KBO overhauls national team structure after humbling World Baseball Classic [REWIND 2023]
Published: 28 Dec. 2023, 13:30
![Korea's Park Hae-min reacts after he bunts for a single during the third inning of the first round Pool B game between against China at the World Baseball Classic at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on March 13. [AP/YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2023/12/28/0882f7b3-f3ac-4b6b-a5a9-4487ce3e7f55.jpg)
Korea's Park Hae-min reacts after he bunts for a single during the third inning of the first round Pool B game between against China at the World Baseball Classic at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on March 13. [AP/YONHAP]
Korea made an early exit from the 2023 World Baseball Classic after a surprising 8-7 loss to Australia on Pool B’s opening day severely diminished the national team’s chances of qualifying to the quarterfinal round.
Later, a tough, however expected, 13-4 loss to Japan sealed the deal and sent the Korean team home after the group stage for the third time in a row.
It was a disappointing finish for Korea, who entered the postponed WBC, originally set to take place in 2021, with a stacked international squad. San Diego Padres’ Kim Ha-seong, along with Tommy Edman of the St. Louis Cardinals and Choi Ji-man of the Pittsburgh Pirates had joined Korea’s 30-man team from the big leagues.
In response to the early exit, the KBO announced plans to completely revamp how it handles the Korean national team.
The league began appointing a permanent manager to oversee the national team, a radical change from the former system of picking a KBO manager when an international tournament comes around, with a full staff and the possibility of international friendlies in the future.
BY MARY YANG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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