"Why Is the Shortstop Wearing a First Baseman's Mitt?" Ryu Ji-hyun's Bold Experiment Unveils the Hidden Plan B for the Taiwan Game [Nagoya Asian Games]

[Financial News] South Korea's national baseball team, seeking a fifth consecutive Asian Games title (V5), activated Plan B in its final practice game before heading to the decisive venue. The team maximized its infield depth through a bold defensive experiment in which the starting shortstop and an outfielder wore first baseman's mitts to prepare for unexpected contingencies.
The national baseball team led by Ryu Ji-hyun completed its domestic preparations with a practice game against the Sangmu Baseball Club at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 17th. The key points of the game were the chain reaction of infield position changes and checks on the condition of injured players.
The biggest boost was KIM Do-young of the Kia Tigers returning to action after overcoming the major setback of a nasal bone fracture. Ryu Ji-hyun, whose entire infield plan had nearly been disrupted, breathed a sigh of relief at KIM Do-young's rapid recovery. KIM Do-young started at third base and fine-tuned his defensive instincts in a game setting. He said, "I feel great and light. Since I had plenty of rest, I have no muscle fatigue at all," completely dispelling public concerns about lingering effects from the injury. Ryu Ji-hyun explained the brief appearance, saying, "The idea was to let him experience game-time defense before the tournament and improve his ability to adapt."



After KIM Do-young left the game for the bench, Ryu Ji-hyun's full-scale Plan B experiment began. Roh Si-hwan of the Hanwha Eagles, who had started at first base, moved to third, while Lee Jay-hyun, the Samsung Lions' starting shortstop, was surprisingly deployed at first base. Moon Bo-kyung of the LG Twins is a specialist first baseman, but the coaching staff was managing him carefully to ensure he reaches peak condition for the Taiwan game on the 21st.
Lee Jay-hyun, who had no previous experience playing first base, handled the role without difficulty and received a passing grade. Outfielder Yoon Dong-hee of the Lotte Giants also trained alongside Lee Jay-hyun after being given the special assignment of serving as an emergency first baseman. Yoon Dong-hee said, "It's just in case something happens. I have experience as an infielder, so rather than feeling nervous, I had fun and did well." The move reflected Ryu Ji-hyun's meticulous calculation aimed at controlling every unexpected variable that could arise in a short tournament.
After thoroughly preparing for various contingencies and completing Plan B, Ryu Ji-hyun's squad will depart for Nagoya, Japan, the site of the decisive games, on the morning of the 18th. The team will spend two days training to adjust to the local stadium before playing its first group-stage game against Taiwan on the 21st, a fateful matchup that will determine the destination of the gold medal.


[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter