SSG Landers Choi Ji-Hoon dramatically got on the WBC national team. Choi Ji-hoon, who was included in the 50-man interest list (preliminary entry), but his name was not included in the final 30-man entry. But the opportunity came again. National team infielder Choi Ji-man (Pittsburgh) was disqualified from participating in the Pittsburgh Pirates based on his recent surgery history, and the WBC tournament organizers also held an injury review committee and accepted it after deliberation. The national team’s technical committee started to select a replacement player, and Choi Ji-hoon seized the opportunity.
Choi Ji-hoon, who is currently working on his team’s SSG spring camp schedule in Vero Beach, Florida, USA, will move to Tucson, Arizona, USA with Choi Jeong and Kim Kwang-hyun, who were selected together for the national team, on the 15th (Korean time) to prepare for the WBC. Choi Ji-hoon has shown a strong desire for the Taegeuk mark on several occasions. But the competition was fierce. There are many outstanding players in the national team, such as Lee Jung-hoo (Kiwoom), Kim Hyeon-soo (LG), and Na Seong-beom (KIA). Choi Ji-hoon, who boarded a plane to Florida, saying, “It’s unfortunate, but if I regret it, I’m the only one who loses”, now enjoys the good fortune of participating in an international competition called the WBC as a national representative.
In an interview with the club after being selected, Choi Ji-hoon said, “I didn’t expect it at all, but it feels good to be selected so suddenly, and I still can’t feel it. I will work for the national team with a sense of responsibility,” he said.
“I contacted my parents first. I was just talking to them on the phone. Thank you to my parents. Also, coach Kim Won-hyung gave me a chance to participate, so I was able to achieve good results last year. Thank you to the coach and to all the coaches on the team. I want to say thank you for teaching me a lot since I was a rookie,” said Choi Ji-hoon, “I have been building my body well in Korea during the off-season. I will prepare accordingly. Personally, wearing a uniform with the Taegeuk mark is a very heavy position and I feel burdened because I think it is a position that carries a lot of responsibility. However, as it is a position where the best baseball player in each country competes. I will do my best to focus on winning.” 먹튀검증