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Byung-Hyun Kim
Kim, while with the Marlins, in June of 2007
Free Agent
Starting Pitcher
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
debut
May 29, 1999, for the Arizona Diamondbacks
Career statistics
(through September 28, 2007)
Win-Loss54-60
Saves86
Earned Run Average4.42
Strikeouts806
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams
Korean name
Hangul
김병현
Hanja
金炳賢
Revised RomanizationGim Byeong-hyeon
McCune–ReischauerKim Pyŏng-hyŏn

Byung-Hyun Kim (born January 19, 1979 in Gwangju, South Korea) is a right-handed submarine/sidearm pitcher in Major League Baseball and is currently a free agent. Previously, he played for the Arizona Diamondbacks (May 1999- May 2003, August 2007 for 12 days), Boston Red Sox (May 2003 - March 2005), Colorado Rockies (March 2005 - May 2007), and Florida Marlins (May 2007 - August 3, 2007, August 25, 2007 - September 30, 2007).

Usually described as a submarine pitcher, Kim is 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 90's, 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 3 seasons between 2004 and 2006, his main problem had been the loss of right pitching balance, which caused difficulty in ball control, reduced ball velocity, and an appearance of inability to handle pressure to those who did not understand the relationship between the balance and an overall performance for an underhand pitcher. During that time, he also struggled against left-handed batters. But his performance has improved each season since 2005.

Kim is a 1997 graduate of Gwangju First High School. Jae Seo and Hee Seop Choi were Kim's teammates in 1996 and they are very close friends. Named both the Most Valuable Player and Most Valuable Pitcher for the National High School championships in 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 team, striking out 15 batters in 6 2/3 innings. Later, he helped Korea claim the gold medal in the Asian Games held in Bangkok, Thailand. Kim attended Sungkyunkwan University's Faculty of Law until 1999.

1999 season

Kim was signed by Arizona on February 19, 1999, one month after his 20th birthday. 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 staffs. It's been said that his manager Buck Showalter nicknamed him B.K. after his first and last name initials because he appeared like a pitcher Born to striKe out batters. He was the youngest player in the 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, struck out Mike Piazza and got the save in the Diamondbacks' 8-7 victory over the New York Mets.

2000 season

In the 2000 season, Kim got the closer role when incumbent Matt Mantei opened the season on the disabled list. For the year, Kim struck out 111 hitters in just 70.2 innings pitched (14.14 per nine innings), including 11 out of 12 batters over five games, and twice struck out eight consecutive batters. But Kim would also struggle in part of the season. After his 14 saves and a 1.82 ERA over his first 28 appearances, he was demoted to Triple-A Tucson at the end of July. Mostly used as a starter in order to restore his confidence, Kim came back to Arizona a month later. With Mantei reinserted as the official closer, Kim pitched as a setup 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 rest of the 2001 season. Kim responded with 19 saves, a 2.94 ERA, and 113 strikeouts in 98 innings.

Without Kim’s performance as the closer in the Division Series against the St. Louis Cardinals and in the National League Championship Series against the Atlanta Braves, the Diamondbacks might not have had a chance to claim the World Series Championship. He made his first career post-season appearance in the Division Series Game 3 at the 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 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 off Mark McGwire's bat.

In the NLCS against the Atlanta Braves, Kim worked a scoreless inning in Game 2, in which the Diamondbacks lost. Kim then saved Games 4 and 5 for the Diamondbacks and sealed his team’s claim of the championship. Kim entered Game 4 with the bases loaded with no out in the 8th inning to save the Diamondbacks’ 7-3 lead. Kim shut out this inning with a double play and a lineout. He then retired the next 3 batters in the 9th inning and saved the game. Next night, Kim pitched another 2 shutout innings and saved the game that clinched the Diamondbacks’s ticket to the World Series. Since Goose Gossage, Kim became the only pitchers to earn 2-inning saves on back-to-back days in the postseason. In the 2004 postseason, Houston Astros closer Brad Lidge joined Gossage and Kim as the other closer to earn 2-inning saves on back-to-back days in the postseason.[1]

