*This content was translated by AI.
Kim Byung-hyun (47), known as 'BK (Born to K·Born to strike out)', offered unstinting praise for the retired Oh Seung-hwan (44), who is regarded as 'the best closer in Korean baseball.' Although he is a legend with two Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series championship rings (2001 and 2004 seasons), Kim humbly acknowledged that in terms of closing ability, Oh Seung-hwan is a class above him.
On the 11th, Kim Byung-hyun selected Oh Seung-hwan without hesitation when asked who is the best closer in Korean baseball history through a video titled "Kim Byung-hyun vs. Oh Seung-hwan: Who is the best closer in South Korea?" posted on his YouTube channel "Kim Byung-hyun."
In the video, Kim Byung-hyun stated, "Many people often compare me with Oh Seung-hwan. To be honest, if we look only at the role of closer, Oh Seung-hwan is a far superior pitcher than me. The pitcher suited for the closer role is none other than Oh Seung-hwan." He further emphasized, "I was a pitcher who threw short and thick, while Oh Seung-hwan experienced professional baseball in Korea, the U.S., and Japan, and endured at the pinnacle as a closer over that long period."
During his MLB career, Kim Byung-hyun played as a closer for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox, building a golden monument as the first Korean to win a World Series. From the 1999 season to the 2007 season, he appeared in 394 career MLB games (87 as a starter), recording 54 wins, 60 losses, 86 saves, 21 holds, and an ERA of 4.42. Notably, in the 2002 season with Arizona, he recorded an impressive 36 saves. However, he gave higher marks to Oh Seung-hwan's 'longevity' and 'stability' than to his own career achievements.
Kim Byung-hyun said, "You can see it just by looking at the final numbers. Oh Seung-hwan has recorded saves for a much longer period and has a much higher number of saves. As a closer, he is far superior to me. He was a player who held a professional mindset and deep respect for closers," offering high praise for his junior.
He added, "Of course, not everything can be judged by numbers alone. But Oh Seung-hwan is truly an excellent closer. It is no exaggeration to call him the best closer in our country. In my standard, he is the best closer. I would like to conclude with this."
Oh Seung-hwan, in turn, spent 15 seasons in the KBO League from the 2005 season, recording 738 games, 44 wins, 33 losses, 427 saves, 19 holds, and an ERA of 2.32. While playing for the Hanshin Tigers in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), he recorded 80 saves over two seasons, and in MLB, he accumulated 42 saves over four seasons. He achieved the remarkable feat of 549 total saves across Korea, the U.S., and Japan.
Kim Byung-hyun also honestly admitted his own shortcomings. He confessed, "Personally, I did not have a professional mindset toward the closer role. I had a thirst and ambition for starting pitching. The closer role was entrusted to me by Arizona, so I pitched there. If I had had a clear goal regarding the closer role, I might have accumulated more career achievements. However, I had no specific goal for saves; I simply wanted to throw my own pitches. During my injury and rehabilitation process, I found myself trapped in a maze alone. In that process, there were ups and downs."
This can be seen as Kim Byung-hyun himself putting an end to the endless 'Kim Byung-hyun vs. Oh Seung-hwan' debate among fans. Kim Byung-hyun emphasized, "Unlike me, Oh Seung-hwan had a thorough goal-oriented mindset regarding the one-inning closer role, which is why I once again consider him the best closer."
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*This content was translated by AI.
