Lim Chang-yong

Lim Chang-yong
Pitcher
Born: (1976-06-04) June 4, 1976 (age 48) Gwangju, South Korea
Batted: Right Threw: Right
Professional debut
KBO: June 18, 1995, for the Haitai Tigers
NPB: March 28, 2008, for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows
MLB: September 7, 2013, for the Chicago Cubs
Last appearance
KBO: October 16, 2018, for the Kia Tigers
NPB: June 22, 2012, for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows
MLB: September 27, 2013, for the Chicago Cubs
KBO statistics
Win–loss record	130–86
Earned run average	3.45
Strikeouts	1,474
Saves	258
NPB statistics
Win–loss record	11–13
Earned run average	2.09
Strikeouts	231
Saves	128
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	0–0
Earned run average	5.40
Strikeouts	5
Teams
Haitai Tigers (1995–1998) Samsung Lions (1999–2007) Tokyo Yakult Swallows (2008–2012) Chicago Cubs (2013) Samsung Lions (2014–2015) Kia Tigers (2016–2018)
Career highlights and awards
2× Korean Series champion (2014, 2017) KBO ERA leader (1999) 4× KBO saves leader (1998–1999, 2004, 2015)
Medals Men's baseball Representing  South Korea Olympic Games 2000 Sydney Team World Baseball Classic 2009 Los Angeles Team Asian Games 2014 Incheon Team 2002 Busan Team 1998 Bangkok Team

Lim Chang-yong (Korean: 임창용; Hanja: 林昌勇; Korean pronunciation: [im.tɕʰaŋ.joŋ]; born June 4, 1976) is a former South Korean professional baseball right-handed pitcher. He pitched in Major League Baseball, Nippon Professional Baseball, and KBO League baseball. In the KBO, Lim ranks among the top ten pitchers in terms of career wins, strikeouts, and saves.

Lim is a 5 ft 11 in, 175 lb right-handed sidearm pitcher. He could throw a 160 kilometres per hour (99 mph) four-seam fastball, though the pitch usually sat at 93–95 mph (150–153 km/h).^[1] His signature pitch was his two-seam fastball which, due to its unique tailing movement earned the nickname "Serpent fastball (Korean: 뱀직구)". His other pitches included a high 70s slider with a sharp horizontal break, a mid 80s forkball, and a rarely used 60 mph (97 km/h) slow-curveball. He was one of the few pitchers who could pitch in multiple pitching forms. Lim pitched primarily sidearm and underhand, but could pitch from the three-quarters motion at will.

Lim made his pro debut in 1995 with the Haitai Tigers in Korea Baseball Organization, and was 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,^{[citation needed]} 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 was 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 1.84 in a short stint, but he was brought back to strengthen Yakult's weak bullpen, which was responsible for its recent losses.

Lim had his second Tommy John surgery in July 2012.

After the 2012 season, Lim agreed to a contract with the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball.^[2] The Cubs promoted Lim to the major leagues on September 4, 2013.^[3] After the season, Lim was non-tendered by Chicago, becoming a free agent.^[4] The Cubs re-signed him to a minor league contract. He was released on March 24, 2014.

After being released by the Cubs, Lim signed up with Samsung Lions of KBO League (South Korea). In 2014 season, he recorded 31 saves with 5.84 ERA. However, in 2015 season he showed better performance of 33 saves, 2.83 ERA.

Lim was released after 2015 season for illegal gambling.^{[citation needed]}

Lim played with the Tigers for the second time in 2016–2018. On March 11, 2019, he announced his retirement.^[5]

• List of KBO career win leaders
• List of KBO career strikeout leaders
• List of KBO career saves leaders

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
• Nippon Professional Baseball career statistics from JapaneseBaseball.com
• Career statistics and player information from Korea Baseball Organization
• Lim Chang-yong^{[permanent dead link]} at Kia Tigers Baseball Club (in Korean)
• Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Im Chang-Yong". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on December 13, 2012. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
• Chang-Yong Lim at databaseOlympics
• Lim Chang-yong on Cyworld (in Korean)
• Lim Chang-yong Fancafe at Daum (in Korean)