Byung-hyun Kim (; or ; born January 19, 1979) is a South Korean former professional
baseball pitcher. He had his most successful years with the
Arizona Diamondbacks and the
Boston Red Sox.
Kim is remembered for his role in the
2001 World Series
The 2001 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2001 season. The 97th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion Arizona Diamondbacks and the three-t ...
, in which he
gave up
"Gave Up" is a song by American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails. Written by frontman Trent Reznor and co-produced by Flood, the song serves as the sixth track of Nine Inch Nails' 1992 EP, '' Broken''. The song is noted for its multiple music ...
consecutive ninth-inning leads in both Game 4 and Game 5, taking the
loss in Game 4, though the Diamondbacks rebounded to win the Championship in 7 games over the
New York Yankees. Kim went on to
save 36 games for the Diamondbacks in 2002 and 16 for the Red Sox in 2003, and played in the 2002
All Star Game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or di ...
.
Early career
Kim is a 1997 graduate of
Gwangju Jeil High School
Gwangju Jeil High School ( ko, 광주제일고등학교) is a boys' high school in Gwangju, South Korea. It has 840 students in grades 10, 11, and 12.Keh, Andrew"School Spirit May Be Metaphysical for South Korean Baseball Players,"''New York T ...
.
Jae Seo
Jae Weong Seo (; Hanja: 徐在應; ; born May 24, 1977), usually referred to as simply Jae Seo and pronounced "Jay So", is a retired South Korean professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets, Lo ...
and
Hee-seop Choi were Kim's teammates in 1996 and they are very close friends.
[Keh, Andrew]
"School Spirit May Be Metaphysical for South Korean Baseball Players,"
''New York Times'' (Oct. 2, 2015). Named both the ''
Most Valuable Player
In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
'' and ''Most Valuable Pitcher'' for the National High School championships in
South Korea, Kim was selected to the 1996 National Junior Team, then named to the National Team in both 1997 and 1998. In that year, he pitched against the
US Olympic
United States of America (USA) has sent athletes to every celebration of the modern era Olympic Games, except for the 1980 Summer Olympics, during which it led a boycott to protest the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
American athletes have w ...
team,
striking out 15 batters in 6 innings. Later, he helped Korea claim the gold medal in the
Asian Games
The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation (AGF) from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until t ...
held in
Bangkok,
Thailand. Kim attended
Sungkyunkwan University's Faculty of Law until 1999.
Professional career
1999 season
Kim was signed by the
Arizona Diamondbacks on February 19, 1999. Kim went 2–0 with 32 strikeouts in 21.1 innings in El Paso (AA) and then went to
Tucson Sidewinders (AAA), where he posted 2–0 with 21 strikeouts in 17.1 innings. His ability to strike out batters caught the attention of Diamondbacks coaching staff. He was the youngest player in MLB at the time he debuted on May 29 at
Shea Stadium. He came in to pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning, and after retiring
Edgardo Alfonzo and
John Olerud
John Garrett Olerud, Jr. (; born August 5, 1968), nicknamed "Johnny O", is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman from through , most notably as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays te ...
, struck out
Mike Piazza and got the
save in the Diamondbacks' 8–7 victory over the
New York Mets.
On June 9, 1999, during a game against the
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
, a bandage covered in a foreign substance fell from Kim's sleeve after a pitch. He was immediately ejected by umpire
Ed Montague for possessing the illegal item but was not disciplined further.
2000 season
In the season, Kim got the
closer role when incumbent
Matt Mantei
Matthew Bruce Mantei AN-tie(born July 7, 1973) is an American former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. In his career, Mantei played with the Florida Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox. He batted and threw right-handed.
Career
M ...
opened the season on the
disabled list
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL).
General guidelines
...
. For the year, Kim struck out 111 hitters in just 70.2
innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one innin ...
(14.14
per nine innings), including 11 out of 12 batters over five games, and twice struck out eight consecutive batters. After his 14 saves and a 1.82
ERA
An era is a span of time defined for the purposes of chronology or historiography, as in the regnal eras in the history of a given monarchy, a calendar era used for a given calendar, or the geological eras defined for the history of Earth.
