Byung-hyun Kim (; born January 19, 1979), also known as BK Kim, 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 best remembered for his role in the 2001 World Series, in which he gave up consecutive ninth-inning leads in both Game 4 and Game 5, taking the loss in Game 4. He 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. He is the first Korean player to win a World Series.
Early career Kim is a 1997 graduate of Gwangju Jeil 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 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 team, striking out 15 batters in 6 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.
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, 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, 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 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. 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 to restore his confidence, Kim returned to Arizona a month later. With Mantei reinserted as the 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 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 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 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 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, Scott Brosius, Alfonso Soriano, and Bernie Williams and grounded out Derek Jeter. But Paul O'Neill hit a single 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 hit a leadoff double off Kim, and after retiring Spencer and Chuck Knoblauch on a groundout and strikeout, Brosius then hit a two-run home run to tie the score. Later, Soriano hit a single 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."Thomas Harding, "Quiet Calculation", Rockies magazine, Aug. 2006, page 40
2002 season In , Kim set a single-season franchise record for saves (36), breaking the old mark set by Gregg Olson 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; he became the 23rd National League pitcher and the 32nd pitcher in major-league history to pitch an immaculate inning.
On June 12, Kim pitched two shut-out innings with four strikeouts and saved the Diamondbacks' 9–5 win over the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium.Jack Curry, Same Kim, Same Site, But a Different Result New York Times June 13, 2002
In 2002, Kim converted 36 of 42 save opportunities,ESPN – Byung-Hyun Kim Stats, News, Photos – Pittsburgh Pirates – MLB Baseball eighth-best in the NL. Kim was selected for the All-Star Game.
2003–2004 When Matt Mantei 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 made him as their closer after the Red Sox's closer-by-committee approach, implemented following the advice of adviser Bill James, led to several blown saves. 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 appearance in Game 1 against the Oakland Athletics. 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 innings of work. Despite not being on the Red Sox roster for their 2004 World Series 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 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.New U.S. Ambassador a Frank, Capable Problem Solver Chosun Ilbo, Aug. 17, 2004
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 Kim in 2004 a mistake. The Red Sox received left-handed pitcher Chris Narveson, catcher Charles Johnson (who was immediately released), and $2.6 million.
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. Just 20 minutes later, Hurdle was told that Rockies starter Shawn Chacón was injured and had to go to the disabled list,Thomas Harding, "Quiet Calculation" Rockies Magazine, Aug. 2006, page 34 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 and Jim Perry for the Cleveland Indians in 1974. The Rockies won both games and Kim collected a win.Thomas Harding, Mohr Goes Deep in 11th MLB.com Aug. 8, 2005Thomas Harding, Kim, Rox Sweep Twinbill MLB.com Aug. 8, 2005
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, held before the 2006 season. Kim had solid shutout middle relief performances during the tournament in Korea's wins against Taiwan in the first round and JapanJoseph D'Hippolito, Ichiro Forced to Eat Words: South Korea Tops Japan, Keeps U.S. Hopes Alive Seattle Post-Intelligencer Mar. 16, 2006 and the United States2006 World Baseball Classic Second Round Game Result: United States v. Korea 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. Kim intentionally hit the next batter Michihiro Ogasawara. Korea lost the semifinal game and finished third in the tournament.
2006 season