South Korean players walk off the field after losing to Chinese Taipei 6-3 in the teams’ Group B game at the World Baseball Softball Confederation Premier12 at Taipei Dome in Taipei on Nov. 13, 2024. (Image courtesy of Yonhap) SEOUL, Nov.
18 (Korea Bizwire) — In taking an early exit from the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier12 in Taipei this month, South Korea was held back by its lack of depth among young, homegrown starting pitchers. South Korea’s fate was sealed Sunday, its first offday of the tournament, when Japan and Chinese Taipei each won its game to grab spots in the Super Round as the top two teams in Group B. South Korea will not finish higher than third regardless of its result against Australia in the final Group B game later Monday.
In all four games before Monday, starting pitchers for South Korea failed to go deep, which in turn put extra burden on the bullpen. Starters who have had varying degrees of success in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) often struggled to get past opposing hitters the second time through the order. In the opening, 6-3 loss to Chinese Taipei on Wednesday, Ko Young-pyo of the KT Wiz was chased after just two innings.
All six Chinese Taipei runs came in the second inning against Ko, with a grand slam by Chen Chen-Wei and a two-run home run by Chen Chieh-Hsien. Even in an 8-4 win over Cuba on Thursday, Doosan Bears starter Gwak Been could only go four innings, though he did not give up any run. South Korea nee.