New Lotte Giants General Manager Lee Taek-keun Pleads for One Last Game on 'Burn to Win'

Newly appointed Lotte Giants General Manager Lee Taek-keun has requested to play in at least one more game on 'Burn to Win' following his appointment. In response to the request on the 26th, producer Jang Si-won jokingly suggested a retirement ceremony after citing Lee's .228 batting average.

Lee Taek-keun, who has opened a new chapter in his baseball career as the new General Manager of the Lotte Giants, is wondering if he will be able to stand at the plate one last time as a player on 'Burn to Win.' As he moves into a leadership role in the front office, he personally requested to play in just one more game, prompting 'Burn to Win' producer Jang Si-won to jokingly mention a retirement ceremony, drawing interest from baseball fans.

Jang Si-won, a producer at Studio C1 which produces 'Burn to Win,' revealed a conversation with Lee Taek-keun on his SNS on the 26th. The exchange between Lee, who expressed lingering affection for the field even after the news of his appointment as the new Lotte Giants General Manager, and Jang's witty response drew laughter.

In the revealed conversation, Lee Taek-keun requested of Producer Jang, "Producer Jang, please let me play in at least one game after the announcement." Despite being tasked with the heavy responsibility of being a General Manager for a professional baseball club, he expressed his desire to play once more as a player in 'Burn to Win,' where he is currently active. This has heightened curiosity regarding whether his return to the field, a sight familiar to fans from his active playing days, will actually materialize.

Jang's reply came with an unexpected number. In response to Lee's request, he replied with "0.228," referring to a batting average. He joked about the player's desperate request ahead of retirement by presenting his statistics. Furthermore, Jang added the text, "Congratulations. We will hold a retirement ceremony," seemingly forecasting Lee's departure from 'Burn to Win' as a fait accompli. However, it has not been confirmed from the released content whether an actual retirement ceremony or a final game schedule has been finalized.

Lee Taek-keun is currently active as a player for the Fire Fighters in 'Burn to Win.' However, with his official appointment as the Lotte Giants General Manager, a change between his roles as a player and a club operations official has become inevitable. As the General Manager of a professional baseball club is a position responsible for core club duties such as roster construction and strengthening team strength, it remains uncertain whether he can continue to appear as a player in the entertainment program.

In this situation, with Lee Taek-keun personally requesting one game and Jang Si-won mentioning a retirement ceremony, his final appearance has emerged as a new point of interest. Depending on whether it ends with a simple departure from the program or a special game prepared to say goodbye to fans, the final scene in 'Burn to Win' may differ. In particular, since Lee himself expressed his intention to play, how the production team will respond to his request is a point to watch.

Lotte Giants announced on this day that they have appointed Lee Taek-keun, a former KBO strength reinforcement committee member, as the new General Manager. He has taken on a new role responsible for club operations based on his experience as a player. Attention is also focused on what kind of changes Lee Taek-keun, who has been active in the professional baseball field for a long time, will lead as a member of the front office.

Lee Taek-keun was selected as the 24th overall pick in the 2nd round, 3rd round of the 1999 rookie draft by the Hyundai Unicorns and debuted on the first-team stage in 2003. He played as a professional player for 18 years until 2020, passing through the Hyundai Unicorns, Heroes, LG Twins, and Nexen/Kiun Heroes. As he played as an outfielder during his active years and experienced multiple clubs, his ability to understand both the players and club operations is an element of note in his new role.

Even after retiring from active play, Lee Taek-keun did not distance himself from baseball. He continued coaching training and activities as a baseball commentator, and gained experience in the baseball world working as a KBO strength reinforcement committee member. Until recently, he met fans as a baseball commentator for TVING and as a player for 'Burn to Win.' Having communicated with baseball fans through commentary and entertainment, he now stands at a new starting line as a General Manager of a professional baseball club.

Whether Lee Taek-keun, ahead of his first steps as the Lotte Giants General Manager, can swing the bat one last time in 'Burn to Win' remains to be seen. Interest is focused on whether Producer Jang Si-won's mention of a retirement ceremony will lead to an actual game and whether a special farewell stage will be prepared to leave another memory for the fans.

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