Compa ...
over his first 28 appearances, he was demoted to Triple-A
Tucson at the end of July. Mostly used as a
starter to restore his confidence, Kim returned to Arizona a month later. With Mantei reinserted as the closer, Kim pitched as a
setup
Setup (the noun) or set up (the verb) may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''Set Up'' (2005 film), a 2005 Hong Kong horror film
* ''Setup'' (2011 film), a 2011 action thriller heist film
Music
* ''Setup'' (album), a 1994 album by ...
man and also started a game after recording 84
relief appearances.
2001 season and the road to the World Series
Arizona turned to Kim again as a closer after Mantei was lost to injury for the remaining season. Kim responded with 19 saves, a 2.94 ERA, and 113 strikeouts in 98 innings.
He made his first career postseason appearance in the
NLDS Game 3 at
Busch Stadium to protect the Diamondbacks’ 5–3 lead against the
Cardinals with the go-ahead run at the plate in the 8th inning. After a
walk to
Albert Pujols
José Alberto Pujols Alcántara () (); born January 16, 1980) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball first baseman, designated hitter and third baseman who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Nicknamed "The Machine", ...
that loaded the bases, Kim ended the inning with a center-field flyout. In the 9th inning, Kim saved the game with the game-ending
double play
In baseball and softball, a double play (denoted as DP in baseball statistics) is the act of making two outs during the same continuous play. Double plays can occur any time there is at least one baserunner and fewer than two outs.
In Major Leag ...
off
Mark McGwire's bat.
In the
NLCS
The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the winners of the two National ...
against the Atlanta Braves, Kim worked a scoreless inning in Game 2, in which the Diamondbacks lost. Kim then picked up saves in Games 4 and 5 for the Diamondbacks. Kim entered Game 4 in the 8th inning with the Diamondbacks leading 7–3. However, prior to Kim entering the game, The D-backs had worked themselves into a bases loaded jam with no one out. Kim pitched masterfully in the inning, ending the bases loaded jam with a double play and a lineout. He then retired the next three batters in the 9th inning and picked up the save. The next night, Kim pitched another two shut-out innings and earned the two-inning save that clinched the Diamondbacks’ ticket to the
World Series. Kim became the first pitcher since
Goose Gossage to earn two-inning saves on back-to-back days in the postseason. In the 2004 postseason,
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
closer
Brad Lidge matched Gossage and Kim's feat.
With the Diamondbacks up two games to one going into Game 4 of the World Series, Kim relieved
Curt Schilling in the eighth inning with the Diamondbacks leading 3–1. Kim struck out
Shane Spencer
Michael Shane Spencer (born February 20, 1972) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. In Major League Baseball, he played a total of 538 games for the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians, and New York Mets, compiling 438 hit ...
,
Scott Brosius,
Alfonso Soriano
Alfonso Guilleard Soriano (born January 7, 1976) is a Dominican former professional baseball left fielder and second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals, and Chicago Cu ...
, and
Bernie Williams and grounded out
Derek Jeter
Derek Sanderson Jeter ( ; born June 26, 1974) is an American former professional baseball shortstop, businessman, and baseball executive. As a player, Jeter spent his entire 20-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the New York Yankees ...
. But
Paul O'Neill hit a
single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
off Kim before Williams' plate appearance and
Tino Martinez's two-out, two-run
home run tied the game in the bottom of the ninth inning. With another home run hit off Kim by Jeter in the bottom of the tenth, the Yankees won the game and tied the Series. Kim threw more than 60 pitches and was charged with the loss. The night after, in Game 5, Diamondbacks manager
Bob Brenly sent Kim again to the mound to protect the Diamondbacks' 2–0 lead.
Jorge Posada
Jorge Rafael Posada Villeta (born August 17, 1970) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball catcher who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees. Posada recorded a .273 batting average, 275 home runs, and ...
hit a leadoff
double
A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another.
Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to:
Film and television
* Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character
* Th ...
off Kim, and after retiring Spencer and
Chuck Knoblauch
Edward Charles Knoblauch (; born July 7, 1968) is an American former professional baseball player. He played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball, from 1991 through 2002, for the Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, and Kansas City Royals. He played ...
on a groundout and strikeout, Brosius then hit a two-run home run to tie the score. Later, Soriano hit a
single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
in the bottom of the 12th to win the game.
Despite Kim's performances in Games 4 and 5, the Diamondbacks clinched the World Series Championship in Game 7 at
Bank One Ballpark. He became the first Asian-born and Korean-born baseball player to appear and win a World Series title.
Kim later revealed in an interview how he felt during the 2001 World Series. "We went through the whole season, approximately 25 guys and then the coaching staff. That time it was like old people. They said, 'OK, we got last chance.'Some people said if we don't win, next year everybody's gone." Kim continued, "Then I gave up a home run. I didn't feel good. But we won."
2002 season
In , Kim set a single-season franchise record for saves (36), breaking the old mark set by
Gregg Olson
Greggory William Olson (born October 11, 1966) is an American former professional baseball player, coach, scout and television sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher from through , most prominently a ...
in (30). Kim finished the season with an 8–3 record, 92 strikeouts, and a career-best 2.04 ERA in a team-high 72 appearances. On May 11, 2002, Kim struck out all three batters on nine total pitches in the eighth inning of a 10-inning 6–5 win over the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
; he became the 23rd National League pitcher and the 32nd pitcher in major-league history to pitch an
immaculate inning.
On June 12, 2002, Kim pitched two shut-out innings with four strikeouts and saved the Diamondbacks' 9–5 win over the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium.
In 2002, Kim converted 36 of 42 save opportunities, eighth-best in the NL. Kim was selected for the
All-Star Game.
2003–2004
When
Matt Mantei
Matthew Bruce Mantei AN-tie(born July 7, 1973) is an American former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. In his career, Mantei played with the Florida Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox. He batted and threw right-handed.
Career
M ...
returned from the disabled list and became the Arizona Diamondbacks' closer, Kim joined the starting rotation. As a Diamondbacks starter, he compiled a record of 1–5 with a 3.56 ERA. On May 29, Kim was traded to Boston for
Shea Hillenbrand. Kim remained as a starter through June, but the Red Sox needed him as their closer because the Red Sox's closer-by-committee approach implemented following the advice of statistician and Red Sox adviser
Bill James
George William James (born October 5, 1949) is an American baseball writer, historian, and statistician whose work has been widely influential. Since 1977, James has written more than two dozen books devoted to baseball history and statistics. ...
was failing. On June 27, Kim made his final start for the 2003 season in Boston's 25–8 win against the Florida Marlins at
Fenway Park.
Kim became the Red Sox closer in July, converting 16 out of 19 save opportunities despite pitching through lingering ankle and shoulder pain caused by the injury he sustained in April. Although he did not give up an earned run in September, by the time the postseason started Kim was not healthy enough to be effective on the pitching mound.
Kim was pulled in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs in his only
ALDS
In Major League Baseball, the American League Division Series (ALDS) determines which two teams from the American League will advance to the American League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring ea ...
appearance in Game 1 against the
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
. During the lineup announcement in Game 3 at Fenway Park, Red Sox fans intensely booed him. Thinking that he did not deserve the booing after he pitched despite being in pain to advance the Red Sox to the postseason, Kim gave them the middle finger, but later issued an apology. Because of shoulder stiffness, Kim was left off the ALCS roster.
As a starter, Kim went 3–6 with a 3.38 ERA in 12 appearances in . In the beginning of 2004, however, problems with his balance—a lingering effect of the 2003 ankle injury—made him ineffective and cost him a spot in the starting rotation after going 1–1 with a 6.17 ERA in three starts.
Bronson Arroyo took Kim's starting rotation spot and Kim was optioned to Triple-A
Pawtucket in May. Kim rejoined the Red Sox in September. He was assigned to the bullpen and won one game in 5⅔ innings of work. Despite not being on the Red Sox roster for their
2004 World Series
The 2004 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2004 season. The 100th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League (AL) champion Boston Red Sox and the National Leag ...
championship run, he was awarded his second World Series ring by the team.
