Lee Jung-hoo (26, San Francisco Giants), who plays in the U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB), is making headlines. Referring to the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), he said, "I don't think we should focus on too young players. We also need a veteran who can take the center stage," emphasizing "new harmony." 

The Korean national baseball team has seen its international competitiveness seriously deteriorate recently. It has gone downhill since it won the 2015 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier 12. Following the elimination of the 2017 WBC group stage, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and the elimination of the 2023 WBC first round, the team failed to advance to the finals at the Premier 12 last year. Although it won the gold medal at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, it is hard to say that it has turned around considering the strength of the opponent team.먹튀검증

As the slump in international competitions continued, the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) came up with a "generational change." After no medals at the 2020 Olympics and elimination from the 2023 WBC, the national team began to place age limits on its own. The team's strategy was to strengthen its competitiveness by giving young players with potential for growth experience in international competitions. The team has been made up of young players who can play well in the upcoming 2026 WBC and 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. 

As intended, the generational change for the national team was successful. Young hitters including Won Tae-in (Samsung Lions), Kwak Bin (Doosan Bears), and Park Young-hyun (KT Wiz) joined the mound led by young hitters including Kim Do-young (KIA Tigers) and Na Seung-yeop (Lotte Giants). If major leaguers such as Lee Jung-hoo and Kim Ha-sung (Tampa Bay Rays) and Kim Hye-sung (LA Dodgers) are added to the mound, the synergy effect will be even greater. 

However, it is unreasonable to say that there was a remarkable achievement. Excluding the AG gold medal, the team continued to suffer group league and first round elimination. It allows Australia and Taiwan, which were considered a lower level, to chase after each other.

In the KBO league, 37-year-old Ryu Hyun-jin (Hanwha Eagles) and 36-year-old Yang Hyeon-jong (KIA) are still at the top of the list. Younger players on average did not make the national team stronger.

In that sense, Lee Jung-hoo's statement of determination suggests a lot. "The national team is not a place to gain experience, but a stage where the best performers fight on behalf of Korea. Even though there are seniors who have performed well, young players should not be out in the name of generational change," he said. He also stressed that veteran players need to take the center stage considering the characteristics of young players who are prone to being swept away by the atmosphere because they do not have much experience. 

In fact, some pointed out that it was "Oh Seung-hwan from an old age" and "Kim Kwang-hyun from an old age" back in the 2021 Olympics and 2023 WBC. Many people longed for a generational change. And the Korean baseball team dealt with it through a "random generational change." There are voices of concern over this. 

There is only one year left until the 2026 WBC game. It is time to make a real outcome. However, apart from the generational change, the real preparations seem to be insufficient. Until this winter, Australia had warm-up matches with Hanwha and Taiwan with Lotte, respectively. This means that the team has already entered the WBC mode.

In Korea, however, new coach Ryu Ji-hyun, who was recently appointed, will head to Taiwan to conduct analysis of his capabilities with the Korea Electric Power Reinforcement Committee. "The U.S. players are also fully prepared. We need to prepare well," Lee said.

Perhaps, he is obsessed with "age" for generational change. More practical and concrete preparations are needed to prevent baseball from becoming less competitive in the international arena.