“I won’t regret this time”…the last national team hitter No. 4, Park Byung-ho’s promise
Park Byeong-ho (37, KT) injured his ankle five months ago. At the end of last season, he suffered a serious ankle ligament injury and was unable to play. However, with an indomitable will, he recovered in a short time and stood on the fall baseball stage, and after that, he returned to the Arizona spring camp fully recovered after going through rehabilitation and reinforcement exercises at a high speed. And now, he is preparing to participate in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) wearing the Taegeuk mark, which may be his last.
Park Byeong-ho’s ankle was an ‘issue’ that his national team had to pay close attention to. This is the reason why Park Byeong-ho, who had fallen into the 50-person interest list announced in November, was eventually included in the final 30 entries announced in early January. Park Byeong-ho fully recovered his ankle and started preparing for the season, and joined the national team in good physical condition. And now the bat is starting to warm up too.
On the 20th, Park Byung-ho started as the designated hitter number 5 in a practice game against KIA held at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Arizona, USA, and scored 1 hit and 2 RBIs in 2 at-bats. He withdrew in the second inning, but hit all batted balls to the outfield, including a fly to center field.
Park Byung-ho declared after the game that “there is nothing to be a problem about the ankle anymore.” Park Byeong-ho, who played as the designated hitter in the national team’s first practice game against NC on the 17th, said, “I think I will play first base from the next game.” said.
As major leaguer Choi Ji-man (Pittsburgh), who was also first baseman and center hitter, failed to appear, Park Byung-ho was given the role of first baseman and center hitter. Park Byeong-ho said, “Even at the time of the entry announcement, Choi Ji-man had a half-and-half chance of participating, so I was mentally prepared. 토토사이트He did not feel that the burden was particularly increased, but if he participated, he would work hard with a sense of responsibility.”
It is the first time in four years since the 2019 Premier12 that Park Byeong-ho wore the Taegeuk mark. At that time, Park Byeong-ho failed to hit the home run that everyone had been waiting for, and Korea lost the championship to Japan in the final. Park Byung-ho, who regards this tournament as his last as a national representative, said, “My performance in international competitions has not been very good and I have received criticism. Every time that happens, I always have regrets,” he said. “This time, my goal is to get along well with players of a similar age and analyze my opponent well so that I can return home without regrets (after the tournament).”
Park Byeong-ho always thinks that what he has to do is to hit a home run and hit a long hit. Park Byung-ho, who practiced bunts during batting training like other hitters, said, “I did it because it was a training that had to be done, and I think that if there is a situation where I must bunt, I will probably be replaced by a pinch hitter. Bunt has not been seen since the days of LG. I would have a higher chance of scoring if I went with a strong ball rather than a bunt,” he laughed. As the national team’s last first baseman and fourth hitter, Park Byung-ho is determined.
