Soo-kyung Kim

Soo-kyung Kim (김수경)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 179 lb.

• High School Incheon High School

• Born August 20, 1979 in Incheon South Korea

BR register page

Biographical Information

Soo-kyung Kim is a pitcher for the Hyundai Unicorns, compiling a 90-70 record through 2006. He also played for South Korea in the 2000 Olympics. He broke in as a hard-to-hit strikeout-and-walk type a la a young Nolan Ryan, but this tendency has declined through the years.

Kim debuted in 1998 with a 12-4, 2 save, 2.76 season. He struck out 168 in 160 innings while allowing only 112 hits; his trouble was control, as he walked 73. He still finished third in the Korea Baseball Organization in ERA behind Myung-won Chong and Won-hyung Kim. He was also possibly third in strikeouts behind Dae-jin Lee and Myung-won Park. He won the Korea Baseball Organization Rookie of the Year Award. In 1999, Soo-kyung was 10-11 with one save and a 4.14 ERA. He whiffed 184 in 184 2/3 innings but walked 115 and was much more hittable (180 hits allowed). He led the KBO in strikeouts that season.

In 2000, Soo-kyung went 18-8 with a 3.74 ERA, tying Min-tae Chung and Sun-dong Im for the Korea Baseball Organization lead in victories. He was 10th in the KBO in ERA. He also pitched well against Cuba in the 2000 Olympics, giving them their closest scare to that point in Olympic competition, allowing only two hits in his first five innings. In the sixth, he faded, not retiring anyone and being charged with the first three runs in Cuba's 6-5 win.

Kim fell to 6-6, 5.20 in 2001, walking 52 in 97 innings while allowing 101 hits and striking out just 60. In 2002, Soo-kyung's record read 12-10, 4.88. He whiffed 130 in 151 1/3 but walked 84 and allowed 155 hits.

The Hyundai hurler had a 10-9, 4.63 mark in 2003 with 184 hits, 121 strikeouts and 74 walks in 167 innings. In 2004, the 24-year-old right-hander was 11-8 with a 4.01 ERA. He declined to 7-7, 5.76 in 2005; he struck out 70 in 90 2/3 innings while allowing 106 hits and 42 walks.

In 2006, Kim's struggles continued. His line that year read 4-7, 3.78 with 96 hits and 40 walks in 85 2/3 IP while striking out 64.

Sources: KBO website, Korean wikipedia, 2000 Olympics line score, 1999-2001 Baseball Almanacs, KBO single-season leaders, Associated Press article on the 2000 Olympics game against Cuba