Kim Byung-hyun Secures Starter Position

Kim Byung-hyun (28, Florida Marlins) has long had a strong desire to become a starter.

Even when Kim performed well as a closing pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks, he wanted to be a starting pitcher. Back in 2003, Kim briefly played as a starter for the Boston Red Sox, but he failed to be a regular starter due to injuries and his failure to adapt to the team.

In 2005 when Kim qualified as a free agent (FA), Kim accepted a dirt-cheap $ 1.25 million-a-year contract only to become a starter.

However, Kim asked for trade after being ordered to play as a reliever. Kim eventually moved to Florida in a one-to-one trade on May 14.

In a match against Tampa Bay last Saturday, Kim successfully passed a test for starters.

In an away game held at Tropicana Field, Kim gathered his second victory, allowing six hits, three walks, five strikeouts and three runs (two earned runs) during five and a third innings. After the game, Florida’s manager Fredi Gonzalez informed Kim that he would pitch as a starter in his next game.

Last Saturday, Kim pitched as great as he did in his heyday with the Arizona Diamondbacks. During the first and second innings, Kim struck out four batters out of a total of six hitters he faced.

Florida won the game 8-4 and Kim now has a record of two victories and two losses with an ERA of 7.15.

Kim’s one-year senior at Gwangju Jeil High School, Seo Jae-ung (30, Tampa Bay), took his fourth defeat (against two wins), allowing three homers, eight hits and seven runs during five-and-a-third innings yesterday in a match against Florida Marlins. Seo’s ERA jumped to 7.80 from 7.26. Tampa Bay lost the game, 2-7.

uni@donga.com