.jpg) After suffering a back injury, Kim Tae-kyun and Nippon Professional Baseball side Chiba Lotte Marines mutually agreed to end his contract. Kim is undergoing treatment in Korea. / Yonhap |
A back injury has ended Korean slugger Kim Tae-kyun ‘s time in Japanese baseball, at least for now. The Chiba Lotte Marines slugger, said Wednesday that he has agreed with the team to the mutual termination of his contract, leaving the 28-year-old a free agent. The main reason for Kim’s departure is that his injury, sustained on June 17, is expected to require a long recovery period.
“As an import player I didn’t help the team. I struggled from the beginning of the season and then I got injured,” Kim said. “I apologize to the team but I have decided to leave.
“I thought that continuing my life in Japan in this way is pointless.” Kim returned to Korea on June 20
He made his debut with the Hanwha Eagles in 2001, and batted .310, 188 home runs with 701 RBIs in seasons nine in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). He joined the Marines at the end of 2009, signing a three-year, 700-million yen (about nine billion won) deal.
In his first season in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), Kim had a .268 batting average, 21 dingers with 92 RBIs.
But he only featured in 31 games this season and batted .250, producing one homer 14 RBIs.
As both parties agreed a third year would be an optional extension, the two easily agreed on parting ways.
Korea’s eight professional teams can freely negotiate with Kim after this season and the Eagles have the exclusive right to talk with him first.
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