7 Conquerors

This year the largest number of Korean Major Leaguers will play in the 2003 season on the other side of the Pacific.

So far, only two Korean players have earned the full-time positions, or Chan Ho Park (Texas Rangers) and Byung Hyun Kim (Arizona Diamondbacks). Other players like Cho Jin-ho (SK) and Lee Sang-hoon (LG Twins) had a short-lived ML experience in Boston Red Socks.

This year, however, the story will be different. This upcoming season, Sun Woo Kim (Montreal Expos) and Hee Sup Choi (Chicago Cubs) will play "full time" without occurrence of exceptional circumstances. In addition, Korean players in the Minor League are showing great improvements, making it possible to see their ML debuts in the near future. Accordingly, more fans than ever will closely follow the ML events.

Traded last year from Boston Red Socks to Montreal Expos, Kim pitched in 4 games as starting pitcher. He just allowed 2 points during 20 and 1/3 innings, leaving an impressive ERA of 0.89. If an unexpected injury does not hinder him, he will almost certainly secure his spot in the starting lineup this season. ESPN predicted on Tuesday that Kim would constitute the 4-man rotation this upcoming season, and ranked Montreal 8th in terms of pitching power.

Choi, however, is commanding most attentions. For Asian hitters, the Major League has been the toughest ground to survive. That is why Choi receives all the spotlights. We feel excited to see the rivalry between Choi and Hideki Matsui, a Japanese slugger playing with New York Yankees. Chicago has recruited Eric Karros for its first baseman. But it is more likely that Choi, young and smart, will take the position.

In the meanwhile, Minor Leaguers are honing their skills to jump into the ML. In 1997, Suh Jae-eung (N.Y. Mats) and Bong Joong-geun (Atlanta Braves) flew over to America together. Then, they made strong impressions of them last year in a "surprise party type" debut. On April 24th against Curt Shilling, the ace of Diamondbacks, Bong allowed only 8 hits and 5 runs with 4 strikeouts in 6 innings. Suh also shut out one inning in the July 22nd game against Cincinnati Reds.

They were called up to the ML to fill out the vacancies arising out of injured pitchers of their teams, and went directly back to the Minor League thereafter. Since they left impressive images, it is a matter of time for them to play in the Major League again. Song Sung-jun, who has moved over to Montreal Expos along with Kim, is preparing himself for the opportunity to come in the future.

In addition, Choo Shin-soo is considered a Korean Ichiro with swiftness, accurate batting and strong shoulder among Seattle Mariners` minor league players. Now, he records a batting average of 0.302 and 34 steals in the Single A Wisconsin. Yoo Jae-gook of Cubs is also deemed as a promising rookie pitcher. Three Korean Cubs, or Choi, Yoo and Kwon Yoon-min (catcher) started training together yesterday in Namhae, Korea to make their American dreams come true.

Chan H. Park, who had to watch his reputation ruined last year, promises to regain the respect, and Byung H. Kim, who was engulfed in the rumors about his trading, clenched his fist, getting himself ready for the upcoming season. Kim, ranked at 5th among ML relievers, might play as a starting pitcher this year, Sports Weekly reported.

Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com