KIA Tigers infielder Park Chan-ho, 28, had his most meaningful year since debuting in the 2023 season. Two injuries prevented him from playing full-time, but he hit .301 in his first regular season at shortstop. He was tied for the KBO Defensive Player of the Year award at shortstop with LG Twins’ Oh Ji-hwan. He became the most recognized shortstop in the game.
On Nov. 11, he finished second in the shortstop category of the 2023 Golden Glove Awards. He received 120 votes, behind first-place finisher Oh, who received 154 votes. This year, the shortstop category was the most competitive. In 126 games, Oh batted 2-for-6 with 113 hits, eight home runs, 62 RBI, 65 runs scored, 16 stolen bases, a .372 on-base percentage and a .396 slugging percentage. He has a .970 fielding percentage and 14 errors.
Chan Ho Park played in 130 games, batting .136 with three home runs, 52 RBIs, 73 runs scored, 30 doubles, a .356 on-base percentage and a .378 slugging percentage. A .973 fielding percentage and 14 errors. Park Chan-ho led in batting average and hits, while Oh Ji-hwan led in RBI and OPS. Oh was at a premium because he was a key player in the team’s first championship in 29 years.
Even though the odds were stacked in favor of Oh, Chan-ho wore a dapper suit to the ceremony.
“I came to protect the dignity of second place. I’ve been mentioned alongside Oh for months. Now I feel like I’m one step closer to being the player I thought I was. I thought it would be great if I could share the spotlight with him as the player who was constantly mentioned. I’m enjoying it right now.”
“I think he’s so cool,” said Oh Ji-hwan, who also accepted the award. “I’m young to have that kind of thinking, but it gives me some respect that I need to learn. I’m a junior, but I think I really need to learn. I’m going to ask Chan-ho a lot of questions on the baseball field, and I’m also going to ask him a lot of baseball questions because he hit another triple.”
Despite not winning the award, Park Chan-ho is now one of the best shortstops in the game.
He could have won it again this year if it weren’t for the premium on the award. The Golden Glove has become a must-have goal. If he remains a top-three shortstop next season, he’ll likely win his first. He’s also likely to get a raise from his current salary of 200 million won for his performance.
Even bigger opportunities lie ahead. After the 2025 season, he’ll be eligible for free agency and could hit the big time. If he has two more seasons like this year, 카지노사이트가이드 he could get a generous free agent contract. Kia drafted Park in the second five rounds of the 2014 Korean Baseball Organization draft. They selected him for his defense rather than his batting. Through hard work, he became a two-time stolen base champion and a triple hitter. He has become an indispensable part of the team and is a joy to watch as he continues to improve.