The positions of two active major leaguers, Ha-seong Kim (San Diego Padres) and Tommy Hyun-soo Edman (St. Louis Cardinals),먹튀검증 of the Korean national baseball team participating in the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) are at stake. National team coach Lee Kang-cheol designated the two as the keystone combination (shortstop and second baseman) early on when the final entry was announced. However, it is because the Korean Professional Baseball (KBO) keystone combination Oh Ji-hwan (LG Twins) and Kim Hye-seong (Kiwoom Heroes), who were selected as their backups, are performing flawlessly in field training. On the 25th (Korean time) after a practice match against kt Wiz (the national team won 9-0), coach Lee murmured happily, “Should I send Kim Ha-seong and Edmon as backups?”

In the group stage of the tournament, which will be held in Tokyo, Japan next month, Kim Ha-seong and Edmon will play as the starting shortstop and second baseman, respectively. Coach Lee did not have to worry because these two players have been proven enough to rank within three fingers in their respective positions in the American professional baseball Major League (MLB) as far as defensive skills.

Edmon is the 2021 Gold Glove National League (NL) second baseman winner given to the best defender in each category, and Kim Ha-seong was named one of the three final candidates for the Gold Glove NL shortstop last year. The defensive power of the Keystone Combi is evaluated as the best among the 2023 WBC participating countries.

So, another shortstop Oh Ji-hwan and second baseman Kim Hye-seong who boarded the national team were classified as backup resources for Kim Ha-seong and Edman. However, Ji-Hwan Oh and Hye-Sung Kim are showing their outstanding performance every day in the off-season training at Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Arizona, USA.

Kim Hye-seong has the hottest bat in the national team. He wields a fire bat with a whopping 9-for-14 batting average of 0.643 in four practice games. He exploded with 4 hits in 5 at-bats before kt on the 25th. Oh Ji-hwan also had 3 hits in 10 at-bats in 4 practice games, and also picked up 2 walks.

Since the two of them are veterans who have gone through all the battles in the KBO league as well as the defense, they boast a perfect teamwork that makes them forget that they belong to different teams. In addition, Oh Ji-hwan and Kim Hye-seong are quick on their feet and have high baseball intelligence, so they can be put into various situations. The national team has a brilliant keystone combination and a reliable backup resource.

After the practice on the 26th, Oh Ji-hwan said, “I am preparing for this tournament by imagining various situations because there is a high possibility of playing in the latter half of the game.” Kim Hye-seong showed a humble appearance, saying, “She is working on training with the thought of not causing trouble to the national team.”