KIA's Baragi Lim Ki-young, "I felt sorry for the fans"..."I'll help you win for 2 consecutive years next year"
KIA's Baragi Lim Ki-young, "I felt sorry for the fans"..."I'll help you win for 2 consecutive years next year"
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For the team and the fans, I dream of taking off again.
Right-hander sidearm pitcher Lim Ki-young signed an FA contract with Kia Tigers on Sunday. He signed a three-year contract worth a total of 1.5 billion won (down payment of 300 million won, annual salary of 900 million won, option 300 million won).
"Im Ki-young is a dedicated player who does his best in the position the team needs regardless of starting or bullpen session. I expect him to be a great help to his pitching capability next year along with his teammates," a Kia team source said.
"First of all, I didn't think about moving to another club," Lim Ki-young said. "I'm grateful to the club for offering me good conditions, and I'm happy to hear the cheers of the enthusiastic KIA fans again," he said. "I felt sorry for my fans because I didn't meet my expectations this season, but I'll prepare well from now on and become a player to help the team win its second consecutive Korean Series."
A graduate of Kyungpook National High School, Lim made his professional debut in 2012 as the 18th pick in the second round by the Hanwha Eagles. He was then selected by Kia in December 2014 as compensation for Song's transfer to the FA. Lim, who has been serving in the military, has been on the mound for the first team as an KIA player since 2017.
During the 2017 season, Lim pitched in 118 ⅓ innings in 23 games, recording eight wins and six losses with an ERA of 3.65. He pitched shutout games twice, displaying stellar performance. In the Korean Series against the Doosan Bears, Lim also started in one game and won the game by allowing no run in five ⅔ innings. In that year, he contributed to Kia's overall win.
Since then, he played as a starter and relief pitcher for eight seasons through this year. He played a total of 809 ⅔ innings in 244 games for KIA, recording 49 wins and 56 losses with 20 holds, four saves, and an earned run average of 4.76. His overall performance in the KBO league is 51 wins, 59 losses, four saves and an earned run average of 4.80, in 285 games and 867 innings in 11 seasons.
Last year, Lim Ki-young also contributed a lot to the mound by performing well with 4 wins, 4 losses, 16 holds, 3 saves and an ERA of 2.96 in 62 innings in 64 games.
However, he failed to meet his expectations this season. He played in 45 ⅔ innings in 37 regular season games, and suffered six wins, two losses and two holds with an earned run average of 6.31. KIA advanced to the Korean Series by ranking first in the regular season and achieved a combined win for the first time in seven years, but Lim did not enjoy the honor. He swallowed up the disappointment by being excluded from the list of participants for the Korean Series.
Lim joined the opening entry on March 23. However, he felt uncomfortable in his left side while pitching in the bullpen prior to the game against Doosan on March 31. A thorough examination revealed fine damage to his left internal oblique muscle.
Lim started rehabilitation, and pitched in a game against the NC Dinos in the Futures League on April 19 and recorded no run in one inning. He failed to return to the top team immediately. After taking care of himself for about a month, he was called up to the top team on May 28.
Lim had one win and two losses and an earned run average of 6.75 in six games in June and two wins and two holds and an earned run average of 4.73 in 12 games in July, but had a difficult time with one win and an earned run average of 10.80 in nine games in August. Although he returned from two weeks of reorganization, he did not improve much. He wrapped up the year with the regular season. 스포츠토토
Although the team slowed down this season, if it recovers its performance from previous years based on its healthy physical condition, it is a resource that can sufficiently boost Kia's pitching staff. Lim Ki-young is desperate.