It would be 10 days from his last save in the NLCS Game 5 that Kim would suffer two heartbreaking setbacks facing the Yankees in the 2001 World Series. With the Diamondbacks up two games to one going into Game 4, Kim relieved Curt Schilling in the eighth inning with the Diamondbacks leading 3-1. Kim struck out Shane Spencer, Scott Brosius, Alfonso Soriano, and Bernie Williams and grounded out Derek Jeter. But Paul O'Neill hit a single off Kim before Jeter's 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 Derek Jeter in the bottom of the tenth, the Yankees won the game and tied the Series. On this Halloween night, 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 hit a double off Kim but Kim grounded out Shane Spencer and struck out Chuck Knoblauch. Then the Yankees again came from a two-run, two-out deficit in the ninth inning, to defeat the Diamondbacks in 12 innings. Kim was again victimized, this time by Scott Brosius, whose two-run home run tied the score. Later, Alfonso Soriano hit a single in the bottom of the 12th to win the game.

Despite Kim's disastrous misadventures, the Diamondbacks staged a historic comeback and clinched the World Series Championship in the bottom of the ninth inning with one out in Game 7 at Bank One Ballpark. This time, the Diamondbacks victimized Yankees closer Mariano Rivera. Against Rivera, Mark Grace hit a single; Damian Miller bunted the ball that Rivera caught and threw to center field; Tony Womack hit an RBI double and blew Rivera's save; Craig Counsell got hit by a pitch and loaded the bases, and Luis Gonzalez hit the World Series-ending RBI bloop single over Derek Jeter's head, which drove in Jay Bell.

Kim later revealed in an exclusive interview how he felt during the 2001 World Series. "We went through the whole season, 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." [2] Also, in later years, Kim collected wins in most of the games he started against lineups that included Tino Martinez and never lost such games.

2002 season

In 2002, Kim showed no lingering effects from his unfortunate World Series debut. He set a single-season franchise record for saves (36), breaking the old mark set by Gregg Olson in 1998 (30). Kim finished the season with an 8-3 record, 92 strike outs, and a career-best 2.04 ERA in a team-high 72 appearances. On May 11, 2002, Kim struck out Scott Rolen, Mike Lieberthal, and Pat Burrell on nine pitches in the eighth inning of a 10-inning 6-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies[3]. Kim became the 23rd National League pitcher and the 32nd pitcher in Major League history to accomplish the nine-strike/three-strikeout half-inning.

On June 12, 2002, Kim reappeared on the pitching mound of the Yankee Stadium when the Diamondbacks were leading 7-5 against the Yankees in the 8th inning. Kim pitched two shut-out scoreless innings while striking out Bernie Williams, Jason Giambi, Jorge Posada, and Marcus Thames and saved the game with Shane Spencer's game-ending double play for the Diamondbacks' 9-5 win against the Yankees. After the game, he threw the ball over the left outfield fence where Scott Brosius's home run landed in the 2001 World Series Game 5.[4] Out of all 36 games he saved in 2002, Kim struck out the highest number of hitters for this save. In no other games that he saved in 2002 - and also in 2003 - he struck out more than three hitters. [5] During the post-game interview, Jorge Posada said of Kim, "I think we just got lucky last time."[6]

In the 2002 season, Kim was selected for the All-Star Game.

2003-2004 seasons: facing the Bambino's fading shadow

As Matt Mantei returned from the disabled list and became the Arizona Diamondbacks' closer, Kim joined the starting rotation. As Diamondbacks starter, he compiled the record of 1-5 with 3.56 ERA due to poor run support before he was traded to the Boston Red Sox. His sole win came from his start against the St. Louis Cardinals at the Busch Stadium on April 19. While the Diamondbacks were suffering from quiet bats, the Red Sox were having too many infielders and inadequate pitching staff with, among others, Pedro Martinez's injury. In the meantime, Kim spent most of May on the disabled list after Colorado Rockies' Preston Wilson's broken bat hit his ankle. (This injury would later cause Kim's loss of pitching balance.)

On May 27, Kim pitched seven strong innings with one run allowed against the San Francisco Giants with no decision. On May 29, Kim was traded to Boston for Shea Hillenbrand. This trade is regarded as one of the most successful trade transactions for the Red Sox' General Manager Theo Epstein because this trade trimmed the Red Sox' infielder roster and allowed Bill Mueller, David Ortiz, and Kevin Millar play everyday while strengthening Red Sox pitching.

