Interim manager for KBO club Wyverns resigns over team's poor performance

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- The interim manager for the South Korean baseball club SK Wyverns has resigned, leaving a leadership vacuum for a team coming off its worst season in 20 years.

The Wyverns of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced Saturday bench coach Park Kyung-oan, who served as interim skipper in the absence of ailing Youm Kyoung-youb, expressed his intent to resign following their season finale from the previous night. The club accepted his resignation Saturday.

Youm fell ill and briefly lost consciousness during a game on June 25, and Park assumed the interim managerial role from that point. Youm returned on Sept. 1 but lasted only five games because of recurring health problems. Youm himself resigned before Friday's game.

Park, 48, has spent 18 years with the Wyverns' organization -- 11 years as a player, and then the rest as their minor league manager, player development director, battery coach and bench coach.

The Wyverns finished in ninth place among 10 teams at 51-92-1 (wins-losses-ties) for a .357 winning percentage. It's the second-lowest winning percentage in franchise history, ahead of only the .338 mark (44-86-3) from their inaugural season in 2000.

"While working as the team's interim manager, I realized I had so much room for improvement," Park said in a club statement. "I feel responsible for our team's poor performance this year. I also thought it was time for a change of scenery."

The Wyverns are already in the midst of a major shakeup. They recently brought in their former general manager, Min Kyung-sam, as new club president. Earlier Saturday, they announced signings of two new pitchers, Wilmer Font and Artie Lewicki.

The Wyverns acknowledged Friday that former national team manager Son Dong-yol had interviewed for the managerial job. They're expected to name their new skipper sometime next week.

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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