Byung-Hyun Kim, at 39 years old, is still playing baseball in Australia
As the baseball world awaits where Manny Machado or Bryce Harper might sign, we have been alerted to some other, perhaps much more important, news. Byung-Hyun Kim, the submariner who won a 2001 World Series with the D-backs, is still playing baseball.
I would've thought Kim to be about 53 years old by now, but somehow he's just 39. He pitched nine seasons in the Majors, his last being with the Florida Marlins in 2007, and then spent a few years playing in Japan and Korea.
Of course, it's hard to see Kim's name and not immediately think of those few pitches that he threw in the 2001 World Series against the Yankees. The two to Tino Martinez and Derek Jeter that ended in a Game 4 loss for the D-backs.
And this one the very next night to Scott Brosius -- resulting in another loss.
BUT, the D-backs did win the '01 Fall Classic, doing some of their own ninth-inning damage against one of the greatest closers of all time. And otherwise, Kim was phenomenal during Arizona's postseason run -- earning three saves in six scoreless innings of Division and Championship Series play. A little known, but very excellent Kim highlight took place the following season after he got some revenge against the Yankees. Kim saved a game, took the ball and somehow submarined it about 320 feet onto the vaunted Monument Park. Submarined it. Take that, Jeets.
Either way, pretty fitting that a man with Kim's throwing motion is pitching in the land down under.