Yoon Suk-Min
Encyclopedia
Yoon Suk-Min (born July 24, 1986 in Seoul
, South Korea
) is a pitcher
who plays for the Kia Tigers
in the Korea Baseball Organization
. He bats and throws right-handed.
with the 1st pick in the 2nd round of the KBO draft, Yoon made his pro debut with the Tigers on April 2, 2005. In his rookie season, he showed signs of promise, pitching 84 innings in 53 games with a 4.29 ERA as the Tigers' primary setup man.
In , Yoon played as a middle reliever
and closer
for the Tigers, and collected 9 holds
and 19 saves.
In , Yoon join the starting rotation due to Tigers' ace Han Ki-Joo
's transition to a closing job. However, Yoon was not so successful, going 7-18 with a 3.78 ERA as a starter. While his ERA was decent, the poor run support he received gave in 18 losses, the most in the 2007 season. This gave him the nickname "The Unfortunate Ace".
In , Yoon emerged as one of the most consistent pitchers in the KBO league, going 14-5 with a 2.33 ERA and 119 strikeouts in 154.2 innings pitched. He won the ERA title and finished runner-up to Kim Kwang-Hyun
in wins.
In August 2008, Yoon competed for the South Korea national baseball team in the 2008 Summer Olympics
, where they won the gold medal in the baseball tournament
. He was 2-0 with a save, a 2.34 ERA and 6 strikeouts, pitching 7.2 innings in 5 games as a utility pitcher.
In March , Yoon competed for the South Korea national baseball team in the 2009 World Baseball Classic
, where he went 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 16 innings pitched, appearing in 4 games. He started against Venezuela
in the semifinal game, and led South Korea to a 10-2 victory. Yoon baffled the South American major league all-star squad, allowing only two runs and seven hits in 6.1 innings pitched.
In the beginning of the 2009 KBO season, Yoon became the Tigers' closer again as Han Ki-Joo
was put on the disabled list. As a Tigers closer, he posted 7 saves with a 2.45 ERA. Yoon returned to the starting rotation but was put on the disabled list for a month. In July, he returned from the injury and won all of his 7 decisions as a starter
. However, he had the worst pitching performance in his pro career on September 5, allowing 10 runs in just 3.1 innings against the Doosan Bears
, and was then sidelined with a shoulder injury for the rest of the season. Yoon finished the season with a record of 9-4 with 7 saves, an ERA of 3.46 and 117 strikeouts in 119.2 innings pitched which didn't enable him to qualify for the ERA title.
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea
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...
) is a 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...
who plays for the Kia Tigers
Kia Tigers
Kia Tigers Professional Baseball Club is a Korean professional baseball team founded in 1982. The Tigers are a member team of the Korean Baseball Organization and the most successful team in Korean baseball having won the national championship, the Korean Series, ten times, with a perfect 10-0...
in the 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...
. He bats and throws right-handed.
Professional career
Selected by the Kia TigersKia Tigers
Kia Tigers Professional Baseball Club is a Korean professional baseball team founded in 1982. The Tigers are a member team of the Korean Baseball Organization and the most successful team in Korean baseball having won the national championship, the Korean Series, ten times, with a perfect 10-0...
with the 1st pick in the 2nd round of the KBO draft, Yoon made his pro debut with the Tigers on April 2, 2005. In his rookie season, he showed signs of promise, pitching 84 innings in 53 games with a 4.29 ERA as the Tigers' primary setup man.
In , Yoon played as a middle reliever
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...
and 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...
for the Tigers, and collected 9 holds
Hold (baseball)
A hold is awarded to a relief pitcher who meets the following three conditions:Unlike saves, wins, and losses, more than one pitcher per team can earn a hold for a game, though it is not possible for a pitcher to receive more than one hold in a given game...
and 19 saves.
In , Yoon join the starting rotation due to Tigers' ace Han Ki-Joo
Han Ki-Joo
Han Ki-Joo is a right-handed relief pitcher who plays for the Kia Tigers in the South Korean professional baseball league.-Amateur career:...
's transition to a closing job. However, Yoon was not so successful, going 7-18 with a 3.78 ERA as a starter. While his ERA was decent, the poor run support he received gave in 18 losses, the most in the 2007 season. This gave him the nickname "The Unfortunate Ace".
In , Yoon emerged as one of the most consistent pitchers in the KBO league, going 14-5 with a 2.33 ERA and 119 strikeouts in 154.2 innings pitched. He won the ERA title and finished runner-up to Kim Kwang-Hyun
Kim Kwang-Hyun
Kim Kwang-Hyun is a South Korean left-handed starting pitcher who plays for the SK Wyverns in the Korea Baseball Organization.-Amateur career:...
in wins.
