Ahn Woo-jin (26) is the only one who can beat Ohtani."

The three legends who led the heyday of Korean baseball nodded. Ahn Woo-jin's skill was that he deserved a try in any international competition.메이저놀이터

Ryu Yoon-Kim, dubbed the "troika of Korean baseball fantasy," Ryu Hyun-jin (38, Hanwha Eagles), Yoon Seok-min (39, retired), and Kim Kwang-hyun (37, SSG Landers) gathered together. The three recently appeared on Yoon Seok-min's YouTube channel "Cyber Yoon Seok-min" and talked a lot.

Kim chose Ahn Woo-jin first, followed by Kwak Bin (Doosan) and Moon Dong-ju (Hanwha). The same applies to Ryu, who picked Ahn Woo-jin first, followed by Won Tae-in (Samsung) and Moon Dong-ju.

Ryu Hyun-jin and Kim Kwang-hyun mentioned, "Ahn Woo-jin is a clear No. 1," while Yoon Seok-min evaluated, "Although it is a sensitive issue, the national team with Ahn Woo-jin and the national team without Ahn Woo-jin are completely different."

Kim Kwang-hyun went even further, saying, "In my opinion, Ahn Woo-jin is the only one who can beat Ohtani," and Yoon Seok-min said, "I think it's worth trying if there's Ahn Woo-jin, whether it's the U.S., Japan, Venezuela, or the Dominican Republic, but that's too bad."

Ahn Woo-jin, who joined Nexen (Kium's predecessor) as the first designation in 2018 after graduating from Hwimungo, received high expectations from the beginning, receiving a down payment of 600 million won, and he was active with 43 wins, 35 losses, two saves, 14 holds, and an ERA of 3.21, for six seasons until 2023 before joining the military as a social service worker. His performances have shone in the last two seasons. In 2022, he won 15 games with ERA 2.11 and 224 strikeouts, winning the Golden Glove along with two pitchers, and left a remarkable impact with 9 wins and ERA 2.39 in 24 games in 2023.

Ahn Woo-jin, who pitches mainly on fast balls and high-speed sliders with a maximum speed of 160 kilometers per hour, is improving his completeness by mixing high-quality curves and change-ups.

The U.S. baseball statistics website FanGraphic also expressed high expectations by ranking Ahn 21st among KBO players, the highest after Kim Do-young (19th). He is also considered the No. 1 player who will advance to the next Major League Baseball (MLB) based on his annual career and expectations.

Korean baseball has been humiliated by being eliminated from the group league for the third consecutive time at the World Baseball Classic, where all the world's biggest stars are participating. This is the fall of Korean baseball, which used to be the champion at the first tournament in 2006 and the runner-up at the second tournament in 2009.

They found the cause in the absence of a clear starting pitcher. "When we were young, the three of us were starters, and it's about winning or losing a game, so if we score one or two points without giving a point, we win," Kim Kwang-hyun said. "That's not possible now."

Ryu recalled the game against copyright at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, when he pitched shutout game, and Kim Kwang-hyun said, "Baseball is a no-brainer. If our pitcher throws well, we will win. (The Beijing Olympics) was 1-0 with China and 1-0 with copyright," adding, "I have confidence that I can win if I have a good starting pitcher, no matter which strong team I encounter."

If Ahn Woo-jin is elected as a member of the national team, the situation could be different. However, there is one restriction on Ahn's selection as a member of the national team. Ahn bullied his junior in high school and was suspended for three years by the Korea Baseball Softball Association in November 2017. Although the disciplinary action has already ended, the disciplined player will be permanently suspended from international matches hosted by the Korea Sports Association. This is why Ahn Woo-jin gave up expectations for military exemption through gold medals at the Asian Games and fulfilled his military duty normally.

However, since the WBC is a competition organized by the KBO, which has nothing to do with the Korean Olympic Committee, there is no obstacle to participation in the competition. Nevertheless, the committee was excluded from the starting list in 2023 due to controversy. "We decided on the 30 players considering the symbolic meaning, responsibility and pride of the national team representing the country along with the players' skills," said Cho Bum-hyun, chairman of the technical committee, indirectly explaining the reason for excluding Ahn Woo-jin.

This is also the reason why Yoon Seok-min expressed expectations for Ahn Woo-jin's selection for the national team, even though he said it was a "sensitive problem."

The Japanese media Full Count also introduced the YouTube video on the 11th, saying, "Heroes in their home countries are expecting the treasure that Korea boasts," adding, "On Yoon Seok-min's YouTube program, which won the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics, Ryu Hyun-jin from the Dodgers and Kim Kwang-hyun from SSG, known as the Japanese killer, appeared, saying, "Ahn Woo-jin is the only player who can beat Otani."

The media also pointed out Korea's recent sluggishness in international competitions and introduced that Ryu Hyun-jin and Kim Kwang-hyun picked Ahn Woo-jin as the first players to solve this problem. The full count conveyed Ahn Woo-jin's history and said, "It is 2026 that Ahn Woo-jin returns to the mound due to injuries and military service," adding, "There are reports that he is not qualified for the national team at all due to past mishaps. Can Ahn Woo-jin really help his motherland, which is seeking to revive on the international stage?" hinting at Ahn Woo-jin's possible participation in the 2026 WBC.

It is not an easy matter. With the academic background issue emerging as an important social issue, it will be difficult to prematurely select Ahn as a member of the national team. However, given that Ahn is highly competitive in the international arena, as legends say, Ahn will likely decide whether to select Ahn as a WBC player or not, considering how much he has reflected on himself and whether the public is ready to accept the decision beyond the baseball community. Although there is still about a year left, the head coach will likely be agonizing over Ahn's selection early on.