By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter
South Korea has always prided itself as a world power in baseball, but earning a ticket for next year’s Beijing Olympics seems far from a sure thing.
South Korean skipper Kim Kyung-moon boldly predicts his team to be in contention for gold, but it’s questionable whether he will have the right men for the job with several of the country’s top players showing reluctance towards national duty.
Kim lost one of his best pitchers Tuesday when Florida Marlins right-hander Kim Byung-hyun confirming that he will not join the national team for the Olympic qualifiers in December.
The pitcher is coming off a disappointing season that saw him start with the Colorado Rockies, move to the Florida Marlins, then the Arizona Diamondbacks, and back again with the Marlins, giving a new meaning to the word “journeyman.”
The only thing consistent about Kim was his inconsistency on the mound, finishing the season 10-8 with a 6.08 ERA, making him one of the unlikeliest 10-game winners ever.
Despite seeing his effectiveness decline sharply in recent years, Kim would have been an asset for the national team, with his ability to handle both the starter and reliever roles making him a versatile weapon in a short series.
“Kim Byung-hyun had first told us in September that he is willing to represent his country in December,” said an official from the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO).
“However, now he says he is fatigued with everything he went through this season and needs time to explore new options as he is now a free agent.”
Kim is not the first foreignbased player to refuse the call for country. Seo Jae-weong, now with the triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, also turned down the KBO’s request.
With both Kim and Seo pushed to the brink of their Major League Baseball (MLB) careers, neither are willing to punish their bodies for a few extra weeks of high-wired action.
South Korea could also miss Yomiuri Giants first baseman Lee Seung-yeop, who is scheduled for surgery on his left thumb after the season.
This means the country’s topranked pitcher and hitter would not be available to manager Kim at game time. Park Chan-ho, now with a triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, is the only foreignbased player enthusiastic about representing his country.
However, the pitcher, whose short-peaked Major League career seems all but over, is now more washed up than beach sand and should not be accountable to handle pressure situations.
Kim will have Park on the roster just out of loyalty, but could have a hard time defending his decision to save a roster spot for the 34-year-old who seems allergic to throwing strikes.