Injury Haunts WBC Stars
By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
After winning a silver medal at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March, the Korean national team players may have been hoping to carry over that success into the summer.
However, an injury epidemic seems to have hit the national team's players since then, as most of the key contributors to the Korea's run to the final have been slowed by injuries this season.
Among the players slotted in the starting line-up in the final, only Choo Shin-soo, who plays for the Cleveland Indians in Major League Baseball, has avoided the injury bug.
SK Wyverns catcher Park Kyung-oan, who was behind the plate throughout the tournament, became the latest victim after suffering a season-ending torn Achilles tendon while running to second base in Wednesday's game against the Kia Tigers.
Kim Hyun-soo of the Doosan Bears, who went 11-for-28 with a batting average of .393 in the Classic, is down with a collarbone injury after the leftfielder collided with the fence while chasing down a liner by Park Jae-hong during a game against the Wyverns on Sunday.
Although Kim, whose .368 batting average is second best in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), hit a solo-shot three days later, he said he still feels some pain while taking a swing.
Kia Tigers' fleet-footed outfielder Lee Yong-kyu, who attained fame for his hustle during the baseball championship, was sidelined in his third game of the 2009 season after hurting his right ankle when he crashed into the wall.
After leading the WBC in homers and RBIs with three and 11 apiece, Hanwha Eagles' slugging first baseman Kim Tae-kyun was expected to put up big numbers in the final year of his contract, but a collision at home plate in late April prevented the 27-year-old from regaining his form. He has been playing in the minor leagues since May 27.
Bears second baseman Ko Young-min was ruled out with ankle ligament damage for more than a month, and his teammate, outfielder Lee Jong-wook, who collided with a teammate while tracking a shallow pop-up earlier this month, will be sidelined for more than two months.
In addition, Lee Bum-ho, Jeong Keun-woo, Lee Taek-keun and Lee Jin-young have also suffered from various injuries, while Lotte Giants catcher Kang Min-ho, a backup to Park, has been plagued with elbow pain.