Kim Si-jin Named New Heroes Manager

By Yoo Jee-ho

SOUTH KOREA - Kim Si-jin, former manager of the Hyundai Unicorns, was named yesterday as new manager of the Heroes in the Korea Baseball Organization. After the financially troubled Unicorns were replaced by the Heroes before the 2008 season, Kim was shown the door after one season as the Unicorns’ manager and 16 seasons as the team’s pitching coach.

In an ironic twist, Kim will replace Lee Gwang-hwan, who took the reins from Kim for the 2008 season. Lee had signed a two-year deal worth 100 million won ($82,000) per season but the Heroes bought out the remainder of his contract and will pay him 100 million won in 2009. The Heroes finished seventh in the eight-team league with 50 wins and 76 losses.

Kim signed a three-year deal worth 200 million won per season, along with a 200 million won signing bonus.

“I’d like to thank the team for giving me the opportunity to manage again,” Kim said. “And over the next three years, I will do whatever I can to help improve this franchise.”

Kim, who won 124 games in his 10-year playing career to rank seventh all-time, was offered a pitching coach position from another club but said he chose the Heroes because of his history with the team.

“Some of the players are like my children,” Kim said. Most of the Heroes’ veterans were with Kim through his coaching and managing years.

“I know them well and they know me well. It won’t be too long before I can get the team on track for the 2009 season,” Kim added.

Kim spent the past season on the KBO’s operations committee. He said it was a year well spent.

“I learned some really valuable things about the game that I would have paid to learn,” he said. “And now my job is to teach the Heroes what I’ve learned.”

Kim has been a fine pitching coach through his career. With him, the Unicorns’ pitching staff produced four Rookie of the Year winners: Kim Soo-kyung (1998), Cho Yong-jun (2002), Lee Dong-hack (2003) and Oh Jae-young (2004). In 2000, Kim Soo-kyung, Chung Min-tae and Lim Sun-dong each won 18 games to tie for the KBO lead.

When Kim was let go before the 2008 season, the Heroes’ ownership also dismissed the Unicorns’ coaching staff. Kim said the team president Lee Jang-seok would give him “a significant voice” in helping bring back the old coaches.

“I can’t really say if we will have everyone back here,” Kim said. “But we will get that done sooner or later.”

The Heroes, after a tumultuous season during which Woori Tobacco severed its sponsorship ties with the team, have already seen general manager Park Noh-jun step down from his post last week. No successor has been announced.

Kim said he will only look forward from here and on.

“Next season will have to be better in every aspect than this season,” he said. “And if the players and coaches can all get on the same page, I am sure we will be rewarded for our efforts.”

Yoo Jee-ho is a Staff Reporter for the Korea Times

Source: Korea Times