Lim Chang-Yong
Encyclopedia
Lim Chang-Yong is a South Korea
n right-handed closer
who plays for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows
in Nippon Professional Baseball.
He is widely known as the fastest sidearm
pitcher
in baseball history (outside of American pitcher, Joe Warbis) who can throw a 160 km/h (99.4 mph) four-seam fastball
. His signature pitch is his two-seam fastball
which, due to its unique tailing movement has earned its nickname "Serpant fastball". His other pitches include a high 70s slider
with a sharp horizontal break, a mid 80s forkball
, and a rarely used 60 mi/h slow-curveball. He is one of the rare pitchers who can and does pitch in multiple pitching forms, freely pitching primarily sidearm and underhand, rarely low three-quarters at will.
Lim made his pro debut in 1995 with the Haitai Tigers in Korea Baseball Organization
, and has been regularly picked for the South Korean baseball team as a relief pitcher
since the 1998 Asian Games
, and won the bronze medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics
and two Asian Game gold medals
in 1998
and 2002
.
Though predominantly known as a closer
, Lim was converted to a starting pitcher
in 2001, and spent three years as the Samsung Lions
' starter before returning to the bullpen in 2004. There was interest from Major League squads but Lim decided to stay in South Korea.
In late 2007, Lim was signed by Japan's Tokyo Yakult Swallows
in the hopes of bolstering their weak bullpen. In the 2008 NPB season
, he recorded 33 saves (5th in the NPB league) with a 3.00 ERA in 51 innings pitched.
In the 2009 NPB season
, he recorded a 0.00 ERA for a few months, earning his nickname "Mr.Zero", and also featured in the 2009 NPB All-star Game as a closer for the Central League
team. He was sent down to the reserve squad after his ERA rose to a whopping 1.84 in a short stint, but came back to strengthen up Yakult's weak bullpen, which was responsible for its recent losses.
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n right-handed closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
who plays for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows
Tokyo Yakult Swallows
is a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League.The Swallows are named after their corporate owners, the Yakult Corporation. From 1950 to 1965, the team was owned by the former Japanese National Railways and called the Kokutetsu Swallows; the team was then owned by the newspaper Sankei...
in Nippon Professional Baseball.
He is widely known as the fastest sidearm
Sidearm
In baseball, sidearm describes balls thrown along a low, approximately horizontal axis rather than a high, mostly vertical axis ....
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
in baseball history (outside of American pitcher, Joe Warbis) who can throw a 160 km/h (99.4 mph) four-seam fastball
Four-seam fastball
A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family...
. His signature pitch is his two-seam fastball
Two-seam fastball
A two-seam fastball is a pitch in baseball and a variant of the straight fastball. The pitch has the speed of a fastball, but the general movement of a screwball...
which, due to its unique tailing movement has earned its nickname "Serpant fastball". His other pitches include a high 70s slider
Slider
In baseball, a slider is a pitch that breaks laterally and down, with a speed between that of a curveball and that of a fastball....
with a sharp horizontal break, a mid 80s forkball
Forkball
The forkball is a type of pitch in baseball. Related to the split-fingered fastball, the forkball is held between the first two fingers and thrown hard snapping the wrist....
, and a rarely used 60 mi/h slow-curveball. He is one of the rare pitchers who can and does pitch in multiple pitching forms, freely pitching primarily sidearm and underhand, rarely low three-quarters at will.
Lim made his pro debut in 1995 with the Haitai Tigers in Korea Baseball Organization
Korea Baseball Organization
The Korea Baseball Organization is the governing body for the professional leagues of baseball in South Korea. KBO should not be confused with the Korea Professional Baseball League. KBO was founded in 1981 and has been governing two leagues, Korea Professional Baseball and Futures League since...
, and has been regularly picked for the South Korean baseball team as a relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
since the 1998 Asian Games
Baseball at the 1998 Asian Games
Baseball was one of the many sports which was held at the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand beginning on December 7, 1998.-Level A:-Level B:-Medal round:-References:*...
, and won the bronze medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
and two Asian Game gold medals
Baseball at the Asian Games
Baseball has been an event at the Asian Games, since the Games in Hiroshima, Japan in 1994.-Medal table:-Medalists:-External links:*...
in 1998
Baseball at the 1998 Asian Games
Baseball was one of the many sports which was held at the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand beginning on December 7, 1998.-Level A:-Level B:-Medal round:-References:*...
and 2002
Baseball at the 2002 Asian Games
Baseball was one of the many sports which was held at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, South Korea beginning on October 2, 2002. Five East and Southeast Asian nations participated in the tournament...
.
Though predominantly known as a closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
, Lim was converted to a starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
in 2001, and spent three years as the Samsung Lions
Samsung Lions
Samsung Lions Baseball Club is a Korea Professional Baseball team founded in 1982. They are based in Daegu and are members of the Korean Baseball Organization. Their home stadium is Daegu Baseball Stadium...
' starter before returning to the bullpen in 2004. There was interest from Major League squads but Lim decided to stay in South Korea.
In late 2007, Lim was signed by Japan's Tokyo Yakult Swallows
Tokyo Yakult Swallows
is a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League.The Swallows are named after their corporate owners, the Yakult Corporation. From 1950 to 1965, the team was owned by the former Japanese National Railways and called the Kokutetsu Swallows; the team was then owned by the newspaper Sankei...
in the hopes of bolstering their weak bullpen. In the 2008 NPB season
2008 Nippon Professional Baseball season
The 2008 Nippon Professional Baseball season was the 59th season since the NPB was reorganized in . The regular season started on March 20 with the Pacific League opener, and on March 28 with the Central League opener. On March 25 and 26, the Boston Red Sox and Oakland Athletics played 2 regular...
, he recorded 33 saves (5th in the NPB league) with a 3.00 ERA in 51 innings pitched.
In the 2009 NPB season
2009 Nippon Professional Baseball season
The 2009 Nippon Professional Baseball season is the 60th season since the NPB was reorganized in -Central League First Stage:Chunichi Dragons win the series, 2-1-Central League Second Stage:Yomiuri Giants have one-win advantage...
, he recorded a 0.00 ERA for a few months, earning his nickname "Mr.Zero", and also featured in the 2009 NPB All-star Game as a closer for the Central League
Central League
The or is one the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consists of six teams from around the country,The Central League...
team. He was sent down to the reserve squad after his ERA rose to a whopping 1.84 in a short stint, but came back to strengthen up Yakult's weak bullpen, which was responsible for its recent losses.