Former D'back Kim Attempts Comeback with Giants

[boondockdrunk]

Former Arizona Diamondbacks closer Byung-Hyun Kim has come out of retirement and agreed to terms on a minor league deal with the San Francisco Giants, said his agent, Paul Cobbe. He will try to win a job in the team's bullpen in spring training.

Kim, 31, has a 54-60 record with a 4.42 ERA and 86 saves in nine seasons with Arizona, Boston, Colorado and Florida. His best season came in 2002, when he went 8-3 with a 2.04 ERA and 36 saves for the Diamondbacks.

Left-hander Horacio Ramirez also received a non-roster invite to spring training.

Kim is probably best remembered for two nightmarish outings in the 2001 World Series, when he allowed late home runs to Tino Martinez, Derek Jeter and Scott Brosius in back-to-back losses to the Yankees. Arizona came back to win the Series in seven games.

Kim, a sidearmer, went to spring training with Pittsburgh in 2008, but hasn't pitched in affiliated ball for two years. Cobbe said he spent much of his time "re-charging'' in his native South Korea.

"He's evaluated coming out of retirement for a while, but now he feels like he's in a position physically to be successful,'' Cobbe said.

Jerry Crasnick is a senior writer for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4877379

 

[bankybruce]

I'll be rooting for him to make it back up.

 

[sundevilscott]

I'll be rooting for him to make it back up.

+1

 

[Gaddabout]

That World Series ruined him in the head, but people were starting to figure him out leading up to that point, anyway. It was only a matter of time, and there aren't many adjustments he can make given his crazy delivery. He's going to tip his pitches and that frisbee slider only requires a bit of video work to figure out. That home run Tino hit off him, Tino was back in the dugout watching Kim work and timing the delivery leading up to his at-bat. That's all it took.

I suppose he might still be good for as a situation pitcher against righties, but I can't really see him eating up innings or getting important outs. Not sure what the Giants were thinking here (other than he will be a popular draw in the Bay just because of his ethnicity).

 

[PoolBoy]

i liked him when he was here, even after the home runs, but i am now rooting for him to make it with the Giants because he is not good anymore

 

[HooverDam]

That World Series ruined him in the head,

then why did he did so well in 2002? I think his struggles are fare more related to the other things you mentioned than any psychological effects the World Series performance may have had.