In the 5th World Baseball Classic (WBC), which will be held in March, if a winner is not decided in regular innings, a ‘match-up’ will take place from the 10th inning.
What started in the previous 11th inning is moved forward to the 10th inning, and runners start with only runners on second base, not first and second base like in the major leagues.
The WBC overtime matchup moved forward from the 13th overtime in the 3rd tournament in 2013 to the 11th overtime in 2017 and the 10th overtime again in 2023.
The changed timing of the overtime game also affected the entry composition of the Korean national baseball team.
National team coach Lee Kang-cheol plans to go ‘all-in’ in the first match of the first round of the finals against Australia, which must be defeated to advance to the semifinals.
It is also not unrelated to this that only two catchers were selected, the minimum number of people, instead of three catchers.
Although the variable of injury cannot be taken into account, the national team and the WBC Technical Committee’s strategic strategy is that it is better to select a counter runner and a defensive agent as a ‘joker’ rather than a catcher if the match win or loss is given priority in the situation where we have to put all our effort into the match against Australia. It’s judgment.
Athletes injured during the competition can be quickly replaced with other players who are not in the roster according to the close examination and judgment of the medical staff dispatched by the WBC Organizing Committee.
The pitch restrictions unique to the WBC will not change significantly.
Since the WBC is held right before the opening of major professional leagues, the WBC organizing committee has been managing the number of pitches since the first tournament to prevent pitchers from being overworked.
In practice games, pitchers can only throw up to 49 pitches.
The maximum number of throws is 65 in the first round of the main round, 80 in the quarter-finals tournament, and 95 in the semi-finals and beyond.
If you throw more than 30 balls, you must take a day off, if you throw more than 50 balls, you must take a break for four days, and if you fight for two days, you must take a day off.
It seems that the ‘Otani Rule’ will also be introduced.
MLB introduced the ‘Ohtani Rule’ last year for superstar Shohei Ohtani (29, Los Angeles Angels), who doubles as a pitcher.
This is a rule that allows a player who played as a starting pitcher and hitter to remain on the line as a designated hitter even if he is knocked out on the mound.
Ohtani will represent Japan at the WBC and face South Korea in the first round of the finals.
A KBO official said, “Since the WBC Organizing Committee has made rules for the tournament by applying MLB rules, we expect Ohtani rules to be applied like MLB.” 토토사이트