Kim remained as a starter through June. But the Red Sox needed him as their closing pitcher because the Red Sox's closer-by-committee approach implemented following the advice of the famed baseball statistician and Red Sox adviser Bill James was miserably 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, in which the Red Sox scored 14 runs in the first inning. Marlins starting pitcher Carl Pavano gave up six runs without getting one out.

Kim became Red Sox closer in July and saved the Red Sox and its bullpen. He compiled 16 saves out of 19 save opportunities (his September ERA was 0.00) and made a crucial contribution for the Red Sox to experience the ALCS against the New York Yankees one year before the Red Sox' ultimate World Series victory in 2004. Despite holding one of the most stressful positions in the world of professional sports, Kim was regarded as one of the most laid-back and congenial players in the Red Sox clubhouse. [7] But as Red Sox closer, Kim pitched through ankle and shoulder pains he sustained after he got hit by Preston Wilson's broken bat in April. By the time the Red Sox made the post-season appearance, Kim was not healthy enough to be effective on the pitching mound.

Kim was pulled in the bottom of the 9th inning with two outs in his only American League Division Series appearance in Game 1 against the Oakland Athletics. During the lineup announcement in Game 3 at Fenway Park, Red Sox fans intensely booed at him. Thinking that he does not deserve the booing after he pitched through the pains to advance the Red Sox to the post-season, he gave them the middle finger but later issued an apology. New York Times columnist David Brooks cited this incident to explain the angry and unhappy nature of American Northeasterners in general in his October 14, 2003, column Our Way: Root and Hoot. In this column, Brooks concluded that even if American Northeasterners lose their greatness and honor and their very lives, no one will take their "rage" away from them. [8] Because of shoulder stiffness, Kim was left off the ALCS against the New York Yankees. Even though the Red Sox lost the ALCS to the Yankees, the Red Sox retained most of its core players for 2004, the year when the Red Sox finally defeated the Yankees in the ALCS and won the World Series.

As a starter, Kim went 3-6 with a fine 3.38 ERA in 12 appearances. In the beginning of 2004, Kim seemed capable to perform in that role, as he shut out the Tampa Bay Devil Rays with Tino Martinez at the heart of the Devil Rays' lineup for five innings and collected the win at Fenway Park on April 29. But his loss of right pitching balance due to pitching through the ankle and shoulder pains in 2003 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 and rejoined the Red Sox in September. He was used in the bullpen and won one game in 5.2 innings of work.

In a six-year career, Kim has compiled a 31-28 record with 455 strikeouts and a 3.37 ERA in 419.2 innings. He has collected 86 saves in 299 games (283 as a reliever).

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, Ambassador Christopher R. Hill, currently Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs and the chief U.S. negotiator for North Korea's nuclear program, 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.[9] Ambassador Hill is one of the high-ranking "Red Sox fan" diplomats in the predominantly Red Sox U.S. Department of State [10] and watched the Red Sox win the World Series while stationed in Seoul. Ambassador Hill also became the first high-ranking U.S. Government official to visit Gwangju, Kim's city of birth and hometown, to pay respect to thousands of Gwangju citizens who fought for democracy and died in the hands of the then-brutal military regime in the May 1980 Gwangju Democratization Movement[11]. Since this movement, Gwangju has been regarded as the sacred city of the South Korean democracy. In his message posted in early March 2005 on the Internet cafe operated by the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, Ambassador Hill stated encouraging words and high expectations for Kim's 2005 season.

2005 season

Before the 2005 season, the Red Sox sent Kim to the Colorado Rockies, with general manager Theo Epstein 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 about $2.6 million to equalize the salaries. Johnson was owed $9 million and Kim $6 million, part of the $10 million, two-year deal he signed before the 2004 season.

After a difficult start in Colorado out of the bullpen, Kim was given a shot in the Rockies rotation on May 11. In his first start as a Rocky at the Coors Field, Kim surprised everyone by outdueling Atlanta Braves' John Smoltz for five innings while giving up only one run (a solo home run by Andruw Jones). Though Kim did not collect a win in this game, the Rockies won it at the end.[12] But because the Rockies had enough starters, Rockies manager Clint Hurdle offered Kim to take either a spot in the bullpen (Kim posted 0-3 with 7.84 ERA as a middle reliever for the Rockies this season) or a starter position in the Rockies' Triple-A team Colorado Springs Sky Sox. Kim chose to be a free agent and sat outside the manager's office and read a cartoon (manhwa) book. Just 20 minutes later, Hurdle was told that that Rockies starter Shawn Chacon is injured and has to go to the disabled list.[13] This opened a spot in the Rockies starting rotation and Kim officially became a Rockies starter and went on to become arguably the teams' most consistent starter. (Chacon was traded to the New York Yankees shortly thereafter and helped the Yankees advance to the postseason.)

