Eagles to livestream scrimmage featuring Ryu Hyun-jin
SEOUL, March 5 (Yonhap) -- Not all spring training scrimmages are created equal. Just ask the Hanwha Eagles in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO).
The Eagles said Tuesday they will livestream their intrasquad game on Thursday on their official YouTube channel, starting at 1 p.m. The game at Hanwha Life Eagles Park in Daejeon, about 160 kilometers south of Seoul, will be the first start in South Korea for former major league All-Star Ryu Hyun-jin since October 2012.
Once Eagles manager Choi Won-ho announced Monday that Ryu will make an appearance in Thursday's game, the team has been bombarded with requests for streaming of the game. Because it is not an official KBO preseason game, it was not scheduled to be televised on cable. During spring training, KBO teams livestream occasional scrimmages, but the upcoming game for the Eagles has a much different feel to it.
Ryu first pitched for the Eagles from 2006 to 2012 and then spent the next 11 years in Major League Baseball (MLB). The 2006 KBO MVP and the Rookie of the Year reunited with the Eagles on an eight-year contract signed last month. After pitching in the bullpen and throwing a live batting practice during camp in Okinawa, Japan, Ryu will continue to ramp up for the regular season with Thursday's scrimmage. It will be followed by two preseason outings on March 12 and 17.
If all goes well, Ryu will be lined up to start on Opening Day, March 23, against the defending Korean Series champions LG Twins.
Ryu has been stretched out to 65 pitches and is expected to throw about the same number of pitches Thursday.
In that game, Ryu will be opposed by hard-throwing right-hander Moon Dong-ju, the 2023 KBO Rookie of the Year. It's a matchup pitting the Eagles franchise icon against the future face of the club, adding even more intrigue to what would otherwise be a meaningless early-March game.
Ryu's return has sent a jolt through a fanbase desperate for success. Since Ryu left for the Los Angeles Dodgers before the 2013 season, the Eagles have reached the postseason only once and finished in last place five times. Through Ryu will soon turn 37 and is coming off his second Tommy John elbow operation, he is still expected to be one of the KBO's top starting pitchers.
Thursday's scrimmage will be played behind closed doors, but fans will be able to get their glimpse of Ryu in person during the official preseason.
All weekday games are free during the preseason, but teams will charge fans for weekend affairs.
The Eagles said their first preseason game against the Samsung Lions on Saturday has been sold out, even though Ryu is not scheduled to pitch that day, and they plan on making more outfield seats available.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
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