WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: POOL B - CZECH REPUBLIC VS KOREA

March 12, 2023

Kang Chul Lee

Tokyo Dome

Team Korea

Pregame Press Conference

Q. Did you make any big change in the starting lineup for today?

KANG CHUL LEE: Yes, Edman, lead-off guy hitting ninth, Park ByungHo playing DH. Park Kunwoo, will be leading off for us for today.

Q. You watched Czech play in the previous two games. How do you evaluate Czech baseball, both offense and defense?

KANG CHUL LEE: Yes, I watched two games, and what I felt is they have a strong physical, and they have very much improved their baseball and contact with the fastball. Although they swing -- like last night, they swing hard at 95-plus-speed pitches, but at the same time, they are not good at making contact with breaking balls. But overall, their baseball skill is way better than we thought.

Q. You mentioned changes in your starting lineup. What about the pitching staff? Is there any big change for your pitching staff?

KANG CHUL LEE: Yes, Ko Young Pyo I just checked his condition, he is available for today. And the bullpen, we have some bullpen, having good condition, approximately six pitchers will be available for today.

Q. You have a very young pitching staff. What do you tell them to move on from the Japan game, and how important is that for both this tournament and the future of the Korean team?

KANG CHUL LEE: Yes, we were defeated by Japan. I haven't talked to them yet regarding the result. I'm wishing them, especially for our younger bullpen pitcher, even though I didn't talk with them directly, each one of them felt by themselves, looking back at the previous games against Japan, I wish the result is giving them an extra power and extra message to them from the result.