By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
Yomiuri Giants’ 70th No. 4 batter Lee Seung-yeop was sent to the minor leagues Wednesday due to his recent poor performance.
Japanese media reported the Central League leading Giants sent five players including the highest-paid player in the league to the minors to refresh the team, which suffered a five-game losing streak Wednesday night.
They added that the 30-year-old slugger has struggled since the beginning of the season due to a shoulder injury. The Korean-born hitter has recorded 15 homers and 42 RBIs with a batting average of .254, a great difference from his last season’s stats.
In his first season with the Tokyo-based team, he had 41 long balls and 108 RBIs while batting .323.
The longstanding slump cost the former Samsung Lion his No. 4 spot, which had been monopolized since opening day of last season, to catcher and captain Shinnosuke Abe on June 9 for the first time.
Lee, however, returned to his old slot last Tuesday against the Hanshin Tigers but remained hitless in his four at-bats and in Wednesday’s game, he was silenced at the plate, which were crucially responsible for his demotion.
It is the first time for Lee, the holder of Asia’s home run record, to be demoted after arriving at the Giants last year.
In 2004 when he joined the Japanese league with the Chiba Lotte Marins, Lee was sent to the minors in May due to hitting struggles and the next year he started the season in the minor leagues after going 1-for-20 in the spring camp.
The Korean hitter had a left knee injury last October, which ended his season earlier, and the shoulder injury has bothered his full swing at the plate.
As part of stopping his slump, Lee adopted a one-legged batting stance in May but after failing to adjust he returned to his old form.
In addition, Japanese pitchers are paying more attention and his bad timing has made him flop to a batting average of .250.
What’s worse, the second place Chunich Dragons trail the Giants by one game.
Lee will focus on rehabilitating himself in the minors instead of playing in the Eastern League.
Meanwhile, his stint there is expected to come to an early end.
Sankei Sports, a Japanese sports daily, reported that although Lee is off the Giants’ roster, he is expected to return to the Giants’ lineup in the first game of the second half against the Yokohama Bay Stars on July 24.
The first half of the season will last until July 18 and the All-Star game will be held at Tokyo Dome and Fullcast Stadium Miyagi, home field of the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, on July 20 and 21, respectively.