Wendell Kim
Encyclopedia
Wendell Kim is a former professional baseball
player, coach and manager. He most recently served as the third base coach
for the Chicago Cubs
, and is of mixed Korean and Hawaiian descent.
Kim got his start in professional baseball as a player, coming up through the San Francisco Giants
' farm system as an infielder in the late seventies. He reached the AAA level in 1978, and had a .303 batting average
in the Pacific Coast League
. He never reached the major leagues, however, and he was released by the following spring. He played a brief stint in the Inter-American League
in 1979, but was out of baseball by the end of the season.
In 1980 he began his coaching career, starting out as a coach for the AA Shreveport Captains. Throughout the eighties he coached and managed several teams in the Giants' organization, including the Captains, Clinton Giants, Fresno Giants and Phoenix Firebirds
. It wasn't until 1989 that he got his first taste of major league baseball, when he became the third base coach for the Giants.
Kim held the Giants' job for eight years, before leaving to coach third base for the Boston Red Sox
. He held down the third base coaching job in Boston for four years, manning the position from 1997 to 2000.
Kim left the Red Sox in 2001 to pursue a managing job in the minor leagues. He took over as the skipper of the Indianapolis Indians
, who were the AAA affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers
at the time. That job was short-lived, however, as he soon left to become the bench coach for the Montreal Expos
, a position he took in 2002.
Kim returned to coaching third base, taking that position with the Chicago Cubs
in 2003. Kim's controversial and aggressive style of sending runners home often resulted in outs and garnered him the nickname "Wavin' Wendell".
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
player, coach and manager. He most recently served as the third base coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
for the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, and is of mixed Korean and Hawaiian descent.
Kim got his start in professional baseball as a player, coming up through the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
' farm system as an infielder in the late seventies. He reached the AAA level in 1978, and had a .303 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
in the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
. He never reached the major leagues, however, and he was released by the following spring. He played a brief stint in the Inter-American League
Inter-American League
The Inter-American League was a high-level circuit in minor league baseball that played only three months before folding during the 1979 season...
in 1979, but was out of baseball by the end of the season.
In 1980 he began his coaching career, starting out as a coach for the AA Shreveport Captains. Throughout the eighties he coached and managed several teams in the Giants' organization, including the Captains, Clinton Giants, Fresno Giants and Phoenix Firebirds
Phoenix Firebirds
The Phoenix Firebirds, formerly the Phoenix Giants, were a Minor League Baseball team that played in Phoenix, Arizona, USA from 1958-1959, and 1966 until 1997....
. It wasn't until 1989 that he got his first taste of major league baseball, when he became the third base coach for the Giants.
Kim held the Giants' job for eight years, before leaving to coach third base for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
. He held down the third base coaching job in Boston for four years, manning the position from 1997 to 2000.
Kim left the Red Sox in 2001 to pursue a managing job in the minor leagues. He took over as the skipper of the Indianapolis Indians
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
, who were the AAA affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
at the time. That job was short-lived, however, as he soon left to become the bench coach for the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
, a position he took in 2002.
Kim returned to coaching third base, taking that position with the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
in 2003. Kim's controversial and aggressive style of sending runners home often resulted in outs and garnered him the nickname "Wavin' Wendell".