Kim Kwang-Hyun
Encyclopedia
Kim Kwang-Hyun (born July 22, 1988 in Ansan
, Gyeonggi-do
, South Korea
) is a South Korean left-handed
starting pitcher
who plays for the SK Wyverns
in the Korea Baseball Organization
.
, Gyeonggi-do
, South Korea
. In , he led his team to the first national championship ever, pitching four-consecutive complete game victories in the tournament with a 0.96 ERA, and was named MVP.
In , Kim was selected for the South Korea national junior team that was runner-up at the 6th Asian Junior Baseball Championship in Seoul
, South Korea
. He earned two wins against Chinese Taipei
, and pitched a five-inning no-hitter
against Japan
.
In , Kim competed for the South Korea national junior team in the 22nd World Junior Baseball Championship
in Havana
, Cuba
. He led his team to the gold medal, earning four of South Korea's six wins. Kim tossed a five-hit complete game
shutout
to lead South Korea to a 1-0 victory over Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals, and pitched two wins over Canada
in the semifinals and USA
in the final. He posted a solid 0.87 ERA and 22 strikeouts throughout the tournament, and was named the Most Valuable Player.
, Kim made his professional debut on April 10, 2007. He was in the Wyverns' starting pitching rotation for most of the 2007 KBO season
. Although his performance was inconsistent, he showed signs of promise as a rookie, including pitching a one-hit victory in 7 1/3 innings over the Doosan Bears
, facing MVP Daniel Rios
in the 2007 Korean Series
.
On January, 2008, Kim was selected for the South Korea national baseball team and participated in the Beijing Olympic Qualification Final Tournament held from March 7 through March 14, 2008 in Taichung
, Taiwan
. There he helped his team win a spot in the Beijing Summer Olympics by starting two times and going 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA.
In the 2008 KBO season, Kim had a career year. He went 16-4 with a 2.39 ERA and 150 strikeouts in 162 innings pitched. Kim ended the season as the KBO league champion for both wins and strikeouts.
At the 2008 Olympic Games, Kim contributed to his team's victories as results of 1-0 with a 1.26 ERA and 12 Strikeouts in 3 games. In the semifinal game against Japan
, he gave up one earned run and six hits in eight innings for Korea to get the victory. Kim did not allow a runner past first base after the 3rd inning, when Japan scored on a walk, a sacrifice and a single by Norichika Aoki
.
In March 2009, Kim competed for the South Korea national baseball team in the 2009 World Baseball Classic
, where they finished runner-up. He started against Japan
in South Korea's first game in Tokyo
, Japan
, but suffered one of his worst games, giving up eight runs in just 1.1 innings of a 14-2 loss to Japan. Kim couldn't get over the disastrous start in Tokyo, struggling in the exhibition games against MLB teams before the start of Round 2. Command of his pitches became a trouble spot, and Team Korea manager Kim In-Sik
pitched him in relief until the end of the competition.
On August 2, 2009, Kim was hit
with a batted ball hit by Kim Hyun-Soo
when he had one of the worst pitching performances in his KBO career, allowing 4 runs in just 2 innings against the Doosan Bears
. He suffered a fracture
on the back of his hand
and he was out for the season
as the result. However, he won the 2009 KBO ERA
title, pitching 138.1 innings which enabled him enough to qualify for the ERA title.
Title
Ansan
Ansan is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It lies south of Seoul, and is part of the Seoul National Capital Area. It is connected to Seoul by rail via Seoul Subway Line 4....
, Gyeonggi-do
Gyeonggi-do
Gyeonggi-do is the most populous province in South Korea. The provincial capital is located at Suwon. Seoul—South Korea's largest city and national capital—is located in the heart of the province, but has been separately administered as a provincial-level special city since 1946...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
) is a South Korean left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
who plays for the SK Wyverns
SK Wyverns
SK Wyverns Baseball Club is a South Korean professional baseball team founded in 2000. Based in Incheon, they play their home games at Munhak Baseball Stadium.Their current manager is Man Soo Lee .-History:...
in the Korea Baseball Organization
Korea Baseball Organization
The Korea Baseball Organization is the governing body for the professional leagues of baseball in South Korea. KBO should not be confused with the Korea Professional Baseball League. KBO was founded in 1981 and has been governing two leagues, Korea Professional Baseball and Futures League since...
