‘Lion King’ Lee Seung-yeop wraps up coaching stint with Yomiuri: “It felt fresh meeting former teammates as a coach”

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Former Doosan Bears manager Lee Seung-yeop (50) has concluded his tenure as hitting coach for the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), the team where he began his career.

The Yomiuri Giants announced on the 14th that “hitting coach Lee Seung-yeop will leave the team at the end of this season.”

Lee, who ended his playing career after the 2017 season, took over as manager of the Doosan Bears in 2023. However, after resigning last June, he was invited by then-manager Abe Shinnosuke in November to join the team as a hitting coach.

With Manager Abe departing amid a domestic violence controversy, the Yomiuri Giants also fell into an offensive slump. The team advanced to the postseason as the runner-up in the Central League but suffered a two-game losing streak against the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in the first round of the Climax Series, resulting in an early exit.

The former coach shared his thoughts via social media (SNS). He stated, “First and foremost, I sincerely thank all the fans who have supported the Yomiuri Giants without fail this year. I will be leaving the team at the end of this season.”

He expressed gratitude to his former team for giving him the opportunity to gain experience as a coach. Lee said, “I would like to express my deep gratitude to the organization and Manager Abe for giving me the chance to wear the Yomiuri Giants uniform again and guide the players.” He added, “Although it was a short period of one year, it felt truly fresh to meet former teammates who once shared the field with me, this time as a coach.”

He continued, “In particular, I would like to convey my gratitude to Coach Jellous Wheeler, who has always been a source of strength by my side as a fellow hitting coach, saying ‘Thank you!’” He added, “I am truly grateful that the veteran players led the team solidly, and that the young players, though lacking experience, showed infinite potential and gave their all.”

He also expressed affection for his former Yomiuri Giants players. “Although this season ended a bit early, I am confident that the future of the Yomiuri Giants is very bright because the young players have gained many opportunities and accumulated valuable experiences,” he said. He added, “I believe without a doubt that these players will soon become the best players in Lee Eon-cheu-reul (CEO).”

Finally, he stated, “Thank you once again for your support all this time. I will continue to cheer for the Yomiuri Giants’ future.”

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.View Original