SSG Landers appoint Lee Soong-yong as manager

Lee Soong-yong poses in a photo shared by the SSG Landers on Friday. [YONHAP]

The SSG Landers on Friday appointed former KT Wiz general manager Lee Soong-yong as the Incheon club’s new manager.

Lee, who joined on a two-year deal with 900 million won ($700,000), takes over from Kim Won-hyong, who was fired last month after the Landers were swept by the NC Dinos to crash out of the 2023 KBO postseason.

A former infielder, Lee played 18 seasons in the KBO and won four Korean Series.

A one-club man in theory, Lee started his career in Incheon, where the Landers now play, with the Pacific Dolphins in 1994. He stayed with the club when they were renamed the Hyundai Unicorns in 1996 and when they moved to Suwon, Gyeonggi in 2000.

The Unicorns went under after the 2007 season and a new franchise, the Heroes, was launched in Seoul out of the remnants of the old club. Like most of the Unicorns roster, Lee signed with the new team and played for the Heroes until he resigned at the end of the 2011 season.

Lee worked as a television commentator before joining the Wiz as a coach, general manager and later head of player development. The move to the Landers sees him return to an on-field coaching position.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]