National baseball team holds first training session at Taipei Dome

[Anchor]

The baseball national team participating in Premier 12 is preparing for their first game against Taiwan tomorrow, having held their first training session today at the Taipei Dome.

The venue is unfamiliar to the team, and Kim Do-yeong mentioned that the artificial turf feels like a soccer field, indicating there are many variables to consider.

This is a report by Moon Young-kyu.

[Report]

Players who have only trained at Tianmu Baseball Stadium are in awe as they step onto the ground of the Taipei Dome for the first time.

[Song Sung-mun/National Baseball Team: "The left and right center seems bigger than Jamsil Stadium."]

Only 2 out of the 28 players have experience playing at the Taipei Dome, making quick adaptation crucial. Infielder Kim Do-yeong immediately notes that the artificial turf is different from that at Gocheok Dome.

[Kim Do-yeong/National Baseball Team: "The turf is a bit strange. I've never played on this kind of turf before. It feels like a soccer field."]

The long and soft artificial turf is expected to slow down ground balls, which has emerged as a significant variable.

The outfield size is comparable to that of Jamsil Stadium, making it difficult to hit home runs, and the height of the mound is another aspect to be cautious about.

Completed last year, the Taipei Dome features state-of-the-art indoor practice facilities and locker rooms, with a seating capacity of 40,000, necessitating vigilance against one-sided support from home fans.

Among the six teams, the top two will advance to the Super Round. And the most important first game against Taiwan and the upcoming match against Japan on Nov. 15 are both taking place at the Taipei Dome.

For the starting pitcher against Taiwan, manager Ryu Joong-il has announced Go Young-pyo, while the Taiwan manager has been tight-lipped about their starter.

[Ryu Joong-il/Korean National Baseball Team Manager: "We will go with Go Young-pyo. The coaching staff believes that the swing type of the Taiwan team will struggle against low pitches."]

[Tseng Hao-ju/Taiwan National Baseball Team Manager: "The official announcement from the tournament organizers will come soon, so please wait."]

Taiwan's starter was announced late, and as expected, it will be left-handed minor league pitcher Lin Yu-min, whom the Korean team faced at the Hangzhou Asian Games.

This is Moon Young-kyu reporting from Taipei for KBS News.