In early January, Orioles left fielder Hyun Soo Kim came to Sarasota to begin his training over a month early—in part because of the weather, but also to get himself acclimated to the American schedule earlier than last year.
When manager Buck Showalter relayed that information at FanFest, he pointed out that Kim was here trying to get his timing right and working torward the possibility of playing every day. That would mean facing left-handed hitters, but two weeks into spring training, that hasn’t really happened.
Kim’s two-run single off left-hander Enny Romero in the team’s exhibition win over the Dominican Republic was his first hit off a left-hander in two at-bats this spring, after he didn’t collect one in
Asked if he’d like more opportunities against same-side pitching before camp broke and the games became real, Kim was uncharacteristically brief, but decisive.