Korean pitcher Kim Byung-hyun will get another shot at playing for Major League Baseball after two years without a team. The San Francisco Giants announced on Tuesday that Kim signed a minor league deal with the team and will participate in spring training from Feb. 14. If he performs well in the spring camp he would be able to grab a chance to play in the major league.
Kim’s MLB career was a mixture of highs and lows. In 1999 he signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks for US$2.25 million, the highest amount ever for a Korean baseball player. He was a strong closer for the team with an unusual underhand throw that could reach speeds of up to 150 km/h, and helped the Diamondbacks win the 2001 World Series.
But Kim's career began to go downhill after he was traded to the Boston Red Sox in 2003. He helped the Red Sox advance to the 2004 World Series, but he sat the bench during the series and ultimately could not find a place on the team.
After leaving the Red Sox Kim hopped around on several teams, including the Colorado Rockies from 2005 to 2007, the Florida Marlins in 2007, and back to Arizona again later that year. In 2008 he was released by the Pittsburgh Pirates during spring training and was unable to find a team. For the next two years Kim trained privately in Korea, and returned to the U.S. at the end of 2009.
Kim has 54 wins, 60 losses, 86 saves, and a 4.42 ERA in his entire MLB career.
