Lee Taek-Keun
Encyclopedia
Lee Taek-Keun (born July 10, 1980 in Busan
, South Korea
) is an outfielder
who plays for the LG Twins
in the Korea Baseball Organization
. He bats and throws right-handed.
, South Korea
, Lee was considered one of the top high school catching prospects. In 1998, he was selected for the South Korea national junior team that finished in 3rd place at the 1998 Asian Junior Baseball Championship
in Kaohsiung
, Taiwan
.
Upon graduation from high school in 1999, he chose to play college baseball at Korea University
instead of turning pro directly. Lee was soon regarded as one of the best offensive amateur catchers in the nation, becoming a fixture in the starting nine in his first collegiate season. In his freshman year at Korea University
, he was called up to the South Korea national baseball team, and participated in the 1999 Intercontinental Cup
. In Korea's first game of the round-robin tournament against Cuba
, he led his team to a memorable 4-3 victory, which was South Korea's first victory over Cuba at international baseball competitions organized by the IBAF.
In 2001, Lee was selected for the South Korea national baseball team, that finished in 6th place at the 2001 Baseball World Cup
. Lee was one of five amateur players on the roster.
In 2002, Lee competed for the South Korea national baseball team again in the inaugural World University Baseball Championship
held in Messina, Italy
, manning the designated hitting
and the catching positions.
. Although Lee immediately became one of the most reliable and consistent hitters in the team, he failed to make an impact with the Unicorns as a catcher due to his defensive deficiencies. So, the team convinced Lee to convert to the outfield in spring training 2006. As the 2006 season started, the team finally moved Lee to the outfield permernantly.
In the 2006 season, he finished second in batting average (.322), tenth in RBI (66) and sixth in hits (135), and was selected to the All-Star team. After the season, he was selected for the South Korea national team and competed in the 2006 Asian Games
held in Doha
, Qatar
.
In the 2007 season, he finished ninth in batting average (.313) and sixth in hits (137).
In the 2008 season, Lee had a .317 batting average, that ranked seventh overall, with 12 home runs and 118 hits. He also stole 18 bases, batting leadoff
. In August 2008, he competed for the South Korean national team in the 2008 Summer Olympics
held in Beijing
, China
, where they won the gold medal in the baseball tournament
.
In March 2009, Lee was called up to the South Korea national baseball team for the 2009 World Baseball Classic
. He appeared in 7 games, but mostly served as a pinch runner
and backup center fielder
. In the 2009 KBO season, Lee had another impressive performance. He batted .311 (eighth in the league) and posted career-highs in hits (142), home runs (15), doubles (26), RBI (66), runs (84) and stolen bases (43). Lee finished third in stolen bases (43 in 51 attempts) and his stolen base percentage
(.843) was higher than title-winner Lee Dae-Hyung and runner-up Jeong Keun-Woo
.
On December 11, 2009, he won the Golden Glove Award in outfielder nomination.
Busan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
) is an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
who plays for the LG Twins
LG Twins
LG Twins Baseball Club is a Korea Professional Baseball team based in Seoul, South Korea. The club was known as the MBC Blue Dragons owned by the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation until , when they were taken over by the LG Group...
in the Korea Baseball Organization
Korea Baseball Organization
The Korea Baseball Organization is the governing body for the professional leagues of baseball in South Korea. KBO should not be confused with the Korea Professional Baseball League. KBO was founded in 1981 and has been governing two leagues, Korea Professional Baseball and Futures League since...
. He bats and throws right-handed.
Amateur career
Attending Kyungnam Commerce High School in BusanBusan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Lee was considered one of the top high school catching prospects. In 1998, he was selected for the South Korea national junior team that finished in 3rd place at the 1998 Asian Junior Baseball Championship
Asian Junior Baseball Championship
The Asian Junior Baseball Championship is an under-18 international baseball tournament sanctioned and created by the Baseball Federation of Asia...
in Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung is a city located in southwestern Taiwan, facing the Taiwan Strait on the west. Kaohsiung, officially named Kaohsiung City, is divided into thirty-eight districts. The city is one of five special municipalities of the Republic of China...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
Upon graduation from high school in 1999, he chose to play college baseball at Korea University
Korea University
Korea University is a prestigious nonsectarian, private research university located primarily in Seoul, South Korea, and one of the SKY universities, a historical acronym used in South Korea to refer to Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University. Founded by Lee Yong-ik in...
instead of turning pro directly. Lee was soon regarded as one of the best offensive amateur catchers in the nation, becoming a fixture in the starting nine in his first collegiate season. In his freshman year at Korea University
Korea University
Korea University is a prestigious nonsectarian, private research university located primarily in Seoul, South Korea, and one of the SKY universities, a historical acronym used in South Korea to refer to Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University. Founded by Lee Yong-ik in...
, he was called up to the South Korea national baseball team, and participated in the 1999 Intercontinental Cup
Intercontinental Cup (baseball)
The Intercontinental Cup is a baseball tournament between the members of the International Baseball Federation . It was first held in 1973 in Italy, and was held every other year following until 1999....
. In Korea's first game of the round-robin tournament against Cuba
Cuba national baseball team
The Cuba national baseball team is the national team of Cuba. The team is made up of amateur players from the Cuban national baseball system, as there are no professional sports leagues in Cuba...
, he led his team to a memorable 4-3 victory, which was South Korea's first victory over Cuba at international baseball competitions organized by the IBAF.
