Undefeated team ready for more Classic competitionBy Jim Street / MLB.com
TOKYO -- The water gets considerably deeper for the top-seeded team to emerge from Pool A in the inaugural World Baseball Classic.
Now come some big boys in the world of international baseball for Korea.
The team from Seoul played two tough games in the first round of the tournament, using their superior pitching to beat Chinese Taipei in a close game (2-0), China in a rout (10-1) and host Japan in a Sunday night thriller (3-2) at the Tokyo Dome.
And now they probably get a chance to take on Team USA in the second round, scheduled for next weekend in Anaheim. However, the strong American team must first get past two of the four teams playing in Pool B.
That round begins Tuesday night in the Valley of the Sun and you can be sure that Korea will have plenty of scouts watching Team USA, Canada, Mexico and maybe even South Africa, just to make sure all their bases are covered.
Even so, there was more talk Sunday night about playing the U.S. in Anaheim than anyone else.
"We have seen a lot of (MLB) games on television, five or six games a week," Korea manager In Sik Kim said after Sunday night's tense 3-2 victory over Japan in an outcome that sends Korea to the second round as Asia's number one seed.
That means they would play the top seed from Pool B (perhaps Team USA) in the second game Sunday in Anaheim.
"I have seen a lot of what Major Leaguers are like and have a certain amount of information on them," Kim added. "But I need more details. We have researchers (scouts) currently in America getting more information.
"I do know that the Major Leaguers on that team are so tough, so strong and so wonderful."
One of the best things Korea has going for it, though, is having a pitching staff familiar with most of the Team USA players. Six of them currently play for MLB teams and have faced the likes of Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and a roster full of other big-leaguers.
Rather than look too far ahead, tested MLB hurlers Chan Ho Park, who registered the save in Sunday's game against Japan, and finale starter Sun Woo Kim preferred to savor that win instead of looking ahead to a week-away clash against Team USA.
And can you blame them?
Before going to Anaheim, though, Korea will spend a week in Arizona getting prepared for Round 2. They will play the Seattle Mariners Wednesday night in Peoria, the Texas Rangers in Surprise Thursday night and the Milwaukee Brewers in Phoenix on Friday night.
Jim Street is a national reporter for MLB.com.
