Tanking for Draft Priority? Lee Sung-yong Firmly: "Everyone is Watching; How Could They Not Know? That’s Not Professional"

*This content was translated by AI.

There is no baseball that intentionally loses to advance draft selection order. Lee Sung-yong (55), manager of SSG Landers and a former general manager, drew a firm line against rumors of "tanking" for the remainder of the season.

SSG finished last season's regular season in third place but has mostly remained in the lower standings this season, except for an early surge. However, since the arrival of new foreign pitcher Pedro Avila in the second half, a clear turnaround trend has emerged. With the starting pitching rotation, which had troubled the manager throughout the first half, now finding stability, team performance has noticeably improved.

SSG ultimately defeated Kiwoom Heroes 9-6 in an away game on the 2nd, climbing from ninth to eighth place. They are now just one game behind seventh-place Lotte Giants and have a realistic chance of reaching as high as seventh. Moreover, SSG is widely regarded as having solid form, with six wins, three losses, and one draw in their last ten games.

Given this situation, a subtle dilemma has arisen. With playoff qualification becoming increasingly difficult, some argue it would be more practical to remain in ninth place to secure a higher draft pick next season. Manager Lee Sung-yong has also indicated plans to use the remaining games as a testing ground for young players while sketching out his vision for next season.

However, "intentional defeat" is not part of manager Lee's playbook. When asked about the possibility of game management influenced by draft order ahead of the Kiwoom Heroes game on the 2nd, the manager immediately shook his head without hesitation.

The manager stated firmly: "We cannot play games to match draft selection order. I can say this unequivocally. We will not lose because of draft pick positions." He added, "I have served as a general manager before, but that is not something that can be done on the field. Draft selection rights belong to the front office."

He continued emphatically: "Managers, coaching staff, and players on the field must do their utmost to win. Fans, media, and all observers are watching closely. How could they not know? Intentionally losing is unprofessional."

Of course, this does not mean he intends to be overly emotional about the current standings race. The manager noted, "We have already come too far to run based solely on standings. Right now, we are preparing for next year and testing various things." Yet he reiterated, "Still, winning is good. Players compete to win. When a winning opportunity arises, even our most trusted relievers are deployed," once again emphasizing his approach to games.

Paradoxically, as recent starting pitchers have performed better than expected, leading to tight contests, the manager also expressed concern that it has become difficult to find the right timing for the planned "leisurely testing." He concluded: "Our starters are pitching so well that there is rarely a comfortable situation to send in young pitchers or position players to gain experience. When Jung Jun-jae leaves due to his call-up to the Asian Games national team, we plan to actively use Ahn Jae-yeon and test another infielder, Kim Yo-seop, at third base during the remaining period."

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*This content was translated by AI.