Kim briefly became a subject of talks between high-ranking U.S. and South Korean diplomats in August 2004. Upon his arrival in
Seoul as the new U.S. Ambassador to
Korea in August 2004,
Christopher R. Hill
Christopher Robert Hill (born August 10, 1952) is an American diplomat who is United States Ambassador to Serbia. Previously, he was professor at George W. Ball adjunct Columbia University in the City of New York, the Chief Advisor to the Chancel ...
spoke with his Korean diplomatic counterparts about Kim and the Red Sox, along with the U.S.–Korea relationship and other diplomatic and geopolitical issues surrounding the Korean peninsula. Ambassador Hill is one of the high-ranking "Red Sox fan" diplomats in the predominantly Red-Sox
U.S. Department of State
The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government responsible for the country's fore ...
and watched the Red Sox win the World Series while stationed in
Seoul.
2005 season
Before the 2005 season, the Red Sox sent Kim to the
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fie ...
, with general manager
Theo Epstein
Theo Nathaniel Epstein (born December 29, 1973) is an American Major League Baseball executive, who currently works for MLB as a consultant. He was the vice president and general manager for the Boston Red Sox and then the president of baseball o ...
calling the two-year deal given to him in 2004 "a mistake." Kim was traded for left-handed pitcher
Chris Narveson, who was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket, and
catcher Charles Johnson, who was immediately designated for assignment and released. As part of the trade, Colorado sent Boston $2.6 million to equalize the salaries.
Rockies manager
Clint Hurdle gave Kim the choice of taking a spot in the bullpen (Kim posted 0–3 with 7.84 ERA as a middle reliever for the Rockies that season) or a starter position in the Rockies' Triple-A team
Colorado Springs Sky Sox
The Colorado Springs Sky Sox were a Minor League Baseball team in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team played in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and was the Triple-A affiliate of the major league Milwaukee Brewers (2015–2018), Colorado Rockie ...
. Just 20 minutes later, Hurdle was told that Rockies starter
Shawn Chacón was injured and had to go to the disabled list, opening a spot in the Rockies starting rotation for Kim.
On August 8,
Sunny Kim, another South Korean starting pitcher who had just joined the Rockies from the
Washington Nationals, and Kim started doubleheader games at Coors Field against the Florida Marlins. They became the first two pitchers with same last name to start both ends of doubleheader since
Gaylord
Gaylord is a name of Norman French origin, from the Old French ''gaillard'' meaning "joyful" or "high-spirited". It may refer to:
People
*Gaylord (given name)
Surname
*Bill Gaylord (born 1967), British former alpine skier
*Charles Gaylord (1936 ...
and
Jim Perry for the
Cleveland Indians in 1974. The Rockies won both games and Kim collected a win.
Kim finished the season 5–9 with a 4.37 ERA as a starter. He filed for free agency on November 1, 2005 and re-signed with the Rockies. He earned $1.25 million in 2006 with a club option worth $2.5 million in 2007 (with a $250,000 buyout).
2006 World Baseball Classic
Kim represented Korea in the
World Baseball Classic, a tournament held during spring training before the 2006 season. Kim was credited with solid shutout middle relief performances during the tournament in Korea's wins against
Taiwan in the first round and Japan and the United States. in the second round. Kim collected a relief-win against Japan in the second round. In the semifinal game against Japan, Kim relieved
Jun Byung-doo in the 7th inning and then allowed a two-run home run to
Kosuke Fukudome
is a retired Japanese professional baseball outfielder. He previously played in Major League Baseball from 2008 to 2012, primarily with the Chicago Cubs and had a long spanning career in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) with the Chunichi D ...
. Kim intentionally hit the next batter
Michihiro Ogasawara
Michihiro Ogasawara (小笠原 道大, born October 25, 1973 in Mihama-ku, Chiba, Chiba Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese former professional baseball player. He is currently the first team head coach for Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
He had an ...
