Lotte Giants name title-winning skipper as new manager

DAEGU, Oct. 26 (Yonhap) -- The Lotte Giants announced a former championship-winning skipper as their new manager Monday.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club said Lee Dong-wook will take the reins on a three-year contract worth 2 billion won (US$1.5 million). The 52-year-old received a signing bonus of 500 million won and will make 500 million won each year in annual salary.

Born and raised in the Giants' home city of Busan, some 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul, Lee spent his entire six-year playing career with the Giants from 1997 to 2003.

After coaching stints with the LG Twins and the NC Dinos, Lee was named the Dinos' manager in 2019. He then led the Dinos to their first and so far only Korean Series title in 2020. During his championship season, Lee was lauded for his use of advanced data and communication skills.

Lee was let go by the Dinos during the 2022 season and has since served on the coaching staff for the national team.

The Giants finished in seventh place in the 10-team KBO in each of the past three seasons under manager Kim Tae-hyoung, who was not brought back after his three-year deal expired following this regular season. The Giants have not made the postseason, open only to the top five clubs, since 2017.

The Giants said Lee's data-driven approach and objective analysis will help establish an "advanced" brand of baseball.

"I am really happy to be back with the Lotte Giants, a team where I began my professional career," Lee said. "I will use data and trust in the players to strengthen the fundamentals of our team and reward our fans with good results."

The Giants said the new manager will be formally introduced in Busan on Saturday.

The team also named a new general manager Monday, putting former outfielder Lee Taek-geun in charge of baseball operations.

Lee, also a Busan native, played 18 years in the KBO, posting a lifetime batting average of .302 with 1,621 career hits. After retiring in 2020, Lee has worked as a color commentator and also served on the KBO's competitiveness enhancement committee, where he worked with the national team coaching staff on player selection for international tournaments.

The 46-year-old has no prior front office or coaching experience.

"I will use my playing experience to help develop young players and improve our organizational depth," Lee said. "I will also try to put the coaching staff in a position to make the most of their expertise and pursue the common goal with the front office."