Even as he was putting good numbers as a starter, Kim continued to struggle to regain right pitching balance. One such example was his start against the Washington Nationals at the Robert F. Kennedy Stadium in Washington, DC on July 18. Kim pitched six innings, gave up two runs, and kept the game for the Rockies' win. In the second inning, Kim intentionally let Cristian Guzman's popup bunt fall to the ground so he could do a 1-3-6 double play. But in the fourth inning with one out, he allowed a single to Brian Schneider, walked Cristian Guzman, who was struggling offensively at the Mendoza Line, and bobbled the ball bunted by Nationals relief pitcher Joey Eischen, which made everyone safe. Then he pitched a passed ball behind Nationals left-handed leadoff hitter Brad Wilkerson, which Rockies catcher Danny Ardoin caught - as it strongly bounced off the backstop - and threw to the third base and got Brian Schneider out. Kim then struck out Wilkerson to end the inning.[14]

On August 8, Sunny Kim, another South Korean starting pitcher who just joined the Rockies from the Washington Nationals, and Kim started the doubleheader games at the Coors Field against the Florida Marlins. They became the first two pitchers with same last name who started both ends of doubleheader since Gaylord and Jim Perry started each end of doubleheader for Cleveland Indians against the Boston Red Sox at the Fenway Park on June 22, 1974.[15] The Rockies won both games and Kim collected a win. [16]

Kim finished the season with 5-9 with a 4.37 ERA when he toed the rubber at the beginning of games. He filed for free agency on November 1, 2005, and, while many experts consider pitching in Colorado's thin air "career suicide," Kim re-signed with the Rockies. He earned $1.25 million in 2006 with a club option worth $2.5 million in 2007 (with a $250k buyout).

World Baseball Classic

Kim represented Korea in the World Baseball Classic, a tournament held during spring training before the 2006 season. In the semifinal game against Japan, Kim came in to Byung-doo Jun (who relieved starter Jae Seo) in the top of the 7th inning with a runner on base and then proceeded to give up a two run home run to Kosuke Fukudome. Shades of his 2001 World Series performance, this home run led to Korea's elimination from the WBC in the finals. However, Kim is credited with solid shutout middle relief performances during the tournament in Korea's wins against Taiwan and the United States and Korea's semifinal game against Japan.

The national rivalry between Korea and Japan intensified even before the tournament started when Ichiro Suzuki made this inflammatory statement: "I want to beat the teams in the Asia Round so they think they can't win against Japan for another 30 years. Fans, please expect a lot from us." When asked by Korean TV reporters about Ichiro's comment, Kim said, "I think Ichiro reads Japanese cartoon (manga) books a lot and that may be why he said that." Kim's response became very popular in Korea. In the Asia Round, Korea defeated Japan 3-2 at the Tokyo Dome.[17].

In Korea's semifinal game against the United States on March 13 at the Angel Stadium, Kim made a relief appearance in the fourth inning with one out and two runners on bases. Kim struck out Matt Holliday, allowed an infield hit to Chase Utley, and struck out Vernon Wells to get out of the base-loaded jam and end the inning with no damage. In the next inning, Kim walked Derek Jeter and allowed a single to Ken Griffey Jr but struck out Alex Rodriguez. Kim was then relieved by Dae Sung Koo, who finished the inning with a double play and no runs.[18]

In Korea's semifinal game against Japan on March 15 at the Angel Stadium, Kim relieved left-handed reliever Byung-doo Jun (who relieved Chan Ho Park) in the sixth inning with two outs, pitched 1 2/3 shutout innings with a walk and two strikeouts and became the winning pitcher of the game.[19] This game was a huge victory not only for Korea but also for the United States because, if Japan defeated Korea in this game, the United States was to be eliminated in the semifinals. Korea's victory over Japan gave the United States another shot to advance to the finals by defeating Mexico next night.[20] But Mexico defeated the United States 2-1.[21]

Team Korea ended fourth in this tournament. The Government of the Republic of Korea granted the military draft exemption to the Korean players who played in this tournament and had yet to serve in the military. Because Kim was already exempted from the military draft before his Major League debut, this draft exemption did not affect him.

