San Diego Padres Kim Ha-seong was selected as the best second baseman in the Major League Baseball (MLB) National League.

On the 7th (Korean time), ‘Baseball America (BA)’, an American baseball magazine, released the results of a survey on ‘the most talented player’. It attracts the attention of many baseball fans because it is conducted for ‘expert groups’ such as major league managers, scouts, and officials.

The survey included information on a variety of categories, including the best player at each position, the player best at bunting, the player best at running the bases, and the most interesting player. Ha-Seong Kim was proudly ranked 1st in the category of best second baseman defense in the National League. occupied the top position. 2nd and 3rd place were Nico Horner (Chicago Cubs) and Aji Albis (Atlanta Braves), respectively.

Ha-seong Kim showed off his improved skills in both offense and defense this season, becoming an indispensable player in San Diego. DRS (Defensive Run Saved), one of the indicators for evaluating fielders, is +14, which ranks 8th among all infielders in the Major League, and if narrowed to ‘second baseman appearance’, it ranks 5th. This means that he dealt with a lot of difficult batted balls by utilizing a wide defensive range and a stable catch.

In particular, Ha-seong Kim showed off his stability by playing not only second base, but also shortstop and third base when the team needed him. His performance as a second baseman is amazing, but he has also become a competitive player when compared to infielders playing other positions.

In fact, the local media’s praise for Kim Ha-seong has now become ‘normal’. On the 4th, Major League Baseball’s official website ‘MLB.com’ mentioned Kim Ha-seong’s name in an article about the best second baseman of the season. MLB.com introduced Kim Ha-sung’s performance this season, saying, “Ha-sung Kim is the most valuable player in the team and is showing solid defense. He achieved career highs in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, and home runs.” there is.메이저사이트

It is a good feeling for both the team and the player himself that Kim Ha-seong’s name is often mentioned along with the league’s top fielders. It is also predicted that Ha-seong Kim will be able to win the Gold Glove if the current atmosphere continues.

Until now, no Korean fielder who has played in the big leagues has ever won a Gold Glove. In the past, no player who went through the big leagues, including Choo Shin-soo, has ever won the Golden Glove. Among Asian fielders, there was only one outfielder, Ichiro Suzuki. If Kim Ha-seong receives the award this year, he will receive the title of ‘the first Gold Glove for a Korean big leaguer and the first Gold Glove for an Asian infielder’ at the same time.

Gold Glove voting determines the winner based on 25% of the SABR Defensive Index (SDI), a defensive index of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), and 75% of manager and coach votes. It is true that expectations about the possibility of winning the award are gradually increasing because Kim Ha-seong is experiencing a positive atmosphere both numerically and in public opinion.

Although awards are not everything, it seems clear that they can be a solid motivation for players until the end of the season. San Diego, which is ranked 4th in the National League West Division, has a record of 66 wins and 75 losses (0.468) and is ranked 7th in the National League Wild Card. There is a 7-game gap with the Miami Marlins in 3rd place in the wild card, and realistically, it is not easy to overcome this gap in 21 games. As fall baseball gets further away, players’ morale may drop.

However, Kim Ha-seong, who must compete fiercely until the end, must give everything until the 162nd game of the regular season. It appears that the winner will be determined based on performance in the remaining games. However, Kim Ha-seong’s pace has slowed somewhat, with his September performance up to the Philadelphia Phillies game on the 7th being 4 hits in 25 at-bats and a batting average of 0.160. Attention is focused on whether Kim Ha-seong, who is aiming for a rebound at the end of the season, can prove his worth once again and get one step closer to his golden gloves.