South Korean submariner Byung-Hyun Kim announced his retirement from professional baseball in an interview with Lee Jae-kook of SPOTV Sports Time, covered here by Naver Sports. Kim played in Australia last season at the age of 39 after stints in the MLB, Korea and Japan.
Kim is unfortunately best known for blowing saves in back-to-back games against the Yankees during the 2001 World Series. He surrendered crushing home runs to Derek Jeter and Scott Brosius in games four and five, marring an otherwise breakout season for the electric 22-year-old. Kim’s quick delivery, submarine arm slot and sweeping breaking ball made him an engaging character on the Diamondbacks’ lone championship team, for whom he was tremendous up until the World Series. Two games after Kim’s second blown save, Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera would do him a solid and prove that a blown save can happen to anyone, as the Diamondbacks game back in the bottom of the ninth against Rivera to win their first and only World Series. That season Kim saved 19 games with a 2.94 ERA over 98 innings while recording 10.4 K/9.
Kim bounced back from the rough showing in the World Series with a career year in 2002, earning 36 saves with 2.04 ERA in 84 innings. The Diamondbacks version of Kim would have fit nicely in today’s game as a high-usage multi-inning reliever, though it was a short run of success. He was traded to the Red Sox in May of 2003, where his career eventually unraveled, though he did turn in a strong 79 1/3 innings of 3.18 ERA baseball for Boston that season, including five starts. Kim also played for the Rockies and Marlins, last appearing in the major leagues for Florida in 2007.
Kim returned to Arizona for the 20th Anniversary and took part in the festivities. His strongest major league seasons were without a doubt his early years in Arizona, where he recorded 70 of his 86 career saves. For his career, Kim finished with a 54-6o record with a 4.42 ERA in 394 appearances, 87 of which were starts. Kim is fourth on the Diamondbacks all-time saves list.
Thought he retired 5-6yrs ago
Exactly. I expect Bruce Sutter to announce his retirement any day now.
Kudos to him, not many players have the gusto to spend 7 different seasons playing in the minor leagues (all without any major league call ups) after the success he had early in his career. He was a fun player to watch
As far as I’m concerned he retired when he flipped off his team’s fans during ALDS Game 3 lineup introductions in 2003 at Fenway..
Mark Grace hugging BHK on the mound after his second World Series blown save in two nights is one of the most memorable baseball moments of my life.
Haven’t heard that name in a long time! Don’t know why he ever tried to convert to the rotation, was such a good reliever ! Best of luck in retirement !
The 2001 World Series (heck, the entire 2001 season) was legendary and one of those sports moments you are just glad to have lived through
I was rooting so hard for Kim and the Diamondbacks after the blown saves. What a series. That is definitely one of my favorite World Series of all time.
I’d argue the end of Game 7 was the best ending of a World Series in history.
Joe Carter says hi
That was game 6 though; I do think a walk-off in game 7 is more dramatic.
Joe Carter ended a World Series, like the Gonzalez walk-off. That is what Shield was referring to. Nice try Starbucks. Glad you were paying attention again….
Was a stud in mlb 2k8
This guy was my closer for sure in All-Star Baseball 2001 for the Nintendo 64.
There’s a blast from the past
The Diamondbacks’ 2001 WS championship was a PED-induced abomination, regardless of Randy Johnson’s and Curt Schilling’s heroics. And it’s been rightfully ignored, with the exception of the lone Mariano Rivera playoff blemish.
“The Diamondbacks’ 2001 WS championship was a PED-induced abomination, regardless of Randy Johnson’s and Curt Schilling’s heroics. And it’s been rightfully ignored, with the exception of the lone Mariano Rivera playoff blemish.”
Or you could just type that you thought the Yankees were going to win and they didn’t. And that you’re still super butt hurt about it.
Frankly, I find your focus on anal discomfort to be a bit off-putting. My guess is you probably own at least one MAGA hat.
^Arizona was the ONLY team in 2001 with players using PEDs? I’m sure every team had 1 player. Every single team. Someone had to win the World Series that year.
Not sure what you mean about a hat. If you are triggered because of a hat you may want to avoid sharp objects or weapons.
Says the first person to mention the term ‘triggered’. Too close for comfort, possibly?
Sorry for rattling you. Didn’t realize you’re that fragile.
Trim. Can I call you Trim? Is it possible you’re projecting? Think about it…
(Let’s do this for a few more exchanges before we’re completely exhausted, and then call it a day.)
Gosh dang it St.John no politics on this site!!!!
Actually, this is just lots of back-and-moronic banter from all involved parties.
That said, you had me at ‘gosh dang it’ and triple exclamation points. Well played, thecof, well played.
Don’t post very often in here but have to clarify some things. Yankees also had Giambi Clemens and Petitte on their 2001 World Series team numb nuts. Talk about the hypocrisy that you spew out.
