SK Wyverns sign American coach for new post

SEOUL, Jan. 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korean baseball club SK Wyverns said Tuesday they signed former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitching coach Lyle Yates as their quality control coach.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) team said Yates, formerly an international scout for the Japanese side Yokohama DeNA BayStars, will work under their new manager Trey Hillman who signed a two-year deal with the Wyverns last October.

The Wyverns said they are the first club in the KBO to create a position called quality control coach following a request from Hillman. The position is frequently seen among the teams in the National Football League (NFL), but starting with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2008, Major League Baseball clubs have also adopted such a position, the KBO club said.

The Wyverns said Yates' role will be analyzing data for game plans, while helping the club improve its shortcomings. During the season, the 63-year-old American will also instruct pitchers and work as a scout.

Yates was the head coach at the University of California, San Diego from 1982 to 1994. He also served as a pitching coach with the New York Mets, the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers. He moved to Japan in 2003, working for the Chiba Lotte Marines and the BayStars.

kdon@yna.co.kr
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