The Korean baseball fans will get a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet Hyun-Jin Ryu as the new icon of the LA Dodgers is taking the mound at the Opening Series of 2014 Major Lead Baseball which starts on March 22, this Friday.

The official MLB website announced that Dodgers manager Don Mattingly chose the $238 million pitcher Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu to take the mound on the second day of the event.

Don Mattingly said, “Ryu will be able to lead the team to win the game as he’s been progressing on his speed changes and other skills.”

“This will be an opportunity for Ryu to make up for his poor performance played against Arizona during last season. I trust him,” he added.

“The sophomore jinx doesn’t apply to me anymore,” said Hyun-Jin with great confidence.

Nonetheless, authorities reported that Hyun-Jin has kept himself busy with trainings and attending press conferences from the day of his arrival in Sydney on Tuesday.

Hyun-Jin also met his old mentor, Dae-Sung Gu after his arrival. Dae-Sung Gu, a finishing pitcher and a coach of Sydney Blue Socks team, taught change ups to Hyun-Jin back in 2006 when they were playing for Hanhwa Eagles.

When both players reunited again on the Sydney Cricket Grounds (SCG), Mr Gu was giving Hyun-Jin tips on curves. 
At an interview with The Korean Daily Hoju Dong-A, Mr Gu referred himself as the falling star and called Hyun-Jin as the new rising star.

Hyun-Jin said, “Thanks to players like Mr Gu, they have made it easier for us [Korean players] to play in a bigger field…like myself playing for the Dodgers.”

The Super Korean Hyun-Jin Ryu showed his confidence for this series as he scored his best earned run average (ERA) of 2.00 during the exhibition game.

Hyun-Jin will be throwing against Trevor Cahill of the Arizona Diamondbacks on the transformed grounds of SCG on Sunday the 23rd.

By KeunNyoung Ko, English staff reporter