“It’s okay to hit a home run. I want to stick with my idol Ohtani.”
The voice of Doosan Bears right-hander Gwak Bin (24), who was named in the entry (30 players) for the 5th World Baseball Classic (WBC), which opens on March 9, was very bright. He is a resource that can be used in a variety of ways, with not only a 150 km/h fastball boasting the league’s top rotation speed, but also a high-quality breaking ball such as a slider, forkball, and curveball. In the 2022 season, he pitched in 27 games and went 8-9 with an earned run average (ERA) of 3.78, his best performance since his professional debut in 2018. In particular, in 11 games in the second half, he recorded 5 wins, 2 losses, and an ERA of 2.98, playing an active role as the team’s practical ace.
Kwak Bin, who came into contact with Sports Dong-A after the entry was released, is Shohei Ohtani, who has 30 homers as a hitter and 15 wins as a pitcher in the major leagues in the 2022 season, and a ransom of $426.5 million (approximately 542.7 billion won) in 12 years, the highest total in the major leagues. I was expecting a head-to-head match with Mike Trout (above, LA Angels), who boasts of his . In particular, Kwak Bin served as the team’s ace and fourth hitter during his time at Baemyeong High School, where he doubled as a pitcher. This is why I look forward to facing Ohtani even more.
– The first selection for the adult national team is the WBC. How do you feel?
“It is an honor to wear the Taegeuk mark, but it is truly an honor to participate in a competition that the world pays attention to. He is proud, but also burdened.”
-You showed your potential in the second half of last year. How much did he expect to be selected for the WBC national team?
“I didn’t even think about the WBC. I didn’t expect it because I was busy playing my baseball. It felt different when it was confirmed. After receiving a call from the KBO in December of last year, I thought that I could become a national representative, but that became a reality. The sense of responsibility has also increased.”
-What do you think was recognized by director Lee Kang-cheol and the technical committee?
He said, “I think you were attracted to the fact that he has a deciding pitch and is a pitcher who throws a fast ball even though he is a starting pitcher. When he gets on the mound, he will do his best regardless of whether he is confident or not.”
– I got to work with top players in Korea. What is expected?
“It’s my personal opinion, but I don’t think there is a pitcher who can throw worse than me (laughs). Whether it’s seniors or juniors, I want to ask questions and make them my own. Especially the seniors’ know-how and game management ability. I want to achieve better grades in the future by learning all the routines and how to manage my body.” 토토
-WBC is an opportunity to meet world-class players. Who are you looking forward to facing?
“It’s okay to hit a home run, so I want to play against my idol, Ohtani. If we face the United States, we are looking forward to the scene where we face Trout, who gets the most money.”
-What is the most memorable scene in WBC history?
“The most memorable scenes were the win against the United States in 2006 and the scene where Bong Joong-geun made a check against Ichiro Suzuki, who was the first base runner, in the Korea-Japan match in 2009.”
– What is the goal you want to achieve at this WBC?
“I feel that baseball is not as popular as it used to be. In terms of reviving its popularity, this year’s WBC is very important. I want to help Korean baseball get recognized again and help young players do better. I want to show that kind of hope and miracles.”