. Korea lost the semifinal game and finished third in the tournament.
2006 season
Kim began the 2006 campaign with the Colorado Rockies on the disabled list. Upon his successful rehabilitation, he made his season debut on April 30, 2006, against the
Florida Marlins in
Miami. Kim pitched impressively, giving up only one run on five hits while striking out nine batters. Kim established himself in the Rockies starting rotation for the season.
On May 22, 2006, Kim and his former high school teammate and then-
Los Angeles Dodgers' starter
Jae Seo
Jae Weong Seo (; Hanja: 徐在應; ; born May 24, 1977), usually referred to as simply Jae Seo and pronounced "Jay So", is a retired South Korean professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets, Lo ...
started against each other. This game was the first game in which two Korean pitchers started against each other in the Major League history. Both pitchers had quality starts, with Seo getting the win.
On May 28,
Barry Bonds
Barry Lamar Bonds (born July 24, 1964) is an American former professional baseball left fielder who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Bonds was a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1986 to 1992 and the San Francisco Giants f ...
hit his 715th home run off Kim at
SBC Park
Oracle Park is a Major League Baseball stadium in the SoMa neighborhood of San Francisco, California. Since 2000, it has been the home of the San Francisco Giants. Previously named Pacific Bell Park, SBC Park, and AT&T Park, the stadium's curren ...
and surpassed
Babe Ruth's 714 career home runs and put himself in sole possession of second place on the
all-time career home runs list. After a three-minute delay, Kim struck out the next two batters and pitched 5 innings to collect a win.
On July 28, 2006, Kim had five consecutive strikeouts against the
San Diego Padres, tying the Rockies record for consecutive strikeouts. In four different starts, he recorded nine strikeouts each against the Florida Marlins, Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals. Kim became the only pitcher in Major League history to pitch shutout wins in consecutive starts at Coors Field by beating the
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
on June 19 and the
Texas Rangers on June 25.
2007 season
Kim began the season with the Colorado Rockies as a reliever after he lost his starting rotation spot to
Josh Fogg. The Rockies' decision to move Kim to the bullpen was controversial. Kim contended that he was not given a fair opportunity during
Spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
to compete for a starting spot and asked to be traded.
After a spot start on April 15, Kim was placed on the disabled list with an injured thumb. He was assigned to the Rockies' Triple-A team, the
Colorado Springs Sky Sox
The Colorado Springs Sky Sox were a Minor League Baseball team in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team played in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and was the Triple-A affiliate of the major league Milwaukee Brewers (2015–2018), Colorado Rockie ...
, for a rehab assignment. Kim was concerned that his rehab assignment was longer than necessary and changed his agent to
Scott Boras in an effort to get a quicker trade. On May 13, 2007, he was traded to the Florida Marlins for
Jorge Julio. As a Marlin, he proved himself as a dependable starter.
On August 1, Kim collected his 50th career win with a career-high ten strikeouts in his starting matchup against Colorado Rockies' Josh Fogg.
Two days later, Kim was claimed off waivers by the
Arizona Diamondbacks. Kim's return to Arizona lasted two starts; the Diamondbacks designated him and
Joe Kennedy for assignment on August 14. Shortly after Kim left the team, Diamondbacks closer
José Valverde broke Kim's franchise single-season save record.
On August 25, 2007, the Florida Marlins re-signed Kim as a free agent.
On September 28, Kim collected his tenth win of the season against the Mets at Shea Stadium and became the second South Korean pitcher after
Chan Ho Park
Chan Ho Park (; ; born June 30, 1973) is a South Korean former professional baseball pitcher. Park was the first South Korea-born player in MLB history. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, ...
to win ten games in a Major League season.
2008 season
On February 24, 2008, Kim signed a contract with the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
. The Pirates had planned to use Kim exclusively in the bullpen. Kim made his first spring training appearance on March 10, 2008. After a disappointing spring training performance, Kim was released by the Pirates on March 25.
2010 season
On February 1, 2010, Kim agreed to a minor league contract with the
San Francisco Giants.
