I wrote a drama in Tokyo, overcoming odds close to a miracle. Now the stage is Miami. Can Moon Dong-ju, who missed out on the WBC (World Baseball Classic) final roster because of shoulder inflammation, still join the national team?
The South Korea national baseball team, led by manager Ryu Ji-hyun, defeated Australia 7-2 on the 9th (Korean time) in the WBC first-round Group C fourth game held at the Tokyo Dome in Japan. With this victory, Korea, which moved to a 2-2 record in the group stage, edged ahead of Australia on the fewest runs allowed and dramatically seized the ticket to the quarterfinals.
Needing a victory by at least five runs with two or fewer runs allowed, Korea produced exactly the required score and succeeded in advancing to the quarterfinals for the first time in 17 years. The national team will play the Group D winner in the quarterfinals at loanDepot park in Miami, U.S., on the morning of the 14th. As of the 9th, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela are tied for first with two wins each.
With the team's move to Miami, attention turns to the possibility that Moon Dong-ju, who was naturally included in the designated pitcher pools (DPP), could join. The DPP can include up to six pitchers who were not on the final roster, and up to four can be replaced after the first round.
Moon Dong-ju first felt shoulder pain at the end of January while the first spring camp in Melbourne, Australia, was underway. In early February he felt more severe pain, stopped bullpen pitching, returned to Korea and underwent medical examinations. Fortunately, it was diagnosed as inflammation and not a serious injury, and he moved to the second camp in Okinawa and conducted bullpen sessions twice.
The obvious key to Moon Dong-ju joining the national team is his physical condition. He is currently ramping up his pace quickly, but the pain has not completely disappeared, so he is proceeding cautiously through the stages. Depending on his progress, Moon Dong-ju is expected to wait in the bullpen and take part in live action in an intrasquad game on the 10th.
If fireballer Moon Dong-ju joins, he could be a big asset to the national team. That, of course, assumes his body is fully healthy. Since it cannot yet be guaranteed that he is '100%,' the national team, his club Hanwha, and the player himself all have to be cautious.
After completing his second bullpen session last month, when asked about the possibility of joining the WBC, Moon Dong-ju said, "Being in the quarterfinals means the mood is good, but I can't cause trouble with my shoulder issue. Of course I want to, but I think we have to see how things go," and reserved comment.
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