with the responsibility of hitting the first batter, but the entire offense felt frustrated when he failed to reach base. Since the offense was not good, mistakes were made in the ‘picturesque’ defense. Comparison with his teammate Lars Nutba, who is playing a big role in the Japanese national team, would have been pressure, not pressure.
Edmund finished the tournament in disappointment with 2 hits in 11 at-bats and 2 RBIs with an OPS of 0.432 in 3 games. What is most regrettable is the fact that the Korean national team has not been able to rise to a higher level. However, the Korean national team confirmed that by utilizing the WBC special rules, mixed-Korean or foreign players could join and show good harmony.
The national team will return to Korea via Narita International Airport on the 14th. Edmund and Kim Ha-seong return to the United States, not to Korea, but to their team.