South Korea had a can-you-believe-it moment at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) last month as it reached the final.

But the aftermath of the tournament is bugging its pitchers, which stunned baseball powers, such as Venezuela, Mexico and Japan.

Whereas batters continue brandishing red-hot sticks before local fans, Kia Tigers hurler Yoon Suk-min has not collected a win in three outings.

He allowed five runs over four innings against the LG Twins Saturday and yielded six runs in five innings in the season opener against the Doosan Bears, which has contributed to his ERA rising to 6.00.

The 22-year-old right-hander made a name for himself in the Classic after allowing two runs in 6 1/3 innings against the Major Leaguer-studded Venezuelan team in the semifinals of the Classic.

He notched 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA in four games, including two starts.

Reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP) Kim Kwang-hyun of the SK Wyverns still has not bounced back from his WBC bad numbers.

The left-handed fireballer put up one loss and a 21.60 ERA in four appearances.

The 20-year-old, who started the season in the second-tier league, seemed to regain his form, pitching a three-run seven innings against the Tigers in his return on April 7.

But the 16-game winner last season gave up three runs in six innings and five runs in 5 1/3 to compile a 4.91 ERA in the 2009 season.

For batters, Hanwha Eagles first baseman Kim Tae-kyun, who led the packs in home runs and RBIs, has maintained his swing.

The 26-year-old is ranked third in batting average with a .435, and first in on-base percentage (OBP) with a .509 alongside a tie for fifth in homers with four.

Bears outfielder Kim Hyun-soo, who batted .393 in the WBC, has a .811 slugging percentage, the best record in the league, and a .415 average, the fifth best with four home runs.

Wyverns infielder Jeong Keun-woo leads the league in hits with 27 and bats .429, the fourth best.

Eagles third baseman Lee Bum-ho, who drilled a game-tying single in the ninth inning of the final, is tied for fifth in home runs after going deep for his fourth, which was a grand slam, on Tuesday night.

In the U.S. Major Leagues, Cleveland Indians outfielder Choo Shin-soo has flicked out three homers over the fence and eight RBIs with a batting average of .261.

As for Japanese players in Major League Baseball (MLB), the Boston Red Sox right-hander Daisuke Mastuzaka, who was again the WBC MVP, was placed on the 15-day disabled list on April 15 with fatigue in his pitching shoulder, which apparently came from the WBC performance ― three wins with a 2.45 ERA in three starts ― after he had posted a 12.79 in two games.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Kosuke Fukudome, on the other hand, has batted .357 with three dingers, 10 RBIs and 12 runs in 12 games.


article date: April 22, 2009
source: By Kang Seung-woo
ksw@koreatimes.co.kr