Nat'l baseball manager wants players to soak in priceless experience vs. MLB teams

Korean national team manager Ryu Joong-il speaks to reporters at Gocheok Sky Dome in western Seoul on Saturday. [NEWS1]

Having been coaching and managing in baseball for over two decades, Ryu Joong-il, currently skipper of the Korean national team, never thought he would get to lead a team against major leaguers.

And here he is in March 2024, ready to manage "Team Korea" against the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers in preseason games — on Korean soil, no less.

Ryu's national team will play the Padres on Sunday and then the Dodgers on Monday, both at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, as part of the two MLB clubs' preparation for the regular season-opening Seoul Series. Those two will be the first MLB regular season games to take place in Korea.

Team Korea's games will not count toward any standings, but Ryu said Saturday he is ready to enjoy the experience. He wants his players to do the same.

"I've never imagined I'd have an opportunity like this in my baseball life. And I've told the players you can't put a price tag on an experience like this," Ryu told reporters after Team Korea's practice at Gocheok. "We're only playing two games but I want my players to give their very best."

Ryu also called on his players to learn from big leaguers.

"I am sure major league players will give their best effort on every play," Ryu said. "I hope our guys can learn from watching them play. I think they are nervous but also excited about facing big leaguers."

Ryu has a 35-man roster made up of KBO players, including 17 pitchers. Given that the team will only play two games, Ryu may not be able to give all 17 pitchers work. The manager's plan is to use three starting pitchers to cover early innings in each game and then use relievers to take care of the rest.

Moon Dong-ju, the reigning KBO Rookie of the Year and hard-throwing ace of the Hanwha Eagles, will start the first game against the Padres. Doosan Bears right-hander Gwak Been will start the next game against the Dodgers.

These exhibition games come at a particularly sensitive time for KBO pitchers, who have been ramping up for the start of the regular season next Saturday. Ideally, starting pitchers would have to be stretched out to about 80 pitches this time of spring training.

But Ryu can't have every starter on the national team throw 80 pitches in these games, or others won't have a chance to pitch at all.

"I am thinking Dong-ju will cover two innings, and if he still needs to throw more pitches, he can get his work in the bullpen," Ryu said. "I've spoken with managers about their pitchers' workload already."

As for what he'd like to accomplish in the next two games, Ryu said, "I hope we play a close game and don't get blown out."

Ryu said he was happy to see MLB come to Korea for the first time, and he personally was looking forward to seeing Shohei Ohtani, the Japanese superstar for the Dodgers, in person.

Ohtani, who signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers in December, will be the biggest draw in this series.

"People talk about Ohtani all the time, and I think he's like a character out of a comic book," Ryu said, in reference to Ohtani's unprecedented two-way accomplishments as a hitter and a pitcher.

Asked how seeing Ohtani would feel like, Ryu quipped, "I want to get an autograph from him."

Yonhap