In August 2008, Yoon competed for the South Korea national baseball team in the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, where they won the gold medal in the baseball tournament
Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing was held from August 13 to August 23. All games were played at Wukesong Baseball Field, a temporary venue constructed at the Beijing Wukesong Culture & Sports Center...
. He was 2-0 with a save, a 2.34 ERA and 6 strikeouts, pitching 7.2 innings in 5 games as a utility pitcher.
In March , Yoon competed for the South Korea national baseball team in the 2009 World Baseball Classic
2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
, where he went 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 16 innings pitched, appearing in 4 games. He started against Venezuela
Venezuela national baseball team
The Venezuela national baseball team is the national team of Venezuela. They are currently ranked seventh in the world by the International Baseball Federation.-World Baseball Classic:...
in the semifinal game, and led South Korea to a 10-2 victory. Yoon baffled the South American major league all-star squad, allowing only two runs and seven hits in 6.1 innings pitched.
In the beginning of the 2009 KBO season, Yoon became the Tigers' closer again as Han Ki-Joo
Han Ki-Joo
Han Ki-Joo is a right-handed relief pitcher who plays for the Kia Tigers in the South Korean professional baseball league.-Amateur career:...
was put on the disabled list. As a Tigers closer, he posted 7 saves with a 2.45 ERA. Yoon returned to the starting rotation but was put on the disabled list for a month. In July, he returned from the injury and won all of his 7 decisions as a starter
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....
. However, he had the worst pitching performance in his pro career on September 5, allowing 10 runs in just 3.1 innings against the Doosan Bears
Doosan Bears
The Doosan Bears are a professional baseball team based in Seoul, South Korea. They are a member of the Korean Baseball Organization....
, and was then sidelined with a shoulder injury for the rest of the season. Yoon finished the season with a record of 9-4 with 7 saves, an ERA of 3.46 and 117 strikeouts in 119.2 innings pitched which didn't enable him to qualify for the ERA title.
Notable international careers
| Year | Venue | Competition | Team | Individual Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Asian Games Baseball at the 2006 Asian Games Baseball was one of the many sports which was held at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar beginning on November 29, 2006. Six East and Southeast Asian nations participated in the tournament. Chinese Taipei won its first ever baseball gold medal in the Asian Games when they mounted a ninth inning... |
 |
0-0; 0.00 ERA (2 G, 4.2 IP, 0 ER, 6K) | |
| 2008 | Olympic Games Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing was held from August 13 to August 23. All games were played at Wukesong Baseball Field, a temporary venue constructed at the Beijing Wukesong Culture & Sports Center... |
 |
2-0; 1 SV, 2.34 ERA (5 G, 7.2 IP, 2 ER, 6K) | |
| 2009 | World Baseball Classic 2009 World Baseball Classic The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the... |
 |
2-0, 1.13 ERA (4 G, 16 IP, 2 ER, 13K) | |
| Asian Games Baseball at the 2010 Asian Games Baseball at the 2010 Asian Games was held in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China from November 13 to 19, 2010. Only a men's competition was held. All games were played at the Aoti Baseball Field... |
|
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Career Stats
| Year | Team | W | L | ERA | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | HB | BB | IBB | SO | AVG | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kia Kia Tigers Kia Tigers Professional Baseball Club is a Korean professional baseball team founded in 1982. The Tigers are a member team of the Korean Baseball Organization and the most successful team in Korean baseball having won the national championship, the Korean Series, ten times, with a perfect 10-0... |
3 | 4 | 4.29 | 53 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 84.0 | 92 | 47 | 40 | 8 | 6 | 32 | 2 | 49 | .288 | 1.48 | |
| 5 | 6 | 2.28 | 63 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 94.2 | 81 | 26 | 24 | 5 | 4 | 27 | 3 | 75 | .236 | 1.14 | ||
| 7 | 18 | 3.78 | 28 | 26 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 162.0 | 161 | 76 | 68 | 10 | 15 | 59 | 1 | 104 | .266 | 1.36 | ||
| 14 | 5 | 2.33 | 24 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 154.2 | 121 | 45 | 40 | 10 | 4 | 42 | 0 | 119 | .214 | 1.05 | ||
| 9 | 4 | 3.46 | 27 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 119.2 | 110 | 52 | 46 | 9 | 8 | 44 | 1 | 117 | .243 | 1.29 | ||
| 6 | 3 | 3.83 | 23 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 101.0 | 95 | 48 | 43 | 5 | 3 | 36 | 0 | 94 | .249 | 1.30 | ||
| 17 | 5 | 2.45 | 27 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 172.1 | 137 | 53 | 47 | 10 | 178 | ||||||||
| TOTAL | 61 | 45 | 3.28 | 218 | 78 | 4 | 1 | 36 | 716.0 | 660 | 294 | 261 | 47 | 40 | 240 | 7 | 558 | .247 | 1.26 | |
External links
- Profile and stats on the KBO official site