Korea manager Ryu Ji-hyun celebrates his team's 11-4 win over the Czech Republic in the teams' Pool C game at the World Baseball Classic at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo on March 5. [YONHAP]

Korea manager Ryu Ji-hyun celebrates his team’s 11-4 win over the Czech Republic in the teams’ Pool C game at the World Baseball Classic at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo on March 5. [YONHAP]

 

Hours before the start of a marquee showdown against Japan at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) on Saturday, Korea manager Ryu Ji-hyun tried to downplay the magnitude of the occasion.

 

“Of course, any game against Japan is very important. But for us, all four games in the first round here are important all the same,” Ryu said at his pregame press conference at Tokyo Dome. “As I was preparing for this game, I thought of an ancient saying that highlighted the importance of a leader to take a look at the big picture. And that’s how I’m going to approach it.”

 


 

Korea started Pool C play with an 11-4 win over the Czech Republic on Thursday, and Japan began its WBC title defense with a 13-0 beatdown on Chinese Taipei on Friday. With the top two teams from the group progressing to the quarterfinals, Korea and Japan have both positioned themselves well for a knockout trip.

 

And with two more winnable games on the horizon for Korea against Chinese Taipei and Australia, Ryu may have an option of not pushing the envelope too much to eke out a win against Japan — especially since Korea will play a noon game against Chinese Taipei on Sunday.

 

Ryu said he felt the Japanese bats had finally come around in their massive win from the previous night after looking a bit sluggish in earlier exhibition games.

 

Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar, had three hits, including a grand slam, and drove in five runs, but Ryu said Japan is far from a one-man team.

 

“They have good hitters in all nine spots in the lineup,” Ryu said. “We have done our homework, and we will try to do the best with what we have.”

 

Korea manager Ryu Ji-hyun, right, celebrates after Moon Bo-gyeong hits a home run during a match against the Czech Republic in the teams' Pool C game at the World Baseball Classic at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo on March 5. [YONHAP]

Korea manager Ryu Ji-hyun, right, celebrates after Moon Bo-gyeong hits a home run during a match against the Czech Republic in the teams’ Pool C game at the World Baseball Classic at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo on March 5. [YONHAP]

 

With Los Angeles Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi starting for Japan, Ryu made some lineup changes to have more right-handed presence higher up.

 

The first four spots remained the same from the Czech Republic game, featuring three right-handed hitters in Kim Do-yeong, Jahmai Jones and Ahn Hyun-min. Shay Whitcomb, who blasted two homers from the No. 6 spot against Czechia, will move up to bat fifth against Japan. He traded places with left-handed Moon Bo-gyeong.

 

Switch hitter Kim Ju-won went up from No. 9 to No. 7, switching places with left-handed Kim Hye-seong.

 

Ryu said he felt compelled to make these changes because Kikuchi has given up harder contact against right-handed batters than against left-handed ones over his career.

 

But one key player in Ryu’s mind is Kim Hye-seong, a speedy contact hitter.

 

“If [Kim Hye-seong] can get on base for the top of our order coming up behind him, then it’s going to diversify options for us to score runs,” the manager said.

Yonhap