Seoul: Taking over a team that missed the postseason for the first time since 2022, new Doosan Bears manager Kim Won-hyong said Thursday he will soon have the club playing meaningful games in October again. The Bears officially unveiled Kim, 53, as their new skipper in a ceremony at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Thursday, three days after announcing a two-year contract, with an option for a third season, for Kim worth up to 2 billion won (US$1.39 million).
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim, a former All-Star pitcher, was the Bears' pitching coach from 2019 to 2020 and helped the team capture the Korean Series championship in 2019. In Kim's two seasons in charge of the pitching staff, the Bears led the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) with a 3.91 ERA. Starting in 2021, Kim managed the SSG Landers for three years. In 2022, the Landers won the Korean Series title while becoming the first team in KBO history to lead the regular season from Opening Day and go on to lift the championship trophy.
This year, the Bears finished ninth among 10 teams this regular season with a 61-77-6 (wins-losses-ties) record, after finishing fifth in 2023 and fourth in 2024. Manager Lee Seung-yuop stepped down on June 2, with quality control coach Cho Sung-hwan taking over as interim boss. Cho was also interviewed for the job but the Bears chose the more experienced Kim, who thanked the team's ownership group Thursday for giving him the opportunity.
"The Doosan Bears have accomplished so much over the years, and the team's identity is built on strong teamwork and relentless spirit," Kim said. "I will work hard with the players to take this club back to the top." Kim fell short of declaring winning a championship as his goal but added, "I've been watching a lot of postseason baseball on television this year, and I feel like we should be there next year."
Kim, who had been working on the national team coaching staff before taking the Bears job, said he had scouted the Bears throughout the season and noticed glaring issues with the team's defense. But Kim also said he saw plenty of potential in young Bears position players and thanked Cho for helping them develop by giving them extended playing opportunities down the stretch, with the Bears out of postseason contention.
"I want to create an environment for fair competition between teammates and let the best players make the team at the end of spring training," the new manager added. Kim said he spent the two years between the Landers gig and the Bears job reflecting on his first managerial stint. "I learned that things don't always go my way and I have to keep my ears open to different opinions," Kim said. "Baseball has changed a great deal lately and players' mindsets and approaches are different, too. I have to adapt to them."
Kim said his brand of baseball may not be exciting or entertaining for fans but may end up generating wins. "Over the course of a 144-game season, strong pitching and defense will help us get the results we want," Kim said. "Baseball is all about playing the percentages."