The Red Sox acquire Kim in trade with Arizona

Boston Red Sox fans, welcome to the Byung-Hyun Kim era.

Kim, 24 was acquired from Arizona on May 29th for Third Baseman Shea Hillenbrand.

Citing a need to bolster a sagging starting rotation, Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein made his first bold move of his career acquiring the young flamethrower.

Kim, while pitching well this season, only has a record of 1-5 to show for it due to a lack of run support from the Diamondbacks. He has a 3.56 era and has held opposing batters to a .214 average so far this season.

In 2002, while serving as Arizona's closer, Kim went 8-3 with a 2.04 era and 92 strikeouts in 84 innings pitched.

He was not just satisfied with finishing games, and he desired an opportunity to be a starter a role he once had with the South Korean national team.

This year he has been solid in that starting role. In his last start for Arizona, he went seven strong innings against San Francisco and only allowed one run.

Kim will return to his usual closer role for the Red Sox as soon as Pedro Martinez can return to the rotation from the disabled role.

Although he prefers to start, Kim will be asked to go back to the bullpen.

"I really love to be a starting pitcher, but if the team needs me in a closing role I am willing to do it," Kim said.

The Sox can certainly someone of Kim's ability to finish out ball games, as in his last two years of closing Kim was 55-65 in save opportunities.

However, Kim is most famous for his two meltdowns in the 2001 World Series against the Yankees.

He blew save chances in both games 4 and 5 in that series, and Arizona would end up losing both those games in dramatic fashion.

It is up for debate whether Kim can handle the media scrutiny in Boston and the unavoidable Sox-Yankees rivalry.

When asked about the trade, Epstein remarked, "I've coveted him for a very long time and this organization has as well."

The Sox had been exploring a Hillenbrand for Kim swap since the early parts of the off-season.

The signing of infielder Bill Mueller to a two-year deal over the winter began to fuel speculation for the trading of Hillenbrand.

There are several repercussions in the Hillenbrand-Kim swap.

Financially, the Sox will take on Kim's $3.25 million dollar contract that lasts through 2005, while Arizona will save over $3 million as Hillenbrand makes only $407,500 and is signed through 2006.

It is widely known that Arizona is in the midst of severe financial problems, which may have heightened the need to shed salary if the right deal came along.

Boston will now have to fill a hole in the infield with the loss of Hillenbrand. The team will sorely miss his 38 RBI and .303 average and his versatile defense.

His departure leaves third base to the red-hot Bill Muller.

Yet, now a hole has opened up at first base as the ice-cold duo of David Ortiz and Jeremy Giambi will be forced to split even more playing time.

Manager Grady Little will be forced to mix and match his players even more to cover the hole at first.

However, if Kim can shut the door in the ninth inning, the hole at first will be a small nuisance instead of a major problem.

While popular opinion over the deal seems to be split, if Kim succeeds and patches up a struggling bullpen, the trade could reap terrific dividends for Boston.

They will have to fill the hole left by Hillenbrand both with the bat and the glove.

The Red Sox will bring up top prospect Freddy Sanchez to be an infielder off the bench, and if his minor league numbers are any indication, (.400 in Triple A Pawtucket), the trading of Hillenbrand may allow Sanchez to blossom.

But, this trade wasn't about Freddy Sanchez it was about Byung-Hyun Kim.

The savior for a dreadful bullpen, Kim seems to be the answer for many years to come.

The Red Sox nation will cross their fingers and hope that if game 7 of the World Series happens, Kim will be able to finish off the game and deliver that sacred World Championship they so desperately desire.