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's Dolphin Stadium. Kim pitched impressively, giving up only one run on five hits while striking out a career high nine batters. Kim established himself in the Rockies starting rotation for the season.

He started 2 historic games in the Major League history soon thereafter. On May 22, 2006, Kim and his former high school teammate and then-Los Angeles Dodgers' starting pitcher Jae Seo 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, but Seo outdueled Kim. [22]

On May 28th, Barry Bonds hit his 715th home-run off Kim at SBC Park and surpassed Babe Ruth's 714 career home runs and put himself in the sole second place on the all-time career home runs list. One thing that Kim never liked to do as a Major League pitcher was intentionally walk Barry Bonds just to avoid him and Kim became the 421st Major League pitcher to give up a home run to Bonds on this Sunday afternoon. After a three-minute pandemonium to celebrate this historic event, Kim struck out next two batters and pitched 5 1/3 innings and collected a win after giving up 3 runs.[23] He handled the post-game interview in a calm, good-natured manner without being stoic.[24] But he did not either request or receive a bat signed by Bonds.

On July 28, 2006, he had 5 consecutive strikeouts against the San Diego Padres at the Coors Field, tying the Rockies record consecutive strikeouts. In this game, Kim flirted with another nine-strike/three-strikeout half-inning when he struck out San Diego's Geoff Blum, Josh Barfield, and Clay Hensley in the top of the 5th inning. One ball to Geoff Blum was the only difference.[25] In 4 different starts, he recorded 9 strikeouts each against the Florida Marlins (see above), Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Washington Nationals. He also set a record by pitching 13 consecutive shut-out scoreless innings against the Oakland Athletics (6 innings on June 19) and Texas Rangers (7 innings on June 25) at the Coors Field and winning both games, thus becoming the only pitcher in the Major League to pitch 2 scoreless consecutive starts at the Coors Field.

On September 15, Kim started against Brandon Webb, who won the Cy Young Award in 2006, at the Diamondbacks' Chase Field. Before this game, Diamondbacks veteran left fielder Luis Gonzalez was notified by the Diamondbacks' front office that 2006 would be his last season in Phoenix as the club declined to pick up his $10 million option for 2007. When Gonzalez was greeted with a standing ovation before his first at-bat, Kim bent down to tie and retie his shoes several times, fans gave Gonzalez an extended standing ovation and home-plate umpire Bruce Froemming patted Gonzalez on the back. Kim took so long to pitch to Gonzalez that Froemming eventually walked to the mound and asked Kim to hurry up. Cameras were flashing around throughout this standing ovation. Gonzalez later said of Kim's delay, "I don't know if he did it on purpose or whatever but, I mean, it worked out good. It was nice. I guess he was the right guy for the right moment." Kim pitched seven strong innings with three earned runs while striking out five batters including Gonzalez, but Webb completed the game with only one run allowed. Webb won the game and Kim took the loss.[26]

2007 season and the victory in New York's epic collapse

Kim began the 2007 season with the Colorado Rockies as a reliever, having lost his starting spot in the rotation to Josh Fogg. The Rockies' decision to move Kim to the bullpen was controversial. Kim openly accused the Rockies coaching staff of unfairly moving him to the bullpen and said he would welcome a trade. Kim said that this spring training was "little bit weird" as his coaches asked him to try inside two-seam fastballs and change-ups and assured him that allowing hits and home runs as a result would be okay. Kim struggled much of the spring training with the record of 0-1 and 9.00 ERA as of March 24. Kim said that he would not have tried these two types of pitches if his coaches told him that he is in a competition to secure a starting rotation spot. Rockies manager Clint Hurdle responded to the media by saying that several other players were asked to make adjustments while competing and called for Kim to accept his new position for the betterment of the team. But none of the Rockies' coaches or front office officials rebutted specifics of Kim's accusation of unfair treatment.[27]