.
Amateur career
Kim attended Ansan Technical High School in AnsanAnsan
Ansan is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It lies south of Seoul, and is part of the Seoul National Capital Area. It is connected to Seoul by rail via Seoul Subway Line 4....
, Gyeonggi-do
Gyeonggi-do
Gyeonggi-do is the most populous province in South Korea. The provincial capital is located at Suwon. Seoul—South Korea's largest city and national capital—is located in the heart of the province, but has been separately administered as a provincial-level special city since 1946...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. In , he led his team to the first national championship ever, pitching four-consecutive complete game victories in the tournament with a 0.96 ERA, and was named MVP.
In , Kim was selected for the South Korea national junior team that was runner-up at the 6th Asian Junior Baseball Championship in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. He earned two wins against Chinese Taipei
Chinese Taipei
Chinese Taipei is the designated name used by the Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan, to participate in some international organizations and almost all sporting events, such as the Olympics, Paralympics, Asian Games and Asian Para Games...
, and pitched a five-inning no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
against Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
In , Kim competed for the South Korea national junior team in the 22nd World Junior Baseball Championship
World Junior Baseball Championship
The IBAF AAA World Junior Championships is an under-18 international baseball competition sponsored by the International Baseball Federation , which was first held in 1981 in United States...
in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. He led his team to the gold medal, earning four of South Korea's six wins. Kim tossed a five-hit complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
to lead South Korea to a 1-0 victory over Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals, and pitched two wins over Canada
Canada national baseball team
Canada has qualified for two Olympic games, in 2004 and 2008. Canadian teams also competed twice when baseball was a demonstration sport, in 1984 and 1988.-1984 Summer Olympics:...
in the semifinals and USA
United States national baseball team
The United States National Baseball team represents the United States in international baseball competition. The United States has won the previous two Baseball World Cups, having lost this title to the Netherlands in 2011, and is currently second in the IBAF World Rankings, behind Cuba.The team...
in the final. He posted a solid 0.87 ERA and 22 strikeouts throughout the tournament, and was named the Most Valuable Player.
Notable international careers
| Year | Venue | Competition | Team | Individual Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Asian Junior Baseball Championship |  |
2-2, 1.04 ERA (4 G, 11.2 IP, 3 ER, 12 K) | |
| 2006 | World Junior Baseball Championship World Junior Baseball Championship The IBAF AAA World Junior Championships is an under-18 international baseball competition sponsored by the International Baseball Federation , which was first held in 1981 in United States... |
 |
4-0, 0.87 ERA (5 G, 20.2 IP, 2 ER, 22 K) Most Valuable Player |
Professional career
Signed by the SK WyvernsSK Wyverns
SK Wyverns Baseball Club is a South Korean professional baseball team founded in 2000. Based in Incheon, they play their home games at Munhak Baseball Stadium.Their current manager is Man Soo Lee .-History:...
, Kim made his professional debut on April 10, 2007. He was in the Wyverns' starting pitching rotation for most of the 2007 KBO season
2007 Korea Baseball Organization season
The Korea Professional Baseball season was the 26th season in the history of the Korea Professional Baseball. The champions of the league were the SK Wyverns.-Standings:- Korean Series :...
. Although his performance was inconsistent, he showed signs of promise as a rookie, including pitching a one-hit victory in 7 1/3 innings over the Doosan Bears
Doosan Bears
The Doosan Bears are a professional baseball team based in Seoul, South Korea. They are a member of the Korean Baseball Organization....
, facing MVP Daniel Rios
Danny Rios
Daniel Rios is a former Major League Baseball and Korea Baseball Organization player. Rios's repertoire included a sharp slider, change-up and fastball around 90 mph.-Youth:...
in the 2007 Korean Series
2007 Korean Series
The 2007 Korean Series began on Monday, the 22nd of October, at the Munhak Baseball Stadium in Incheon. It featured the SK Wyverns, who had claimed home ground advantage by finishing in first place at the end of the season, and the Doosan Bears, who had finished second and had swept the Hanhwa...
.
On January, 2008, Kim was selected for the South Korea national baseball team and participated in the Beijing Olympic Qualification Final Tournament held from March 7 through March 14, 2008 in Taichung
Taichung
-Demographics:Taichung’s population was an estimated 1,040,725 in August 2006. There are slightly more females in the city than males.24.32% of residents are children, while 16.63% are young people, 52.68% are middle-age, and 6.73% are elderly....
