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December 12, 2008
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Gloves in baseball are supposed to symbolize defensive excellence. But the Korea Baseball Organization’s year-ending Golden Gloves have often been given to offensive stars at each position, with the pitcher with the best overall statistics getting the nod at the pitcher’s spot. And this year’s winners were no exception to the rule. The Most Valuable Player Kim Kwang-hyun headlined the 10 Golden Glove winners for 2008 yesterday. He was among six first-time winners. The left-handed Kim, who topped the KBO with 16 wins and 150 strikeouts, joked that he didn’t know the trophy was for right-handers and said, “Hopefully, if I win next year, they will have one for left-handers.” The Lotte Giants’ second baseman Cho Sung-hwan was honored for the first time in his seven-year career. He led all second basemen with a .327 average and 81 runs batted in. His sidekick in the infield was also a first-time winner. Shortstop Park Gi-hyuk had the highest batting average at his position at .291. Park denied Park Jin-man, the Samsung Lions’ veteran who has won five in his career, his third straight Golden Glove. Another Giant, catcher Kang Min-ho, also won for the first time. He ranked top-10 in home runs, RBI and slugging percentage. He is the first Lotte catcher to win a Golden Glove. Kim Hyun-soo and the Giants’ Karim Garcia were first-timers in the outfield, joined by Doosan’s Lee Jong-wook, the repeat recipient. Kim had a banner year, finishing second in the MVP voting after leading the KBO with a .357 batting average and 168 hits. Lee’s 98 runs scored topped the league. Garcia, in his first season in Korea, was first with 111 runs batted in and second with 30 homers. The hot corner featured the hottest battle and the Bears’ third baseman Kim Dong-joo came out on top for the second straight season. He collected 128 votes, beating the Wyverns’ Choi Jung (106) and the Giants’ Lee Dae-ho (85). Hong Sung-heun won the designated hitter’s Golden Glove. He played the 2008 season with the Bears but recently signed a free agent deal with the Giants. The home run leader, Kim Tae-kyun of the Hanwha Eagles, received the award at first base in a landslide. After belting 31 home runs and putting up the KBO-best .622 slugging percentage, Kim won 332 of 346 votes. By Yoo Jee-ho Staff Reporter [jeeho@joongang.co.kr] |
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