“I was sleeping at home,”
San Diego Padres Kim Ha-seong held a press conference on the 20th at Hotel Riviera Versailles Hall in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul regarding the 2023 Major League Baseball National League Utility Category Gold Glove Award.
This is an achievement that was truly unthinkable when he challenged the major leagues through the posting system after the 2020 season. In particular, Ha-seong Kim played in 117 games in his first season in the major leagues, but was limited to only 267 at-bats, recording 54 hits, 8 home runs, 34 RBIs, 27 runs, 6 stolen bases, and a batting average of 0.202 and an OPS of 0.622. This is because it took time to adapt to the fast balls of major league players and the league culture.
It was in his second year that Ha-seong Kim began to stand out in earnest. A 'position' was created when Fernando Tatis Jr., who was the starting shortstop at the time, underwent surgery for a fractured wrist and was severely punished with an 80-game suspension for taking banned substances. At that time, San Diego decided to use 'super-prospect' CJ Abrams as a trade card and put everything on the line on Ha-seong Kim. And this choice was perfect.
Ha-Seong Kim experienced the joy of being selected as a finalist for the National League Gold Glove Award in the National League shortstop category, showing off defense worthy of being a 'highlight' several times throughout the season. Unfortunately, he did not receive the award, but it was clear that his defensive skills were among the best in the major leagues. In addition, his batting also showed remarkable growth, with 130 hits, 11 home runs, 59 RBIs, 58 runs, 12 stolen bases, and a batting average of 0.251 and an OPS of 0.708 in 150 games.
This year was truly the best year. Ha-seong Kim moved from shortstop to second base in the offseason when San Diego recruited Xander Bogaerts, who was called the 'biggest fish' in the free agent market, and this became an opportunity. Of course, Ha-seong Kim's value shines even more when he plays as a shortstop rather than as a second baseman. However, Ha-seong Kim played as second baseman, reducing the burden of defense and improving his offensive ability.
Ha-seong Kim played in 152 games this year, 강남달토 showing a hot year with 140 hits, 17 home runs, 60 RBIs, 84 runs, 38 stolen bases, and a batting average of 0.260 and OPS of 0.749. Additionally, on days when Manny Machado and Bogaerts were off, he increased his value by playing third base and shortstop. As a result, Ha-seong Kim was selected as a Silver Slugger candidate in the National League utility category and was also a finalist for the Gold Glove award in the utility category as well as the second baseman category.
Unfortunately, Kim Ha-seong did not receive the second baseman award. This is why he was pushed out by Nico Horner of the Chicago Cubs. However, in the utility category, he beat LA Dodgers' 'superstar' Mookie Betts and 'Korean big leaguer' Tommy Edman (St. Louis Cardinals) to win his first Golden Glove. This was the first ever for a Korean player, and also the first ever for an Asian player to become a major league player.
At a press conference on the 20th, Ha-seong Kim said, “It is an honor to be the first Korean to receive a Gold Glove. I am happy that I have become an inspiration to many youth and young professional players dreaming of playing in the major leagues.” He added, “It would have been nice if I had received it for both second base and utility. “Personally, I hoped to win the Utility Award. Now, even in the major leagues, the expectations and value of multiplayer are high, so I wanted to win the Gold Glove Award in the Utility Division,” he said with a bright smile.
When it comes to Gold Glove awards, defensive 'indicators' are very important, and since he was selected as a finalist in the shortstop category last year, Kim Ha-seong used to look up his stats this year. Ha-seong Kim said, "I know there are many defensive indicators, but I would be lying if I said I didn't check the facts. I was constantly checking them. However, as my batting performance dropped at the end of the season, I couldn't pay attention to defense. Personally, I don't know what indicators are important, but “I think everything should be good overall,” he said.
Although he was unable to check the defensive indicators until the end, Ha-seong Kim shook off the disappointment of not receiving the award last year and finally showed his spirit by winning the Gold Glove. This year's Major League Gold Glove Award was announced first for second baseman, and the utility winner was announced last. I wonder if he was disappointed after the second baseman was not awarded, recalling memories of last year.
Ha-seong Kim said, "Last year, he was also a finalist in the shortstop category, but he didn't win the award at the time. So he was sleeping at home when this year's Gold Glove was announced." Ha-seong Kim became aware of his Gold Glove award after seeing a flood of calls from people around him. He joked, "My cell phone was vibrating so much that I saw that he had won the Gold Glove. If I had been watching the Gold Glove broadcast, I would have been nervous and my heart would have been pounding a lot. I was glad I was sleeping."
Ha-Seong Kim revealed that his experience in the KBO League led to him winning the Gold Glove Award. He said, "I actually really hated playing multiple positions and playing utility. Even in the KBO, I often ended up playing third base, and even then, there were a lot of things I really hated. But I didn't think this would be of much help in the major leagues. It was too big for me. “It was helpful. When I think about it now, I think those unpleasant emotions and times were a huge stepping stone for me to grow,” he explained.
Kim Ha-seong's goal has become clear as he became the first Korean-Asian infielder to win a Gold Glove. He said, "The most memorable thing was receiving congratulations from Coach website Bob Melvin. He said to me, 'You were one of the best players I've ever met. It was great working with you, and congratulations.' I was so grateful," he said. "I had no expectations before receiving the award." "I did a lot, but I never thought I would actually win the Gold Glove. However, after winning the award, I become greedy. I'm working out with the thought that it would be nice to be able to win the Gold Glove next year," he said emphatically.