Tommy Edman (St. Louis) is the first foreign player selected by the Korean baseball team.
This is due to the relatively open nature of WBC tournaments, such as his parents’ nationality, but thanks to that, Edman, who has a Korean mother, is able to participate in international competitions wearing the uniform of his mother’s country, Korea. Edmon, who is currently training with his teammates after joining the St. Louis Cardinals’ spring camp, had an interview with Korean reporters on the 14th (Korean time) at the team camp in Jupiter, Florida, USA. He was born and raised in the United States and although he does not speak Korean well, he can write his name in Korean and is eager to study Korean in preparation for his national team. He was delighted that joining the national team “is a source of great pride for his maternal family.” Edmund is expected to meet his varsity teammates for the first time in Seoul after training at camp in St. Louis through the end of February.
The following is an excerpt from an interview with Edman.
– The WBC is getting closer. what is the condition
▶ I look forward to it very much. It will definitely be a busy camp. The schedule is tight as I spend a few weeks here with my teammates, meet up with the Korean national team in Seoul and then move to Japan. But I’m really looking forward to it.
– Originally, it was known that you would join in Japan, but did you join in Seoul?
▶ It’s not certain yet, but it’s planned. My current tentative plan is to spend a few days with the national team in Seoul and then go to Osaka, Japan.
-There is not much preparation time until the 8th of next month (the day before the opening of the WBC).
▶I have already started to stand at bat. This is what I see as the most important. I started my preparations a little early this year, and there will be no problems with my grounder defense or arm condition until the tournament.
-In Korea, interest in Edmund has increased. do you feel it What advantages does he think he has?
▶I feel it. Thanks to that interest, he gains courage. My grandmother who lives in LA reads a lot of Korean newspapers. Her grandmother told me that there were a lot of articles about the WBC in the papers, and she had mine too. I also gained a lot of Korean followers on social media. I am a player who can contribute to the game in many ways. He has quick feet and is confident in defense and hitting. I am excited to show Korean fans the various things I can do. Also, I think my strong point is that I am not too emotional, and I am consistent and calm.
– How many players do you know who will play together on the national team?
▶ I’m excited to see KK (Kim Kwang-hyun) again. He was a great teammate at the Cardinals. When he played against San Diego, he talked to Ha-sung Kim a few times, and he heard that only Choi couldn’t come out. He’s a really fun and nice guy. Lee Jung-hoo, who plans to come to the US next year, also knows. I’m excited to see all the other players.
-Do you know that the national team captain (Kim Hyun-soo) has the same name?
▶Hyeonsu Kim. Of course I know. Isn’t he a player who played for the Orioles?
– Why did you give up the number 19 to Go Woo-seok? 카지노
▶To be honest, I don’t care too much about the uniform number. It’s cool to wear the number 19 here, but I’ve had several numbers in my career. Number 11 (which will be worn by the national team) is the number I used in my freshman year at Stanford University.
– The American press predicts that the Korean national team will rank 7th or 8th in the WBC. what do you think
▶I watched Korea play at the WBC in the past. It was a very well equipped and solid team. I know we have a chance to make a difference. Any team has a chance to win, not just the USA. Baseball is a really crazy sport.
-I heard that you have already started a war of nerves with your teammate Lars Nuthba, who was selected for the Japanese national team.
▶We are trashtalking each other. No matter who wins the Korea-Japan match, I will brag all year long. Hope we beat Japan. We are good friends in Nutba and St. Louis, so we have bragging rights after the WBC is over.
-Which player of the Japanese team are you most wary of?
▶Shohei Ohtani? He is the best player in MLB. I am excited to see what Ohtani can do in Japan, his home country.
-What do you want to say to your Korean fans?
▶Thank you so much for your support. It is a real honor to be able to compete as a national representative. I want to help Korea win.