In 2001, Lee was selected for the South Korea national baseball team, that finished in 6th place at the 2001 Baseball World Cup
2001 Baseball World Cup
The XXXIV Baseball World Cup took place in Taiwan from 6 to 18 November 2001. Participating countries were split in two groups, with the first four of each group qualifying for the finals.-First round:Results for Group A:# # # # # # # #...
. Lee was one of five amateur players on the roster.
In 2002, Lee competed for the South Korea national baseball team again in the inaugural World University Baseball Championship
World University Baseball Championship
The World University Baseball Championship is an under-23 international college baseball competition sponsored by the International University Sports Federation and sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation , which was first held in 2002 in Italy...
held in Messina, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, manning the designated hitting
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
and the catching positions.
Notable international careers
| Year | Venue | Competition | Team | Individual Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Asian Junior Baseball Championship Asian Junior Baseball Championship The Asian Junior Baseball Championship is an under-18 international baseball tournament sanctioned and created by the Baseball Federation of Asia... |
 |
All-Star (catcher) | |
| 1999 | Intercontinental Cup Intercontinental Cup (baseball) The Intercontinental Cup is a baseball tournament between the members of the International Baseball Federation . It was first held in 1973 in Italy, and was held every other year following until 1999.... |
7th | ||
| 2001 | Baseball World Cup | 6th | ||
| 2002 | World University Baseball Championship World University Baseball Championship The World University Baseball Championship is an under-23 international college baseball competition sponsored by the International University Sports Federation and sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation , which was first held in 2002 in Italy... |
5th | ||
Professional career
Signed by the Hyundai Unicorns in 2003, Lee started his pro career as a catcherCatcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
. Although Lee immediately became one of the most reliable and consistent hitters in the team, he failed to make an impact with the Unicorns as a catcher due to his defensive deficiencies. So, the team convinced Lee to convert to the outfield in spring training 2006. As the 2006 season started, the team finally moved Lee to the outfield permernantly.
In the 2006 season, he finished second in batting average (.322), tenth in RBI (66) and sixth in hits (135), and was selected to the All-Star team. After the season, he was selected for the South Korea national team and competed in the 2006 Asian Games
2006 Asian Games
The 15th Asian Games, officially known as the XV Asiad, is Asia's Olympic-style sporting event that was held in Doha, Qatar from December 1 to December 15, 2006. Doha was the first city in its region and only the second in West Asia to host the games...
held in Doha
Doha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
, Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
.
In the 2007 season, he finished ninth in batting average (.313) and sixth in hits (137).
In the 2008 season, Lee had a .317 batting average, that ranked seventh overall, with 12 home runs and 118 hits. He also stole 18 bases, batting leadoff
Leadoff hitter
In baseball, a leadoff hitter is a batter who bats first in the lineup. It can also refer to any batter who bats first in an inning.- Strategy :...
. In August 2008, he competed for the South Korean national team in the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
held in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, where they won the gold medal in the baseball tournament
Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing was held from August 13 to August 23. All games were played at Wukesong Baseball Field, a temporary venue constructed at the Beijing Wukesong Culture & Sports Center...
.
In March 2009, Lee was called up to the South Korea national baseball team for the 2009 World Baseball Classic
2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
. He appeared in 7 games, but mostly served as a pinch runner
Pinch runner
A pinch runner is a baseball player substituted for the specific purpose of replacing a player on base. In the typical case, the pinch runner is faster or otherwise more skilled at base-running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been substituted...
and backup center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
. In the 2009 KBO season, Lee had another impressive performance. He batted .311 (eighth in the league) and posted career-highs in hits (142), home runs (15), doubles (26), RBI (66), runs (84) and stolen bases (43). Lee finished third in stolen bases (43 in 51 attempts) and his stolen base percentage
Stolen base percentage
Stolen base percentage is a statistic used in baseball.A player's stolen base percentage measures his rate of success in stealing bases. Because stolen bases tend to help a team less than times caught stealing hurt, a player needs to have a high stolen base percentage in order to contribute much...
(.843) was higher than title-winner Lee Dae-Hyung and runner-up Jeong Keun-Woo
Jeong Keun-Woo
Jeong Keun-Woo is a second baseman and shortstop who currently plays for the SK Wyverns in the Korea Baseball Organization. He bats and throws right-handed.-Amateur career:...
.
On December 11, 2009, he won the Golden Glove Award in outfielder nomination.
Notable international careers
| Year | Venue | Competition | Team | Individual Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Asian Games Baseball at the Asian Games Baseball has been an event at the Asian Games, since the Games in Hiroshima, Japan in 1994.-Medal table:-Medalists:-External links:*... |
|
.182 BA (2-for-11), 1 RBI, 1 R | |
| 2007 | Asian Baseball Championship Asian Baseball Championship The Asian Baseball Championship is the main championship tournament between national baseball teams in Asia, governed by the Baseball Federation of Asia . It is held every other year in odd-numbered years and since 1983 it also functions as the qualification games for the Baseball at the Summer... |
 |
.270 BA (2-for-7), 1 RBI | |
| 2008 | Final Olympic Qualification Tournament | |
.320 BA (8-for-25), 5 RBI, 4 R | |
| 2008 | Olympic Games Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing was held from August 13 to August 23. All games were played at Wukesong Baseball Field, a temporary venue constructed at the Beijing Wukesong Culture & Sports Center... |
 |
.125 BA (2-for-16), 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R | |
| 2009 | World Baseball Classic 2009 World Baseball Classic The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the... |
|
.167 BA (1-for-6), 1 R, 2 BB, 1 SB | |