I am always excited and honored. The goal is to show the fans that they are doing their best and winning baseball. I will do my best with the thought of ‘I will definitely win’.”
Yang Hyeon-jong (34, KIA) expressed his pride in the Taegeuk mark, which he had worn for 14 years, and his firm determination for the WBC, which was selected as the national baseball team. Some people talk about ‘generational change’, but he doesn’t pay attention to such noise, and he also added his determination to do his best as the ‘eldest brother’ of the national team and a key player at the same time.
On the 30th, Yang Hyeon-jong departed for the first spring camp training ground in Arizona, USA through Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport. In an interview prior to his departure, Yang Hyeon-jong spent a long time conveying the importance of the Taegeuk mark and his determination to win this WBC.
Because the competition is held in mid-March, the preparation process is about 10 days to two weeks early. Yang Hyeon-jong said, “Originally, the current level should have been around early February. I think I have to prepare at least 10 days earlier than usual,” he said. That’s why I don’t want to make excuses for that kind of time,” he said, preparing faithfully according to the WBC situation.
Kang-cheol Lee, coach of the WBC national team, took on a key role in this ‘Lee Kang-cheol’, to the extent that he immediately remembered the names of Hyeon-jong Yang and Gwang-hyeon Kim (34, SSG) while forming a pitcher’s entry. In particular, Yang Hyeon-jong has to play the role of leading the players as a veteran who has been playing in international competitions with the Taegeuk mark for 14 years at the same time as the ‘pitcher team leader’.
Yang Hyeon-jong said, “When 메이저놀이터 I was summoned, the coach said, ‘Now tell the young players good stories’ rather than me. He was also given the task of being the pitcher manager, but I think it was because he was older. I think I have to work hard according to the important position given to me,” he said. “A lot of young players were selected and I just saw the faces of players I don’t know well, so if you join the national team and talk to each other and solve it well, it’s a tournament that I look forward to. I think it will be,” he said, conveying his confidence that he will be able to hold the tournament well through faithful communication.
Yang Hyeon-jong is already writing numerous records as the best left-handed pitcher in the history of the KBO League. The same goes for international competitions. He has been dedicated to the national team for the 14th year already. What does the Taegeuk mark mean to him?
Yang Hyeon-jong said, “I am always excited whenever I am selected, and I really feel the greatest sense of responsibility.” .
However, at the same time, Yang Hyeon-jong said, “I have such a sense of responsibility that I have to do well. Of course, good things are the most numerous and honorable position, but as such, there is more pressure these days.” That also seems to be our homework from now on.”
There is a reason Yang Hyeon-jong feels burdened as he ages and becomes a veteran. This is because now, as a strong support for his juniors, he has a greater sense of responsibility to show the potential of the Korean national team to many domestic baseball fans. This is the same feeling that Kim Gwang-hyun also felt recently.
Yang Hyeon-jong said, “For the development of Korean baseball, and for the fans who have left, in order to bring them back to the baseball field amidst the slightly stagnant baseball fever, what we have to do is really do our best on the ground and show a winning game. I think it will be a big goal.”
That’s why Yang Hyeon-jong said, “If we don’t finish (the tournament) with really good results, (as in the past), we are concerned that the fans will ‘turn their backs again'” and conveyed a sense of crisis facing the WBC, saying, “The national team or Taegeuk mark When it’s sweet, it seems to mean a lot to us because we have such a sense of goal that we must win.”
I have enough confidence. Yang Hyeon-jong said, “Our homework and goal is to make the development of Korean baseball, which has been a little stagnant, so that the baseball boom can happen again by producing good results again, so all the players are preparing well with that mindset.” It’s like,” he hinted.
Recently, Choo Shin-soo (40, SSG) directly mentioned Yang Hyeon-jong on a radio broadcast in the United States, saying, “How long will Kim Gwang-hyun and Yang Hyeon-jong be?” This was intertwined with the selection of some players and caused a lot of headwinds and controversy in Korea.
The fact that his names are mentioned as a party to the controversy itself is an issue that can make Yang Hyeon-jong feel bad. Although cautious about revealing this, Yang Hyeon-jong conveyed his clear mindset and his position on the Taegeuk mark.
Yang Hyeon-jong said, “I also try not to think too much about that. Also, as timing is an important time, I am cautious about saying ‘this or that’ here, and there are various problems, so I try to spare words about that.”
However, Yang Hyeon-jong said with confidence, “I feel very honored just to be selected as a member of the national team, and of course I have such a sense of responsibility to do my best, so I think I have a feeling that I have to work harder because I am a member of the national team.” I conveyed my mindset about the national selection.