It wasn’t Yoo Kang-nam or Park Dong-won… Lee Ji-young makes her national team debut at the age of 37 at the WBC.

It was neither Yoo Gang-nam (31, Lotte Giants) or Park Dong-won (33, LG Twins) who hit the FA jackpot. The catcher to support Yang Eui-ji (36, Doosan Bears), the best catcher in the KBO League, was Lee Ji-young (Kiwoom Heroes), who was selected as the first national representative at the age of 37.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) held a technical committee at KBO headquarters in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 4th and confirmed 30 entries to participate in the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC).

A total of two players were selected for the catcher’s entry, Yang Eui-ji and Lee Ji-young. Jiyoung Lee’s departure is one of the most surprising parts of this roster announcement.

Lee Ji-young joined the Samsung Lions in 2008 as a foster player and the following year as an official player. It was in 2012, after he was discharged from Sangmu, that he started to appear in the first team in earnest. As main catcher Jin Gab-yong grew older, Lee Ji-young, who became the new main catcher, played a part in Samsung’s 4-game losing streak.

Afterwards, Lee Ji-young, who was deprived of the starting position with the joining 메이저놀이터 of Kang Min-ho in 2018, made a new nest in Kiwoom through a trade after the season.

Kiwoom also had catcher Park Dong-won, so a starting position was not guaranteed, but Lee Ji-young was not pushed back. Whenever Park Dong-won was absent due to injury, he filled in brilliantly and showed a sense of stability in the offense and defense. Eventually, after the 2019 season ended, he signed a free agent contract for 3 years and 1.8 billion won, culminating in the ‘reporter success story’.

In the 2022 season, Kiwoom made the decision to trade Park Dong-won, who was about to go free agency. This was also possible because Lee Ji-young was there. Lee Ji-young, who led Kiwoom’s young pitchers, was indispensable to Kiwoom’s runner-up in the Korean Series.

All three Kiwoom commanders, Jang Jeong-seok, Son Hyuk, and director Hong Won-ki, trusted Lee Ji-young and highly praised his diligence. Coach Lee Kang-chul, the national team’s head coach, also highly valued Lee Ji-young.

Manager Lee explained, “Last year’s postseason performance was good. Although he is old, he moves well. 메이저놀이터He is sincere and does not fall behind in his skills. I discussed a lot with coach Jin Gap-yong.”

From 2008 to last year, when she stepped into the professional career as a foster player, Lee Ji-young, who always prioritized ‘survival’, was selected for the national team this time. It is because he made his first national team debut on the WBC stage, which is like the ‘Baseball World Cup’ after 15 years of his debut.

Lee Ji-young, born in 1986, is the eldest along with Park Byung-ho in this WBC team. Considering that Jiyoung Lee is friends with his 1985 players due to his early years, it is safe to say that he is in fact ‘the oldest’.

Coincidentally, the pitching staff of the national team has also become much younger. There are veterans such as Kim Gwang-hyun (35, SSG Landers) and Yang Hyeon-jong (35, KIA Tigers), but Kwak Bin (24), Jung Cheol-won (24, Doosan Bears), Jung Woo-young (24, LG Twins), and Won Tae-in (23, Samsung Lions). , Kim Yun-sik (23, LG Twins), So-jun So (22, KT Wiz), and Lee Eui-ri (21, KIA), the role of veteran catchers such as Yang Eui-ji and Lee Ji-young has become even more important.

It was neither Yoo Gang-nam (31, Lotte Giants) or Park Dong-won (33, LG Twins) who hit the FA jackpot. The catcher to support Yang Eui-ji (36, Doosan Bears), the best catcher in the KBO League, was Lee Ji-young (Kiwoom Heroes), who was selected as the first national representative at the age of 37. The Korea Baseball…