01:00 AM EDT on Tuesday, June 15, 2004

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

Byung-Hyun Kim has taken the first steps on his journey back to the major leagues.

Kim -- who returned to his native South Korea on May 25 to seek treatment for back and hip injuries -- is back in the United States and was examined by the Red Sox' medical staff yesterday at Fenway Park.

He spoke by phone with general manager Theo Epstein , who is with the Sox in Denver, and will continue an exercise program -- which includes throwing -- over the next five days.

On Saturday, Kim will rejoin the Pawtucket Red Sox when they return home from a brief road trip. He had been demoted by Boston to the PawSox shortly before he returned to South Korea.

Kim is scheduled to throw a bullpen session at McCoy Stadium on Saturday, and the Sox expect it will take another week beyond that for him to regain sufficient arm strength to begin pitching again in games for the PawSox.

Epstein said yesterday he was pleased with the medical progress Kim had made in South Korea.

Kim's injury problems first surfaced in spring training, and he didn't pitch his first game for the Red Sox until late April, after he'd completed a brief rehab assignment with the PawSox. He was 1-1 with a 6.17 E.R.A. in three appearances for Boston, prompting his demotion back to Pawtucket. Most worrisome for the Sox was Kim's loss of velocity. He was only hitting 86 miles per hour prior to leaving for South Korea, a drop of seven or eight mph from his days as closer for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2002-03.

Mendoza takes the hill

Also on the medical front, Ramiro Mendoza pitched for Sarasota in a Florida State League game last night. He went two innings, allowing one run on three hits while striking out one in Sarasota's 6-1 win over Dunedin.

It was the veteran reliever's first game action since he was placed on the disabled list more than two months ago. He had been taking part in extended spring training in Fort Myers, Fla.

Signs of the times

The Sox yesterday announced the signings of 20 picks from last week's amateur draft, including five of their first six selections and 10 of their first 14.

Boston has signed each of its five selections between the third and seventh round: left-hander Andrew Dobies (third round, University of Virginia); left-hander Tommy Hottovy (fourth round, Wichita State University); right-hander Ryan Schroyer (fifth round, San Diego State University); right-hander Cla Meredith (sixth round, Virginia Commonwealth University), and catcher Patrick Perry (seventh round, University of Northern Colorado).

Other signees include center fielder Matt Van Der Bosch (ninth round), left-hander Ryan Phillips (11th round), center fielder Matt Ciaramella (13th round), left-hander R.J. Swindle (14th round), shortstop Dustin Kelly (15th round), left-hander Randy Beam (18th round), first baseman Logan Sorensen (19th round), first baseman John Burgess (22nd round), right-hander Mike James (28th round), right-hander David Seccombe (29th round), right-hander Andrew Ehrlich (30th round), left-hander John Wells (33rd round), third baseman Andrew Pinckney (34th round), right-hander Cooper Eddy (36th round), and outfielder Tom Caple (46th round).

The Sox also signed two players selected in the 2003 draft -- left-hander Willie Newton and catcher Mitchel Stachowsky -- along with three non-drafted free agents: right-hander Scott Shoemaker, left-hander Jacob Glanzman and shortstop Brett Levier .