Yomiuri Giants infielder Lee Seung Yeop was removed from the active roster Thursday with an injured left thumb, team officials said. Lee, who has fallen into a slump hitting just .254, underwent a detailed medical examination and was diagnosed with inflammation in his left thumb. "I feel bad that I have to be away from the team at this important stage," Lee said in a comment. "I hope my thumb heals quickly and I get back to the team after the All-Star break." Yomiuri manager Tatsunori Hara said he hopes to have the South Korean slugger back to his hitting ways soon. "He said he couldn't manage it anymore, so we'll just keep an eye on him over the next 10 days," said Hara.