In his first outing on April 3 against the Diamondbacks, Kim got a relief win, even though he gave up a run. On April 15, he filled in as a spot-starter against the Diamondbacks but lasted only 3 innings with a loss due to a thumb injury. Kim was placed on the disabled list and later started in the Rockies' Triple-A team Colorado Springs Sky Sox for rehab assignments. Kim was concerned that his rehab assignment is getting longer than necessary but his agent did not fully understand his concern. This prompted Kim to change his agent by hiring Scott Boras to help speed up the trade process. [28] On May 13, 2007, he was traded to the Florida Marlins for Jorge Julio. [29]

As a member of the Marlins, he has shown promise of rejuvenating his career after winning 2 of his first 3 starts. In his last two starts before the All-Star Game, Kim made solid quality starts against a couple of National League ace starting pitchers (Atlanta Braves' Tim Hudson in Miami and San Diego Padres' Jake Peavy in San Diego). Kim left the mound in the 7th inning tied at 1-1 against Hudson [30] but defeated Peavy and won the game.[31] In his starting match-up against Peavy, Kim again flirted with another nine-strike/three-strikeout half-inning when he struck out San Diego's heart of the lineup Adrian Gonzalez, Mike Cameron, and Khalil Greene in the bottom of the 4th inning. This time, he threw a ball to Mike Cameron. [32] (Peavy won the Triple Crown and Cy Young Award in 2007.)

On July 21, Kim almost had a starting match-up against Bronson Arroyo, who started for the Cincinnati Reds against the Florida Marlins next day. Against Cincinnati Reds' powerful lineup that included powerful sluggers such as Ken Griffey Jr., Adam Dunn, and Brandon Phillips, Kim pitched seven strong innings with one earned run and six strikeouts and won the game.[33] Arroyo pitched well but did not win against Marlins Dutch rookie starter Henricus van den Hurk.[34]

On August 1, Kim collected his 50th career win in his starting match-up against Josh Fogg at the Dolphin Stadium. Kim pitched 5 1/3 innings, gave up 2 earned runs, walked 6 batters, struck out career-high 10 hitters. His pitch count was 126, the highest pitch count for a Marlins starter since Josh Beckett threw 126 pitches against the Houston Astros on May 20, 2004. After the game, Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said to reporters, "I think you need to talk to Fredi [Gonzalez, the Marlins' manager] about Kim."[35]

Just 2 days later, after Kim was claimed off waivers by the Arizona Diamondbacks after being designated for assignment by the Marlins, Gonzalez said about Kim, "He did a nice job for us, other than a couple of starts where the bases on balls were a little high. But he did a nice job. You hate to say he was a guy who sucked up some innings, because he really didn't go deep into ballgames. He wasn't an 8th or 9th inning guy, but you could throw him 120-130 pitches and not worry about him. He came in today saying, 'I'll go into the bullpen if you need me.' I think he enjoyed his stay here. And he did well."[36]

Kim's return to Arizona lasted two starts, in which he combined to last 2 2/3 innings and allow nine runs (seven earned). Following his start on August 14 against the Florida Marlins, the Diamondbacks designated him and Joe Kennedy for assignment.[37] Shortly after Kim was designated for assignment, Diamondbacks closer Jose Valverde broke Kim's franchise single-season save record.

On August 25, 2007, the Florida Marlins re-signed Kim as a free agent. [38] Kim was happy to return to Miami and his teammates welcomed him back with his uniform laid out across a couch and his cap on a pillow to poke fun at his habitual clubhouse naps. [39] Marlins manager Gonzalez initially used him as a reliever and then put him in the starting rotation. Since he rejoined the Marlins, Kim received one relief-win decision and two starting-win decisions (both against the Philadelphia Phillies' J. D. Durbin). In his start against the Washington Nationals on September 12, Kim again struck out 10 hitters, but did not factor in the decision.

On September 22, Kim struck out New York Mets' cleanup hitter Carlos Beltran at the Dolphin Stadium for his 800th career strikeout. But he took the loss in this game after he gave up a three-run home run to Mets 8th hitter Ramon Castro.[40] This game summarized two things unique about Kim's 2007 season compared to his previous seasons as a starter. Unlike in the past, Kim has been very effective against big-name left-handed sluggers and broke the conventional belief that a right-hand submarine/sidearm pitcher cannot be effective against left-handed hitters. But his opponent batting average against hitters in the bottom of the lineup was little high.

