[Sports Time] ‘Reverse Export Myth’ Kelly, “I want to see Choi Jeong and Kim Gwang-hyun at the WBC”
Merrill Kelly, who wrote the success story of the KBO League, supported the Korean WBC team.
Kelly played for the SK Wyverns from 2015 to 2018. He experienced a championship in 2018 and joined the Arizona Diamondbacks. In 2019, Kelly became the first foreign player to go through the KBO League and won 10 major league wins, and last year won 13 wins and 8 losses and jumped to the team’s second starter, writing a ‘reverse export myth’.먹튀검증
Kelly, who was selected for the WBC U.S. team to be held next month, pitched in a simulation game against Kiwoom Heroes held at Talking Stick at Salt River Field in Scottsdale, Arizona on the 23rd (Korean time) ahead of preparations for the tournament. Kelly took the mound once and threw 25 pitches, facing a KBO team for the first time in five years. He was a powerful thrower with a maximum speed of 150 km.
After the mound, Kelly met and greeted Korean reporters. He also expressed his pleasure in dealing with Korean batters for the first time in five years.
<Kelly: It was fun and nice to meet the Korean team on the other side after a long time. It reminded me of the old days when I played in Korea, and it was good.>
The pride and expectations of the national team that he first wore after his debut were different.
<Kelly: I was very happy. He was the first to join the US national team. He had no experience even as a teenager. Maybe this will be my last chance, but I think it will help my career. I feel honored and fortunate to have joined the national team.>
Kelly remembers her last four years at SK as the best moment and hoped to meet her Korean colleagues at the WBC.
<Kelly: I miss Choi Jeong and Kim Kwang-hyun. They were my good friends in Korea. I met Kwang-Hyun Kim, who was with the St. Louis Cardinals, here. I look forward to the day we meet again.>
The US team, which Kelly belongs to, is in Group C. Korea, which is included in Group B, can meet only after reaching the semifinals or higher. Attention is focusing on whether Kelly and Korean hitters will face off again in Miami, USA.
