Sun-dong Im

Sun-dong Im (임선동)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 209 lb.

• School Yonsei University
• High School Whimoon High School

• Born August 4, 1973 in Seoul South Korea

BR register page

Biographical Information

Sun-dong Im was a two-time Olympic performer who was 52-36 in the Korea Baseball Organization from 1997-2006, once going 18-4.

Im won Silver with the South Korean national team in the 1993 Asian Championship. He was 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA in five appearances in the 1994 Baseball World Cup, helping his team to a Silver medal. In the Gold Medal game, he worked 3 2/3 scoreless innings against the Cuban national team in relief of Sung-min Cho but South Korea lost 6-1 anyways. He also won Silver in the 1994 Asian Games. He was named the best pitcher in the 1995 Asian Championship, helping South Korea win a Silver Medal and a spot in the '96 Summer Games. In the 1996 Olympics, he had a 18.00 ERA for the last-place Koreans. He allowed five runs in 1 2/3 innings against Cuba and 6 runs in 3 1/3 innings against the Australian national team.

Im began his KBO career in 1997 with the LG Twins, going 11-7 with a 3.52 ERA. In 1998, he had a 1-6, 6.94 mark. 1999 was even worse - 0-1, 8.05 with 33 hits allowed in 19 innings for the Hyundai Unicorns.

Im bounced back amazingly in 2000, going 18-4 with a 3.36 ERA and 174 strikeouts in 195 1/3 IP. He tied Soo-kyung Kim and Min-tae Chung for the KBO lead in wins and led in strikeouts, two ahead of Soo-kyung Kim. He missed out on a pitching Triple Crown as he was 4th in ERA behind Dae-sung Koo, Denny Harriger and Min-han Son. Additionally, he won the Gold Glove award at pitcher.

In the 2000 Olympics, Im had a 3.60 ERA for the Bronze Medal-winning South Koreans. He allowed two runs in three innings in a start against the Italian national team and tossed two scoreless frames against the South African national team.

Im went 14-9 with a 4.40 ERA in 2001, his strikeout total falling to 77 in 159 2/3 IP. In 2002, he fell to 8-6, 4.51 with a save. The next year, Im was 0-2 with a 9.45 ERA, allowing 23 hits in 13 1/3 IP, back to his nightmarish form of 1999. In 2004, the former star allowed 9 hits, 6 walks and 7 runs in 3 2/3 IP. He had a similar line in 2005 - 3 2/3 IP, 7 runs, 9 hits, 3 walks and a loss - and pitched just one game in the KBO in 2006.

Im was 52-36 with a save and a 4.50 ERA in his 10 years in the KBO.

Sources: KBO player page, 2001 Baseball Almanac, Defunct IBAF site