A Role for Kim

[LookitsPuck]

Wasn't it three if we are counting Hyun?

I'm counting Kim (Hyun Soo) and Kim Seong-min. Not sure if you want to count Yoon Suk-min. I do recall him signing a 3 year deal and essentially the O's/Yoon working out a deal to send him back to Korea. But I don't recall if there was any drama surrounding it.

[Can_of_corn]

I'm counting Kim (Hyun Soo) and Kim Seong-min. Not sure if you want to count Yoon Suk-min. I do recall him signing a 3 year deal and essentially the O's/Yoon working out a deal to send him back to Korea. But I don't recall if there was any drama surrounding it.

Fair enough.

[Frobby]

I don't think the botched Kim Seong-min amateur signing really has any impact. After all, Hyun Soo Kim and Yoon Suk-min both signed after that, and we've had some MiL signings as well.

As to the treatment of Hyun Soo Kim this spring, I doubt it will have any impact, either. Kim is getting his playing time now and is part of a winning team. I'm sure his highlights are on Korean TV. I think the spring training stuff and early season stuff will be a minor blip. If we'd cut him and he'd succeeded elsewhere that would have been a much bigger deal. And it's probable that one reason we didn't cut him was that we were worried about the PR. But I think we avoided the big PR hit.

[weams]

You really believe what you wrote?

No, of course he doesn't. And Brady saved Reimold twice. Dan has limited emotions.

[weams]

Which isn't "all".

Yes some fans booed Kim on opening day.

But some of us were pleased he stuck to his guns and demanded to be put on the 25.

No one I was near booed Kim. Ever.

[weams]

We all have narratives.

But thanks for clarifying.

No one used to accept Qualifying Offers. Reimold Struck out on three pitches. To Frenchy. Homers are better than walks.

[Frobby]

No one I was near booed Kim. Ever.

I was there and I heard a few. Pretty embarassing display by those fans, though it was a pretty small minority.

[Can_of_corn]

No one I was near booed Kim. Ever.

Just going by what I heard, and how upset Adam seemed to be.

Glad no one near you was involved.

[LookitsPuck]

The boos were pretty boisterous.

[JKOriole]

Just going by what I heard, and how upset Adam seemed to be.

Glad no one near you was involved.

There's no doubt he was booed. It was audible on tv and every news rag reported on it.

I'm obviously a fan and thrilled he's doing well. While we're on the topic, it is kindof humorous how Buck keeps saying he "thinks" Kim is leading the team in OBP. For such a meticulous student of the game, it's hard to believe he doesn't "know" that.

[owknows]

It's not nonsense...

The vast majority of us here saw a miserable offensive performance piled on top of sub-par defense and were not in favor of Kim being in contention of a starting spot on the big-league club.

You seem to make some leaps when it comes to assuming to know Buck's thoughts and intentions on a few issues. I don't think you're being objective here, and what's more, this is SO not a big deal.

Not sure what you're using to measure "vast majority".

I for one, thought he didn't get a decent look, and that the assertion that he had a poor glove was unfounded.

The reason this issue doesn't die, is that many actually think that Buck was WAY wrong in the way he treated Kim... and that this mistreatment came to a player who was good-natured, humble, hustled every play, always smiling, and actually had talent. He was in a foreign land, where he knew no one, and he was willing to do anything the organization asked except for give up his major league contract. And in addition, he didn't get an honest look from the organization. All while .240 hitting perpetual AAAA scrubs where getting his AB's in Spring Training, while he rode the pine. And never once did he even complain.

And for Buck's part, he made a lot of comments that seemed to many to be intended to make clear to Kim that he wasn't MLB material, and his services weren't desired.

Buck was wrong. He's never said he was wrong. And he's never offered anything even remotely resembling an apology. And while Buck is nearly a cult hero in Baltimore, this actually seriously impacted his standing in some people's eyes. I love Buck.. but I thought he behaved very poorly here.

All he would have to do is say, "Man... look at this kid... He's a beast.. I'm usually a better judge of talent. Sorry I didn't realize it sooner." Such a simple comment would boost Kim, be reported in Korean papers very favorably, and reconcile the entire matter while costing Buck nothing. But he seems too proud to do it. And that's why this thing never dies.

