Retired star back with former team as coach

Published : Nov 2, 2017 - 11:49 Updated : Nov 2, 2017 - 11:49

A retired South Korean baseball star will be going back to his former club as a coach.

The LG Twins in the Korea Baseball Organization said Thursday former All-Star outfielder Lee Byung-kyu will join the team as a coach. His specific role hasn't been determined, though he'll likely be the hitting coach for the Twins' minor league club in the Futures League.

Lee, 43, is one of the Twins' greatest players. He spent his entire 17-year KBO career with the Twins, and batted .311 with 2,043 hits, 161 home runs, 972 RBIs and 147 steals in 1,741 games.

In this file photo provided by the LG Twins baseball club on July 9, 2017, former outfielder Lee Byung-kyu waves to the fans at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul during his retirement ceremony. Lee was named a coach in the Twins` organization on Nov. 2. (Yonhap)

He played in Japan from 2007 to 2009 and returned to the Seoul-based Twins in 2010.

Lee won the Rookie of the Year in 1997, after batting .305 with seven homers, 69 RBIs and 23 steals. He captured batting titles in 2005 and 2013, a season in which he became the oldest batting champion ever at 38. He won seven Golden Gloves, awarded to the best overall player in each position and a record six of them as an outfielder.

His No. 9 has been retired by the Twins. Lee is the only position player in the Twins' history to have a number retired.

"I am so pleased to begin my coaching career with LG, the only team I've known from Day 1," Lee said. "I'll do the best I can to help the players."

Lee worked as a cable television commentator in 2017. (Yonhap)