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. There he helped his team win a spot in the Beijing Summer Olympics by starting two times and going 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA.
In the 2008 KBO season, Kim had a career year. He went 16-4 with a 2.39 ERA and 150 strikeouts in 162 innings pitched. Kim ended the season as the KBO league champion for both wins and strikeouts.
At the 2008 Olympic Games, Kim contributed to his team's victories as results of 1-0 with a 1.26 ERA and 12 Strikeouts in 3 games. In the semifinal game against Japan
Japan national baseball team
The Japan national baseball team is the national baseball team representing Japan in international competitions. They are one of the more successful baseball teams in the world, having won the World Baseball Classic in 2006 and 2009...
, he gave up one earned run and six hits in eight innings for Korea to get the victory. Kim did not allow a runner past first base after the 3rd inning, when Japan scored on a walk, a sacrifice and a single by Norichika Aoki
Norichika Aoki
is a Japanese professional baseball player. He is currently an outfielder for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows.Aoki is one of only four players to amass 200 or more hits in a single season in Japanese professional baseball...
.
In March 2009, Kim competed for the South Korea national baseball team in the 2009 World Baseball Classic
2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
, where they finished runner-up. He started against Japan
Japan national baseball team
The Japan national baseball team is the national baseball team representing Japan in international competitions. They are one of the more successful baseball teams in the world, having won the World Baseball Classic in 2006 and 2009...
in South Korea's first game in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, but suffered one of his worst games, giving up eight runs in just 1.1 innings of a 14-2 loss to Japan. Kim couldn't get over the disastrous start in Tokyo, struggling in the exhibition games against MLB teams before the start of Round 2. Command of his pitches became a trouble spot, and Team Korea manager Kim In-Sik
Kim In-Sik
Kim In-Sik is a former manager of the Korean Baseball Organization...
pitched him in relief until the end of the competition.
On August 2, 2009, Kim was hit
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
with a batted ball hit by Kim Hyun-Soo
Kim Hyun-Soo
Kim Hyun-Soo is a Korean name. It's surname is Kim , and the given name is Hyun-Soo . It has usually used as an unisex name. It also spelled Kim Hyun-Su or Kim Hyeon-Soo or Kim Hyeon-Su.- People with the given name Kim Hyun-soo :...
when he had one of the worst pitching performances in his KBO career, allowing 4 runs in just 2 innings against the Doosan Bears
Doosan Bears
The Doosan Bears are a professional baseball team based in Seoul, South Korea. They are a member of the Korean Baseball Organization....
. He suffered a fracture
Fracture
A fracture is the separation of an object or material into two, or more, pieces under the action of stress.The word fracture is often applied to bones of living creatures , or to crystals or crystalline materials, such as gemstones or metal...
on the back of his hand
Hand
A hand is a prehensile, multi-fingered extremity located at the end of an arm or forelimb of primates such as humans, chimpanzees, monkeys, and lemurs...
and he was out for the season
Season (sports)
In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an...
as the result. However, he won the 2009 KBO ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
title, pitching 138.1 innings which enabled him enough to qualify for the ERA title.
Achievements
WinsWin (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
Title
- 2008 StrikeoutStrikeoutIn baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s Title ERAEarned run averageIn baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
Title - 2009 Winning PercentageWinning percentageIn sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
Leader
Notable international careers
| Year | Venue | Competition | Team | Individual Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Final Olympic Qualification Tournament | |
2-0, 1.64 ERA (2 G, 11.0 IP, 2 ER) | |
| 2008 | Olympic Games Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing was held from August 13 to August 23. All games were played at Wukesong Baseball Field, a temporary venue constructed at the Beijing Wukesong Culture & Sports Center... |
|
1-0, 1.26 ERA (3 G, 14.1 IP, 2 ER) | |
| 2009 | World Baseball Classic 2009 World Baseball Classic The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the... |
|
0-1, 21.60 ERA (4 G, 3.1 IP, 8 ER) |
Pitching style
With a overhand delivery kim pitches a fastball usually sits around 90 mph (tops out at 96 mph), and his changeup, slider and curveball are all major league average pitches. Like other young pitchers, Kim still has problem in his control and command.External links
- Career statistics and player information from the KBO official website