On September 28, Kim collected his tenth win of the season against the New York Mets at the Shea Stadium in New York City[41] and became the second South Korean pitcher after Chan Ho Park to win ten games in a season.[42] Also, Kim was at the center of the historic collapse of this New York baseball powerhouse as Kim's win against the Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies' win against the Washington Nationals on the same night [43] unseated the Mets from the first place in the National League East Division for the first time since May 16. In the NL East, the Mets led the second-place Phillies by seven games on September 12 with 17 games remaining in the regular season. But then the Mets lost 10 out of 14 games until this game and did little against Kim and nothing against the Marlins' bullpen while the Marlins offense scored seven runs in front of their 55,298 screaming New York fans, thus losing 11 out of 15 games since September 12. [44] By losing this game, the Mets became the first team in the Major League history to lead the second-place team in the division by seven games with 17 games remaining and blow the lead before the end of the season. After the game, New York baseball fans who fondly remembered Kim's 2001 World Series debut and hoped for Mets turnaround were completely humiliated and mortified and Mets players were very quiet in their clubhouse with a profound sense of disgrace. During the post-game interview, Mets star third baseman David Wright said in a choked-up voice, "I am embarrassed. I think it's embarrassing." Wright also said, "This was the one [we had to win]. This is the one that would have swung it back to our favor." [45] This game also dispelled the perception that Kim is not effective in a high-pressure post-season situation in a big city such as New York City.[46]

The Mets did not recover from this loss. They did regain the shared first place on the next day, as John Maine pitched 7 1/3 no-hit innings with 14 strikeouts for the Mets' 13-0 victory against the Marlins [47] and the Nationals beat the Phillies.[48] But on the following day, the final day of the regular season, the Phillies beat the Nationals [49] and Mets number one starter Tom Glavine pitched only 1/3 of the first inning, gave up seven earned runs, and sealed the Mets' fate in this season [50]. The 2007 Mets became the first team in the Major League history to lead the second-place team in the division by seven games with 17 games remaining, lose the division championship title at the end, and fail to make the playoffs. Marty Noble, MLB.com journalist who covered the Mets in 2007, described this historic collapse as "epic." [51]

Despite clashing with Colorado Rockies coaching staffs earlier in the season, Kim had a quite successful 2007 season in the human relations department. Kim liked his Florida Marlins teammates a lot and was appreciative of his Marlins coaching staffs and his Marlins teammates and coaching staffs regarded of him as a uniquely positive influence to the team.[52] Marlins closer Kevin Gregg credited Kim for providing a nice spark to the team during a difficult second half of the season and said, "Kim is a different guy, who brings a different aspect to this game, a different look. He has a personality that is thrown into the mix. He comes up big. He may be logging a lot of pitches, and he gives us a chance." [53]

Career Highlights

  • A-Award, Arena (Korea), 2007
  • 1-time World Baseball Classic (in Japan and the United States of America) 4th place (2006 Republic of Korea)
  • 2-time World Series Champion (2001 Arizona Diamondbacks, 2004 Boston Red Sox)
  • 1-time All-Star (2002 National League)

