San Diego Padres Kim Ha-seong (28) showed off his versatility in all areas of offense and defense this year, becoming a valuable player for the team.
In the pitching lineup, Blake Snell played the role of an ace with the pace to challenge for the Cy Young Award, while in the fielding lineup, Kim Ha-seong defied everyone’s expectations and became a key player for the team. He supported the team as a leadoff in the batting lineup, and in defense, he played all of the positions of second baseman, shortstop, and third baseman, the center line of the infield. No one can help but recognize Kim Ha-seong’s contribution and value this year.
All indicators point to Kim Ha-seong’s greatness this season. While other players took breaks from time to time, Ha-seong Kim had to continue playing. Rather, because he was so healthy and active consistently, Ha-seong Kim could not rest and was overworked. His grades gradually declined. In batting, he has a batting average of .206, 8 ERA (132 hits in 492 at-bats), 17 home runs, 58 RBIs, 35 stolen bases, and a .771 OPS. He is close to hitting 20 home runs and 40 stolen bases, but his pace has slowed.
Kim Ha-seong’s defensive indicators, which were unrivaled until the early and mid-season, also declined somewhat due to constant business trips and the appearance of competitors. He has a lot of accumulated figures, but he has suffered a lot of losses. He ranks third among National League second basemen with a Defensive Run Saved (DRS) value of +7, a measure of how many runs are prevented by rain. He succeeds Nico Horner (Chicago Cubs) and Bryce Turan (Milwaukee). Outs Above Average (OAA) is recording +4. Ranks 3rd among National League second basemen.
Based on various defensive indicators, it cannot be said that Kim Ha-seong has definitely booked the second base Gold Glove. However, as many highlight films were produced, Kim Ha-seong’s second base defense became famous throughout the country. In a survey of club managers, scouts, and high-ranking officials, ‘Baseball America’ ranked Kim Ha-seong as the best second baseman in defense.
Nevertheless, the reason why Kim Ha-seong’s Gold Glove prospects are bright is because he can also aim for the Gold Glove as a utility player rather than a second baseman. The Gold Glove Award in the utility player category began last year to highlight the performance and value of versatile players who play multiple positions.
This year, Ha-seong Kim played 777⅔ innings at second base, 245⅓ innings at third base, and 137⅓ innings at shortstop. The defensive ability for each position is also above average. In his DRS metrics, he is +3 at shortstop and +3 at third base. Ha-seong Kim’s DRS total this year is +13. If he had only played second base, Ha-Seong Kim would have been able to achieve an indicator of +13. According to the OAA index, the third baseman is +3 and the shortstop is 0. The indicators clearly show that he has above-average defensive ability.
‘MLB.com’ mentioned what to pay attention to in San Diego’s remaining season this year and whether San Diego players will win the Gold Glove. Ha-seong Kim’s name is also included. The media said, ‘San Diego’s team defense this year was perfect and there will be a trophy to show in November,’ and ‘Fernando Tatis Jr., who has adapted smoothly to his new position, is presumed to be a candidate for the Gold Glove Award in right field. Trent Grisham, who already has two center field Gold Glove awards, is also a candidate for the third award.’
He continued, ‘Kim Ha-seong can receive a Gold Glove at second base, or else he can be selected as the best utility player. Ha-Seong Kim played second base most of the time, but he performed outstandingly in any position he was assigned to, including shortstop and third base,’ he said, explaining the justification for Ha-Seong Kim’s Gold Glove.메이저사이트
However, he also has strong competition in the utility player category. Mookie Betts is a National League MVP candidate. This year, Betts has a batting average of .312 (165 hits in 529 at-bats) in 137 games, 39 home runs, 103 RBIs, 13 stolen bases, and an OPS of 1.019. He is considered an MVP opponent for Ronald Acuña Jr. (Atlanta), who is challenging 40 home runs and 70 stolen bases. Acuña Jr.’s performance is a batting average of .3335 (199 hits in 594 at-bats), 37 home runs, 87 RBI, 66 stolen bases, and an OPS of 1.002.
However, Betts is not only showing off his talent in attack, but he is also showing off his ‘good skills’ in defense. His main position is right field, but this year, due to team circumstances, he played relatively many innings as an infielder as well as a right fielder. He played 670⅔ innings in right field, 391 innings at second base, and 98 innings at shortstop. The defense isn’t bad either. DRS is +4 in right field, +6 in second base, and 0 in shortstop. Based on his outstanding athletic ability, Betts shows off above-average defense even outside of his primary position.
In early August, the sports media ‘Bleacher Report’ selected the ‘TOP 10’ best players by position at the time, and in the utility category, Betts was first and Kim Ha-seong was second. It is true that Kim Ha-seong’s Gold Glove win was not easy. However, it is clear that Kim Ha-seong is having a season worthy of the challenge of becoming Asia’s first Gold Glove winner.
