SOUTH KOREA – Korea’s secondary roster of 32 candidates to play in the second World Baseball Classic in March has been announced.  Included were slugger Lee Seung-yeop of Japan’s Yomiuri Giants and pitcher Park Chan-ho of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Lee had repeated his intent not to play in the competition, and Park wanted to focus on training for next season after signing a one-year deal with Philadelphia. Excluded was pitcher Baek Cha-seung of the San Diego Padres, who has become a naturalized American citizen.

The Korea Baseball Organization held a technical committee meeting in Seoul Friday attended by national team coach Kim In-shik (Hanwha Eagles) and six assistant coaches. They finalized the list of 32 candidate players, including five playing abroad.

The 15 pitchers on the list included Kim Kwang-hyun and Chung Dae-hyun of the SK Wyverns of Korea, who led Team Korea to the Olympic title in Beijing; Ryu Hyun-jin (Hanwha); Yoon Seok-min (Kia Tigers); and Bong Joong-keun (LG Twins), as well as Hwang Doo-sung (Woori Heroes), who was not in the initial list of 45 candidates.

Lee Hye-chun (Japan’s Yakult Swallows), Song Seung-joon (Lotte Giants), Ma Il-young (Woori) and Seo Jae-weong (KIA) made the initial list but did not make the cut this time.

The catchers are Park Kyung-wan (SK), Kang Min-ho (Lotte), and the nine infielders include Kim Dong-ju (Doosan Bears), Lee Dae-ho (Lotte), and Park Jin-man (Samsung Lions).

Among the six outfielders were Kim Hyun-soo (Doosan), Lee Taek-keun (Woori) and Lee Jin-young (LG). Five of the eight players active overseas made the roster, including Choo Shin-soo (Cleveland Indians), and Lim Chang-yong (Yakult).

The technical committee, which originally planned to finalize a list of 28 players, announced 32 because it said it wanted to wait and see in the hopes that Lee and Park will join the team.

Tags: South Korea, World Baseball Classic