What's Up With Kim? Jackie MacMullan explores the physical and mental problems of Byung-Hyun Kim. "[H]is stubborn refusal to deviate from his rigid workout regime has not only alienated teammates who have tried to help him, it has frustrated the front office and the coaching staff as they continue to attempt to tap his obvious potential. ... He is pitching alongside two of the greatest pitchers in the game, Pedro Martinez and Curt Schilling. He pitches alongside a guy (Derek Lowe) who threw a no-hitter. He is part of a rotation that includes a gutsy knuckleballer (Tim Wakefield) who has made a living out of being crafty and resourceful. All have been willing to help, but their suggestions are often met with stony silence."

Johnny Damon says Kim's single-minded approach to pitching has made it close to impossible to establish a relationship with him. Theo Epstein admits: "His assimilation has been an even bigger challenge than we thought." ... We read similar things about Kim last season. I'd hoped that having Schilling (who pitched with Kim in Arizona from 2000-03 and believes he can be a star) on the staff would help alieviate that. It doesn't look like it has.

Terry Francona said that Kim will be used as a starter in Pawtucket "for a couple innings every few days. ... The idea is to get some of that aggressiveness or explosiveness back. I've looked at some old (game) tapes of Kim and he used to fly off the mound. He needs to get that back."