“I don’t think it’s going to be an easy time in my life.”
KIA Tigers left-hander Lee Yi-ri, 21, sustained a number of “jousting” injuries during the final elimination process for the Hangzhou Asian Games. The national team concluded that Lee was not fit enough to throw 80 pitches per game at the Asian Games, while KIA’s position was that the blisters had healed and he was back.
Coincidentally, Ryu spoiled the comeback, which was witnessed by coach Ryu Joong-il on the field. However, Lee went on to excel after being left off the roster. He showed off his stamina by throwing over 80 pitches and over 100 pitches. Of course, he had his ups and downs, including giving up a walk, but he didn’t have any major breakdowns.
“I don’t think it’s going to be the easiest time in my life,” Lee said in an interview after being dropped from the national team. He was especially upset that he was told by the KIA front office, not the national team officials. It was not a smooth transition, and he hoped that the national team officials or coaching staff would contact him directly to explain the situation.
In any case, Lee didn’t make the team, and the Asian Games team went on to win the gold medal. And the Asian Professional Baseball Championship is less than a month away. The team will begin training at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu on March 6, with Ryu Jung-il at the helm once again.
There was some speculation that the KBO would not select Lee Yi-ri for this year’s squad, as his exit from the Asian Games was not smooth and confrontational. However, the KBO chose Lee because they saw that he wasn’t hurting this time. It means that it was different then and now.
Lee Yi-ri is a human being, 토스카지노 도메인 so it’s understandable that he might have feelings of resentment towards the KBO or the national team. However, it’s unlikely that Lee will just show up at the APBC to take tackles and throw the ball around. Lee has already said in several interviews, “If they pick me for the national team again, I’ll go.” He knows the weight of the Taeguk mark.
For Lee, the Asian Games will be forgotten and he will be remembered as a “really cool player” if he leads the team to the best of his ability at the APBC. The Asian Games will be held in Nagoya in three years. He’ll still have a chance to use his military benefits, and he’ll have plenty of opportunities to contribute to the national team, including next year’s Premier12 and the 2016 WBC. If he pitches well in this tournament and becomes an internationally recognized player, it will be to his benefit.
KIA has also been preparing for the APBC since early on. Coach Kim Jong-guk has announced that the players going to the APBC will be fully trained at the Okinawa final camp before traveling to Tokyo. This is so that they can prevent injuries and perform for the national team.
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