Sang-kun Lee

Sang-kun Lee (이상군)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 9", Weight 150 lb.

• School Hanyang University
• High School Bugil High School

• Born April 21, 1962 in Cheongju South Korea

BR register page

Biographical Information

Sang-kun Lee won 100 games in the Korea Baseball Organization and once led the league in saves.

Lee pitched for South Korea in the 1982 Amateur World Series (when they won their first Gold in a global tournament), 1983 Intercontinental Cup, 1983 Asian Championship, 1984 Amateur World Series (1-0, 0.93), 1984 Olympics and 1985 Asian Championship (tied for second). Lee made his pro debut with the Binggrae Eagles in 1986, going 12-17 with a save and a 2.63 ERA. He finished among the league leaders in complete games (19, tied for first with Dong-yol Son), strikeouts (104, 5th), shutouts (4, tied for 3rd), games pitched (35, 10th), wins (tied for 9th) and losses (1st).

The lightweight right-hander was better in 1987 at 18-11, 2.55. He was second in the KBO in victories (second to Si-jin Kim), 5th in ERA, tied for 3rd in shutouts (3), first in complete games (24, 10 more than anyone else), tied for 4th in games pitched (33), tied for 5th in strikeouts (85) and first in innings pitched (246 2/3). Moving from a workhorse starter to a closer in 1988, the Cheongju native went 10-3 with 16 saves and a 2.40 ERA. He led the league in saves (two more than Seok-hwan Yoon), tied for 9th in wins and was second with 38 pitching appearances (two behind leader Yoon).

Lee had his last very good season in 1989; the 27-year-old went 16-5 with 3 saves and a 2.57 ERA. He was 6th in the KBO in saves and tied for third in wins. In 1990, the Eagles hurler was 6-4 with a 3.13 ERA, followed by a horrendous 1991 (3-2 with a 13.86 ERA and 36 hits in 12 1/3 IP). In 1992, the veteran bounced back to go 10-2 with two saves and a 3.82 ERA. He was 7-7 with 3 saves and a 2.52 ERA in 1993, finishing 8th in ERA, his last time among the league leaders.

Binggrae became the Hanwha Eagles in 1994 and Lee was 6-7 with a 4.26 ERA. He had a 6-8, 4.73 record in 1995 then was 0-3 with a 8.75 ERA in nine games in 1996. After two years' off, he returned to go 5-5 with a save and a 4.42 ERA in 30 games in 1999. In 2000, the 37-year-old was 1-2 with a 4.75 ERA. He went 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA in relief in 2001 to wrap up his career.

Overall, Lee had gone 100-77 with 30 saves and a 3.30 ERA in 320 KBO games.

After his playing career ended, Lee coached for Hanwha (2002-2003, 2007-2010) and the LG Twins (2004-2005). He also scouted briefly for Hanwha.

Sources

• KBO player page
• Korean wikipedia entry
• Taiwan Baseball Wiki