[24fps]

Not sure what you're using to measure "vast majority".

I for one, thought he didn't get a decent look, and that the assertion that he had a poor glove was unfounded.

The reason this issue doesn't die, is that many actually think that Buck was WAY wrong in the way he treated Kim... and that this mistreatment came to a player who was good-natured, humble, hustled every play, always smiling, and actually had talent. He was in a foreign land, where he knew no one, and he was willing to do anything the organization asked except for give up his major league contract. And in addition, he didn't get an honest look from the organization. All while .240 hitting perpetual AAAA scrubs where getting his AB's in Spring Training, while he rode the pine. And never once did he even complain.

And for Buck's part, he made a lot of comments that seemed to many to be intended to make clear to Kim that he wasn't MLB material, and his services weren't desired.

Buck was wrong. He's never said he was wrong. And he's never offered anything even remotely resembling an apology. And while Buck is nearly a cult hero in Baltimore, this actually seriously impacted his standing in some people's eyes. I love Buck.. but I thought he behaved very poorly here.

All he would have to do is say, "Man... look at this kid... He's a beast.. I'm usually a better judge of talent. Sorry I didn't realize it sooner." Such a simple comment would boost Kim, be reported in Korean papers very favorably, and reconcile the entire matter while costing Buck nothing. But he seems too proud to do it. And that's why this thing never dies.

Great post.

[Can_of_corn]

I'm looking at the highlights of last night's game and bring up Kim's HR.

I love the catcher's expression when he hits it.

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[Frobby]

Not sure what you're using to measure "vast majority".

I for one, thought he didn't get a decent look, and that the assertion that he had a poor glove was unfounded.

The reason this issue doesn't die, is that many actually think that Buck was WAY wrong in the way he treated Kim... and that this mistreatment came to a player who was good-natured, humble, hustled every play, always smiling, and actually had talent. He was in a foreign land, where he knew no one, and he was willing to do anything the organization asked except for give up his major league contract. And in addition, he didn't get an honest look from the organization. All while .240 hitting perpetual AAAA scrubs where getting his AB's in Spring Training, while he rode the pine. And never once did he even complain.

And for Buck's part, he made a lot of comments that seemed to many to be intended to make clear to Kim that he wasn't MLB material, and his services weren't desired.

Buck was wrong. He's never said he was wrong. And he's never offered anything even remotely resembling an apology. And while Buck is nearly a cult hero in Baltimore, this actually seriously impacted his standing in some people's eyes. I love Buck.. but I thought he behaved very poorly here.

All he would have to do is say, "Man... look at this kid... He's a beast.. I'm usually a better judge of talent. Sorry I didn't realize it sooner." Such a simple comment would boost Kim, be reported in Korean papers very favorably, and reconcile the entire matter while costing Buck nothing. But he seems too proud to do it. And that's why this thing never dies.

Far too dramatic for me. We have no idea what conversations Buck (and Dan) had with Kim or his people this spring, or what conversations they've privately had since then. I am not a person who thinks Buck can do no wrong, but I think people have blown this issue way out of proportion. If managers publicly apologized every time they misjudged a player's ability or how much playing time to give him, the apologies would be endless.

[24fps]

Far too dramatic for me. We have no idea what conversations Buck (and Dan) had with Kim or his people this spring, or what conversations they've privately had since then. I am not a person who thinks Buck can do no wrong, but I think people have blown this issue way out of proportion. If managers publicly apologized every time they misjudged a player's ability or how much playing time to give him, the apologies would be endless.

How often has a player's abilities been misjudged quite so thoroughly not to mention prematurely? And since when does the behind-the-scenes decision making process need to play out so publicly? Combine that with the fact that Kim was offered a contract that prevented certain actions without his consent and this was not a case that allows many comparisons to other player's spring training fates. I agree that leadership requires a certain distance to be maintained but management misplayed this one rather badly and it's not overly dramatic to expect some acknowledgment of that even if it's only slight.