Chicago Cubs To Sign Chang Yong Lim

The Chicago Cubs have made yet another surprising move on Wednesday. Reports out of Korea are that the Cubs have signed Korean relief pitcher Chang Yong Lim. The details of the contract are not concretely known as Lim has to take a physical for the Cubs before the deal can become official. There are rumors that deal will be a split Major/Minor League contract. That would make sense as Lim recently had Tommy John Surgery and likely will not be ready until the 2014 season.

The 36 year old Lim has played five seasons in the Japan Central League. In those five seasons, Lim has pitched 233 innings while posting an ERA of 2.09 to go along with a WHIP of 1.034 and 128 career saves. Lim’s track record is similar to that of Kyuji Fujikawa, the Japanese closer the Cubs officially introduced last week. The difference is that Lim is four years older and will likely not be a part of the Major League team during the 2013 season.

The signing, at this point, makes little sense. Fujikawa in all likelihood will be the Cubs’ closer for the next couple of season, meaning Lim at best would be an eighth inning set-up reliever for the Cubs. Not to mention that Lim may not make his Major League debut until he is 37 years old.

Not much is known about this signing, expect clarification on the addition of Lim when the deal becomes official.