Yeah, writing about the Snakes being PED while ignoring most of Baseball was at the time is kind of funny in a insane way…
Jay Bell, Matt Williams, Luis Gonzalez,
Steve Finley, etc. Yeah, kind of funny in an insane way…
Gonzo was most certainly on PEDs, same with Williams. Finley? Bell? I think you’re just reaching on them. Or maybe still upset they beat the Red birds in the NLDS that year? Young man? I wish lol
Roger Clemens, Chuck Knoblauch, David Justice, Andy Pettitte, Randy Velarde all named in the Mitchell report
Today, players over the age of 32 are scrambling for whatever contract they can due to either a real or perceived drop in production. But miraculously, this Diamondbacks team had at least four players that raised their power/production in their mid-30s. A reach? Maybe, maybe not…
There isn’t a PED out there that will help you hit a Randy Johnson fastball or a Pedro Martinez change up. Maddux never took them and he was the best pitcher of the era.
Giambi was absolutely 100% not on that ’01 Yankees team. You and the people upvoting you should be banned from commenting.
Considering the Yankees slashed .183/.240/.288 as a team in that series they could have used a little juiced Giambi
Okay I got one wrong. So I’m batting .667. Don’t be petty, you got the gist of what I was saying. Smh
My nuts are just fine, but thank you for thinking about them. My, aren’t you the clever young man.
Children, please behave!
Your righteous indignation is noted. Pull the door shut all the way on your way out.
Just glad to know I could get the kids all riled up.
Only Luos Gonzalez was ever on some kind of PEDs. Unless you think tony Womack and Quentin McCracken were on leg steroids?
Brian Roberts is an admitted steroid user, so if you’re trying to say that only upper body muscles are effected by steroids, or that only big muscle-bound players use steroids you are ignorant and mistaken.
Funny. I’m sure you have no problem with the 2009 Yankees who have had what, four guys busted for PED’s since then?
No mention of Tino Martinez home run? Derek Jeter’s ‘crushing home run’ isn’t possible without Tino’s first!
Major League Baseball announced his retirement 12 years ago…
He owns a sushi restaurant in San Diego named “Umo Sushi”….table for 2 Mr Machado?
I count myself fortunate to have been at one of those games. It was Halloween night 2001, just a few weeks after the attacks on NYC, and 56,000 of us are in the old Yankees stadium, all of us aware that this is a new world and we are packed into this building- a potential target as much as anywhere. Security was at an insane level. The game itself was boring. The Yankees’ offense was anemic. But we enjoyed the opportunity to forget about the world’s events for a couple of hours in the familiar setting of a baseball game.
The Yankees are down by two runs in the bottom of the ninth and I, with resignation turn to my friend lamenting the loss of the game and likely loss of the series. As I am saying the words, Tino Martinez cracks a game tying homerun. The stadium, all of the Bronx, starts shaking. A city’s worth of anxiety about that autumn’s events is released in that moment.
In the bottom of the tenth, the scoreboard clock strikes 12:00. The scoreboard reads “Welcome to November baseball”. Jeter ends the game. Once again the city erupts. The scoreboard then declares “that’s November baseball”.
Thanks for the memories BH Kim.
9/11 was an awful time, but the sports moments that came from it helping america recover will never go away
I’m a New Yorker as well, and I remember all the bitter Mets fans rocking Diamondback jerseys. That gets lost in the narrative; a big % of the city was just tired of the Yankees at that point. Hell of a team though.
The Giants should talk him outta retirement and offer him 3 years 90 million. Come on Farhan. Make it happen !
“The Diamondbacks’ 2001 WS championship was a PED-induced abomination, regardless of Randy Johnson’s and Curt Schilling’s heroics. And it’s been rightfully ignored, with the exception of the lone Mariano Rivera playoff blemish.”
Or you could just type that you thought the Yankees were going to win and they didn’t. And that you’re still super butt hurt about it.
LOL @ Mo doing him a solid!
He’s only 39? I didn’t realize 1. He was still playing and 2. He was 21 in the 2001 world series.
what a curious player, even moreseo with the longevity
You also forgot about how he flipped off the Boston crowd for booing him in the 03′ playoffs.
Devastating news. 39 years old is way too young to just step away from the game.
Nothing was more disgusting than some people acting like the D-Backs were the Taliban and the Yankees “deserved” to win because of 9-11.
행운을 빕니다! 곧 대마초를 피워 봅시다!
one of the best trades in Red Sox history–Shea Hillenbrand was dealt for Kim, and was their starting 3B and backup 1B at the time. This allowed Bill Mueller (3B), Kevin Millar (1B), and David Ortiz (DH) to play everyday. This was the first year in Boston for all 3 of them. Mueller won the batting title in 03, Millar had an excellent year, and we all know what Ortiz became. All 3 remained integral parts of the 04 team for their WS win, first in 86 years. Given the long-term impact of Ortiz (3 rings), this was arguably a more important trade than Heatchliff Slocumb for Jason Varitek and Derek Lowe.