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Hyun Soo Kim becoming a difference-maker for Orioles
- Updated: June 4, 2016
1:56 AM ET
BALTIMORE — Back in spring training, Hyun Soo Kim was having trouble catching up to big-league cheese. Not so much anymore.
In the decisive seventh inning of the Orioles’ 6-5 comeback win over the New York Yankees on Friday night, Kim turned around a 97-mph fastball from flame-throwing reliever Dellin Betances and sent it back up the middle for a single that led to the go-ahead run. The hit was one of three on the game for Kim, and by far the most improbable.
Early in spring training, after signing a two-year, $7 million contract with the Orioles, the 28-year old outfielder — a lifetime .318 hitter over 10 seasons in Korea — looked like a foreign free agent fail. He went hitless in his first 23 at-bats in Grapefruit League action.
He also went from being the Orioles’ presumptive Opening Day left fielder to just barely making the roster, and only then because he refused a minor league assignment. A big part of the problem for Kim was adjusting to the velocity of major league pitching with an abbreviated preseason.
“We normally start in January to build our body up to make sure that we can catch up to the pitches,” Kim said through interpreter Danny Lee after the game. “Here, we didn’t start until late February.”
Hyun Soo Kim, who is batting .400 over the Orioles’ last 10 games, singles to set up with decisive run in Friday’s win. Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY Sports
As if the shorter training period wasn’t enough of a shock to his system, the speed of major league pitching made it even worse. According to Kim, the hardest thrower he faced …
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