On March 20, 2010, the Giants granted him his release after he appeared in just one minor league game.
Kim later played with the
Orange County Flyers
The Fullerton Flyers were a professional baseball team based in Fullerton, California, in the United States. They were an independent franchise, not affiliated with either Major League Baseball ''or'' Minor League Baseball. The team played from ...
of the
Golden Baseball League in 2010.
2011 season
On January 25, Kim signed a one-year deal with the
Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of the
Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). That year in the NPB, Kim went 0-1 with a 2.66 ERA in 18 games.
On November 21, 2011, he became free agent.
2012–2015
On January 18, 2012, it was announced that Kim signed a one-year deal with the Seoul-based team the
Nexen Heroes
The Kiwoom Heroes () are a South Korean professional baseball team based in Seoul. They are a member of the KBO League. The Heroes play their home games at Gocheok Sky Dome in Gocheok-dong, a neighborhood located in the southwestern part of Se ...
of the
KBO League. After being used primarily in relief in the MLB and NPB, Kim was often used as a starting pitcher in the KBO.
On April 10, 2014, he was traded to the
Kia Tigers.
He retired from the KBO in 2015 with a career record of 11–23, an ERA of 6.19, and 190 strikeouts.
2018 season
Kim returned to professional baseball at age 39 in 2018, making 9 relief appearances for the
Melbourne Aces of the
Australian Baseball League, compiling a 1-0 record with an ERA of 0.93 and 9 strikeouts in 9-2/3 innings.
Pitching style
Usually described as a
submarine
A submarine (or sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability. The term is also sometimes used historically or colloquially to refer to remotely op ...
pitcher, Kim was a side-arm and under-arm hard thrower who uses a great variety of deliveries. Kim possesses a
four-seam fastball with tailing movement frequently hitting the low 90s, a Frisbee
slider with sweeping motion across the plate, an up-shoot
slider with a rising motion, and a
circle-changeup which he usually uses to strike out left-handed hitters. Nevertheless, during the three seasons between and , his main problem had been the loss of right pitching balance which caused difficulty in ball control and reduced ball velocity. During that time, he also struggled against left-handed batters. In 2014, perennial award-winning
third baseman Adrián Beltré named Kim as the toughest pitcher he had ever faced, due in large part to his pitching motion.
Career highlights
*A-Award,
''Arena Korea'' and
Audi Korea, 2007
*World Baseball Classic (in Japan and the United States of America) 3rd place (2006 Republic of Korea)
*World Series Champion (2001 Arizona Diamondbacks)
*All-Star (2002 National League)
Personal life
Kim owns a Japanese restaurant named Umi Sushi Restaurant in San Diego.
In August 2021, Kim signed with General Entertainment.
Filmography
Television series
Television show
Awards and nominations
References
External links
Career statistics and player informationfrom
Korea Baseball Organization
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO; ko, 한국야구위원회) is the governing body for the professional leagues of baseball in South Korea. The KBO was founded in 1981 and has governed two leagues: the KBO League ( ko, KBO 리그) and KBO ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kim, Byung-hyun
1979 births
Living people
Arizona Diamondbacks players
Arizona League Diamondbacks players
Asian Games gold medalists for South Korea
Asian Games medalists in baseball
Baseball players at the 1998 Asian Games
Boston Red Sox players
Colorado Rockies players
Colorado Springs Sky Sox players
El Paso Diablos players
Florida Marlins players
KBO League pitchers
Kia Tigers players
Kiwoom Heroes players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Major League Baseball players from South Korea
Medalists at the 1998 Asian Games
Melbourne Aces players
National baseball team players
National League All-Stars
Nippon Professional Baseball pitchers
Orange County Flyers players
Pawtucket Red Sox players
Sarasota Red Sox players
South Korean Buddhists
South Korean expatriate baseball players in Japan
South Korean expatriate baseball players in the United States
Sportspeople from Gwangju
Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles players
Tucson Sidewinders players
2006 World Baseball Classic players
South Korean expatriate baseball players in Australia