Head Coach of Boston Fired, What about BK?

On October 28, Grady Little, the head coach of Boston Red Sox, the team to which Kim Byung-hyun belongs, was removed from his managing position.

Boston, which reached the post season as a wild card and finishing second in the American League East Division and pushed back by its rival, the New York Yankees, ended this season with fairly good results, ranking fifth in winning percentage (95 wins, 67 losses) and reaching the American League Championship Series. But in the final game of the Championship Series against the Yankees, after the Red Sox failed to change its ace pitcher, Pedro Martinez, who was weakening and ended up with a devastating defeat, there were rumors to replace the head coach.

The Red Sox did not exercise a two-year contract extension for Little, as Little was disgracefully let go because of the defeat despite leading the Red Sox to the American League Championship Series and finishing second place in the American League, only the fifth time this has happened in major league baseball history.

But, as for Kim Byung-hyun, the news of the head coach’s dismissal might not have been bad news. Kim and Little were rumored to be on uneasy terms during the season. The rumor was stirred up when Kim was switched back to a reliever after starting the season as a starter. The feud came up to its pinnacle, when the relief pitching developed into a multiple-reliever system. In the end, Kim Byung-hyun, at the first game of the division series against the Oakland Athletics, crossed over a bridge with no way back as he was replaced after giving up two walks with two outs at the bottom of the ninth inning with Boston leading, 4-3.

Placing the blame of not reaching the World Series upon Little, who excluded Kim, might act in favor of Kim, who is checking himself from going too far after the infamous “Finger Sensation.” Certainly, this is figured out on the assumption of Kim to continue his pitching in Boston.

Hwan-Soo Zang zangpabo@donga.com