Byung-Hyun Kim thinks about the question, the confusion, the luck that brought him to this career intersection.
For 10 minutes, nine days ago, Kim was done. Manager Clint Hurdle told the right-hander he would no longer be used in the bullpen. Without a rotation spot open, Kim’s career as a Rockie was over before it really started.
“No, I wouldn’t go to the minor leagues,” said Kim, who can exercise that veto because of his five- plus seasons in the big leagues. “I would have looked at what else was out there.”
Kim now is viewed in a different light, his ability hinting at a future with the Rockies after strong-arming the team Sunday to a 7-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers at a damp and dark Coors Field.
Filling in for injured Shawn Chacon, Kim’s latest audition secured at least two more gigs. He struck out a career-high eight batters, yielding two runs in six innings.
Opponents are hitting just .236 against him. Given the Rockies’ record and their lack of depth, why was Colorado so eager to sever ties? Simply put, Kim (1-5) is a contradiction.
As a middle reliever, he was a mess, lacking command and admittedly disliking the fact he could be pulled at any moment. As a starter, he’s cold-blooded, calculated, a mixture of arm angles and confidence.
Rather than attempt to explain Kim, Hurdle chose to appreciate him.
“During the hard talk we had awhile ago I let him know he had to take advantage of this,” Hurdle said after Kim snapped a five-game losing streak. “And his actions are speaking for themselves.”
Kim offered insight into his perplexing season, one that has seen him post a 4.09 ERA as a starter, compared with 7.84 as a reliever.
“In the first inning I can give up a couple of hits, but in the second inning I know I will be back. The more I face the hitters, it’s better for me,” Kim said. “As a closer, I liked it because you know when you are going to pitch. But if you are not the closer, the manager can come take the ball from you after a bad inning or (even) one hit.”
Kim’s revival creates options for a team in need of roster upgrades. If he continues to pitch well, it increases the likelihood that opening-day starter Joe Kennedy will be traded. Despite his struggles, Kennedy is a valuable commodity, who could bring multiple players in return.
Kim, 26, would at least entertain the idea of re-signing as a free agent if promised a rotation job.
“If Chacon wasn’t hurt I wouldn’t be here,” Kim said. “My mind has always been fine because I could feel that I was getting better and better.”
Preston Wilson can relate to steady improvement, his athletic existence no longer defined by the two surgical scars on his left knee. As the Rockies finished a 7-6 homestand, Wilson crushed two home runs, giving him a team-best 11, which could accelerate his exit (Atlanta, Washington, Baltimore are potential fits).
Eyes were the common thread in the home runs. Before Wilson’s fourth-inning blast, trainer Keith Dugger made the center fielder’s eye black, leaving Ts under his lids in honor of his daughter Taya. Nate Robertson saw red after each homer, glaring at Wilson after he flipped his bat in celebration.
“I am sorry if I offended him. I am a guy who plays with emotion,” Wilson said. “I don’t have a problem with guys who do that. I don’t see anything wrong with it.”
Rockies recap
Until Sunday, Ryan Shealy was best known for performing “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” during his spring training rookie initiation. Now he’s gone from Meatloaf to adding some beef to the Rockies’ lineup. With six games in American League parks coming up, the Rockies will work the slugger in as a designated hitter.
“I hate to go back down, but if there’s somebody I’d like to see take my place it’s him,” said infielder Tim Olson, Shealy’s college teammate at Florida, who was optioned back to Triple-A Colorado Springs. “It’s going to be a great experience for him.”
Shealy, a first baseman, owned a team-high 11 home runs with the Sky Sox, but his path has been perpetually blocked by Todd Helton. “He can hit,” Helton said of Shealy. “I just know that I don’t want to DH.”
WITASICK SOLID: His fingernail issues gone, Jay Witasick posted a scoreless outing. He has allowed only three earned runs over his past 20 1/3 innings, working as closer Brian Fuentes’ primary setup man.
Troy E. Renck can be reached at 303-820-5457 or trenck@denverpost.com.