Trivia

See also

References

  1. ^ http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/10/19/NLCS.TMP
  2. ^ "Quiet Calculation" by Thomas Harding, Rockies Magazine at page 40 (August 2006)
  3. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playbyplay?gameId=220511122&full=1
  4. ^ http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9501EEDE143CF930A25755C0A9649C8B63
  5. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/gamelog?statsId=6237&year=2002] [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/gamelog?statsId=6237&year=2003
  6. ^ http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/news/2002/06/12/diamondbacks_yankees_ap/
  7. ^ http://www.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20030923&content_id=540080&vkey=news_bos&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos
  8. ^ http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05E2D9113FF937A25753C1A9659C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1
  9. ^ http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200408/200408170030.html
  10. ^ http://www.usnews.com/blogs/washington-whispers/2007/10/12/red-sox-nation-in-foggy-bottom.html
  11. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/20/AR2005092001426.html
  12. ^ http://www.mlb.com/news/wrap.jsp?ymd=20050511&content_id=1046718&vkey=wrapup2004&fext=.jsp&c_id=col
  13. ^ "Quiet Calculation" by Thomas Harding, Rockies Magazine at page 34 (August 2006)
  14. ^ http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20050718&content_id=1136195&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=col |http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/news/wrap.jsp?ymd=20050718&content_id=1136235&vkey=wrapup2005&fext=.jsp&team=away
  15. ^ http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/team/player_career.jsp?player_id=279615&y=2005
  16. ^ http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/news/wrap.jsp?ymd=20050808&content_id=1162488&vkey=wrapup2005&fext=.jsp&team=home%7C http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/news/wrap.jsp?ymd=20050808&content_id=1162492&vkey=wrapup2005&fext=.jsp&team=home
  17. ^ http://ww2.worldbaseballclassic.com/2006/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2006_03_05_korint_jpnint_1
  18. ^ http://www.worldbaseballclassic.com/2006/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2006_03_13_usaint_korint_1
  19. ^ http://ww2.worldbaseballclassic.com/2006/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2006_03_15_korint_jpnint_1
  20. ^ http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/baseball/263231_japan16.html?source=mypi
  21. ^ http://ww2.worldbaseballclassic.com/2006/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2006_03_16_usaint_mexint_1
  22. ^ http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20060522&content_id=1466761&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=la http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20060522&content_id=1466786&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=col
  23. ^ http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20060528&content_id=1476807&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=col
  24. ^ http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060528&content_id=1477209&vkey=news_col&fext=.jsp&c_id=col
  25. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playbyplay?gameId=260728127&full=1
  26. ^ http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20060915&content_id=1664194&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=col] [http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20060915&content_id=1664198&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=ari
  27. ^ http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070324&content_id=1857844&vkey=spt2007news&fext=.jsp
  28. ^ http://www.denverpost.com/rockies/ci_6521269
  29. ^ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AvQU0BiN4ZdsDmQ30VLRg3Ma0bYF?slug=ap-marlins-rockiestrade&prov=ap&type=lgns
  30. ^ http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070630&content_id=2059091&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=fla
  31. ^ http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070705&content_id=2068684&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=fla
  32. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playbyplay?gameId=270705125&full=1
  33. ^ http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/wrap.jsp?ymd=20070721&content_id=2101393&vkey=wrapup2005&fext=.jsp&team=home&c_id=fla
  34. ^ http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070722&content_id=2102546&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin] [http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070722&content_id=2102561&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=fla
  35. ^ http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070801&content_id=2123778&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=fla] [http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070801&content_id=2123852&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=col
  36. ^ http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070803&content_id=2127698&vkey=news_fla&fext=.jsp&c_id=fla
  37. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2976246
  38. ^ http://mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070825&content_id=2169664&vkey=news_fla&fext=.jsp&c_id=fla http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AsXTdIXZiQOU314nHNsn4cSFCLcF?slug=ap-marlins-kim&prov=ap&type=lgns
  39. ^ http://www.palmbeachpost.com/marlins/content/sports/epaper/a5b_MARL_notes_08261.html
  40. ^ http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/wrap.jsp?ymd=20070922&content_id=2223674&vkey=wrapup2005&fext=.jsp&team=home
  41. ^ http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/wrap.jsp?ymd=20070928&content_id=2237692&vkey=wrapup2005&fext=.jsp&team=away
  42. ^ http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070928&content_id=2237690&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=fla
  43. ^ http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070928&content_id=2237175&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi
  44. ^ http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070928&content_id=2237685&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym
  45. ^ http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070928&content_id=2237685&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/29/sports/baseball/29mets.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
  46. ^ http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071031&content_id=2290142&vkey=news_fla&fext=.jsp&c_id=fla
  47. ^ http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070929&content_id=2239374&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym
  48. ^ http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070929&content_id=2239132&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=was
  49. ^ http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/wrap.jsp?ymd=20070930&content_id=2241377&vkey=wrapup2005&fext=.jsp&team=home
  50. ^ http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070930&content_id=2241359&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym
  51. ^ http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071105&content_id=2292358&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym
  52. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWmUHR4b3Hw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJmYBJ4-Wdk&feature=user
  53. ^ http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070907&content_id=2195208&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=fla
  54. ^ http://umisushisandiego.com http://www.miamiherald.com/588/story/161776.html
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