Seoul man: South Korean adds more international flavor to O's
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2009/06/28/sports/sports01.txt
From Panama to Australia, the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico, British
Columbia to Florida, the Missoula Osprey come from all over the world.
A bilingual clubhouse has become commonplace in professional baseball
throughout America. But this season, a third language will join English and
Spanish in the Missoula dugout.
Added to the linguistic mixing pot this season is catcher Jae Yun Kim, who
hails from Seoul, South Korea. Kim was a free agent signed by the affiliate
Arizona Diamondbacks in 2008. Kim, who has been learning English for only a
handful of months, was provided Changmin Park, an interpreter, to help ease
his transition to America by Arizona. Osprey Vice President and General
Manager Matt Ellis said Park's presence is a good sign for Kim.
“You don't see interpreters assigned to teams, especially at this level,
unless the organization thinks very highly of the player,” Ellis said. “
They are doing everything they can to make the cultural crossover easier.”
Kim, one of two sons of a small business owner in Seoul, comes to the Osprey
with lofty goals and an optimistic smile.
“It is exciting to be a minor league player, but my dream is to be a major
league player,” Kim said through his interpreter. “I'm excited for the big
challenge. I sometimes miss home and my parents, but this is what I have
always wanted to do.”
The need for an interpreter was magnified by not only the cultural and
linguistic barrier faced by Kim, but also because the Diamondbacks put such a
strong emphasis on catcher-pitcher relationships. The need for proper
communication is paramount to Kim's development as an all-around player. The
Osprey coaching staff said the transition to communicating with a player via
interpreter has been an interesting one.
“It's been a little bit challenging working through an interpreter simply
because he (Park) is not a baseball guy,” said Osprey hitting coach Jason
Hardtke. “He was a power lifter and a trainer. He is kind of learning
baseball too. That has been the most difficult part, but his English is great
and he has been great. It's a learning process for him, too.”
“Sometimes it is tough, but he (Kim) is getting better with his English,”
added second-year Osprey Manager Audo Vicente. “The big thing is he is a
hard worker. He wants to get better, he wants to work on his English. If he
would have come here right away, it would have been tough. But those few
months in spring training helped. It will still be a little tough, but
nothing he can't handle.”
Even before being assigned to Missoula, Kim spent months learning English in
South Korea after signing his contract. While in Tucson, Ariz., for extended
spring training, he took English classes for two hours a day. He said he can
understand basic questions, but most Americans speak far too quickly for him
to fully comprehend. He estimates that he already understands 60 percent-70
percent of what the coaches say to him relating to baseball.
The Osprey hope that work ethic goes beyond breaking down language barriers.
Kim is regarded as a prospect with potential.
“The scouting report we got on him is that he is still trying to learn the
American game because it is different, and his tools are real raw,” Ellis
said. “He has a really high ceiling and they think he definitely has a
bright future in the organization.”
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Kim said the main difference between the American
game and the Korean game is style. He said Korean pitchers are very accurate,
but do not throw nearly as hard as American pitchers. He also said Korean
baseball puts an emphasis on speed, both on the base paths and defensively,
more so than in America. One thing that translates across all styles of
baseball is the ability to hit. Hardtke said Kim certainly has the makeup to
excel.
“He was opening some eyes right away because the ball jumps off his bat,”
Hardtke said. “He is a young guy, so he needs to work on his approach at
the plate. At the end of extended spring he was swinging at every first pitch
and almost every second pitch. If it happened to be a fastball inside he
ripped it, but if not, he was in trouble. We will continue to work on that.
But he is a real natural, talented hitter.”
Becoming acclimated to international competition is nothing new for Kim.
Before signing with Arizona, Kim was part of the Korean U-18 National Team.
His team won the World Junior Championships in 2008.
“It was a very good chance to have a game with other foreign teams,” Kim
said. “I learned the different types of baseball styles - Canadian,
American. I always tried to be the diamond's best player because of all the
scouts.”
The catcher is humble in his assessment of all his skills. The one thing he
knows he is not good at is running. But running against him? Kim said his
greatest attribute as a catcher is his throwing arm.
Regardless of what might be the most polished part of Kim's game right now,
the ceiling can only rise. He is one of seven Osprey who are 18 years old.
Vicente said Kim only stands to get better as he grows and becomes more
polished.
“He has a very accurate arm,” Vicente said. “He is only 18. He is
accurate, he can hit. You can say he is further ahead than most guys who are
18.”
Moving around the world following high school graduation would be a culture
shock for almost anyone. Kim's parents worry about his ability to adapt to
America, but they are supportive because they know he is chasing his dream.
“My father taught me baseball, and he is always encouraging me, telling me I
can do it,” Kim said. “Sometimes they tell me they miss me so much, but
they are proud.”
Transitioning to America, acclimating yourself to life on your own, chasing
your dream as a professional athlete; all are somewhat daunting tasks for an
18-year-old. The Osprey seem to believe Kim has what it takes. Vicente, who
speaks both English and Spanish, said at the end of the day, they all have
the same goals and one common thread unites them as a team.
“He is fine because we all have already figured out how to communicate using
the game,” Vicente said. “Signs, communication, understanding what is going
on; baseball brings us together. We all communicate through baseball.”
--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc)
◆ From: 140.112.5.3
Diamondbacks 近期熱門文章
PTT體育區 即時熱門文章
12
37