Since Kang Jung-ho left, Kim Jae-ho (Doosan) has become the hero of the golden gloves in the shortstop category from 2015 to 2016, and Kim Sun-bin (KIA) in 2017. However, Kang Jung-ho’s team successor, Kim Ha-sung (San Diego), dominated the field again. Kim Ha-sung left for the Major League after winning the Golden Glove in the shortstop category for three consecutive years from 2018 to 2020. In 2021, Kim’s successor, Kim Hye-sung, was the winner.
Oh Ji-hwan (33, LG) was the player who cracked the structure last year. Oh Ji-hwan, who has been evaluated as a shortstop representing the league but has suffered several times in the Golden Glove vote, has received overwhelming support and announced his heyday. Oh Ji-hwan became the winner of the Golden Glove vote in the shortstop category last year with 246 votes out of 313 votes.
It wasn’t strange if I got more votes. Oh Ji-hwan played in 142 games last year and had an outstanding offense record of 0.269, 25 home runs, 87 RBIs, 20 steals, and OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage). The scoring productivity was nearly 40% better than the league average. There was also a symbolic title of 20-20. On top of that, defense has already been evaluated as the best in the league. As he is in his heyday as a player, the Golden Glove Long Run was also expected.
Oh Ji-hwan’s performance is not that bad this year either. He has a batting average of 0.273 and an OPS of 0.771 in 102 games. Although his performance is lower than last year, it should be considered that he is a shortstop. On top of that, the defense is the best. The brand is firm. However, this year’s award cannot be guaranteed. Park Sung-han (SSG), the only competitor last year, is also chasing, but a strong competitor named Park Chan-ho (28, KIA) has appeared.
Park Chan-ho has been recognized in defense and base running. He was considered the most energetic shortstop in the league. However, in the attack, productivity was below the league average. This is because he doesn’t have many long hits, but his batting average was not that high. It was a decisive difference from Oh Ji-hwan. However, this year, he has already risen to a position where he can fight Oh Ji-hwan equally as he erased his weaknesses in attacks. 스포츠토토탑
Park has a batting average of 0.304, three home runs, 48 RBIs, 29 steals and an OPS of 0.745 in 114 games this season. The productivity of scoring has also risen above the league average. There is a time when Oh Ji-hwan was absent due to injury, so he is ahead in cumulative performance. The defense is also stable overall, except for the time when it was briefly shaken in the middle of the season.
The two players are also fighting fiercely in the victory contribution (WAR) compared to substitute players. According to statistics website Statistics, Park Chan-ho’s WAR was 3.54 as of the 11th, slightly ahead of Oh Ji-hwan (3.33). Park Sung-han (2.75), who is ranked third, is also steadily maintaining the gap. In the WAR tally of “Sports to I,” Park Chan-ho will maintain the 1st to 3rd place with 3.35, Oh Ji-hwan 3.24 and Park Sung-han 2.87. Park Sung-han is absolutely at a disadvantage to accumulate cumulative results as he has to go to the Asian Games. In the end, it is a battle between Park Chan-ho and Oh Ji-hwan.
If both players complete the season without any special injuries, a close game is expected at the current pace. In the end, it is likely to be a battle between who will cheer up more for the rest of the year. The two players played well side by side in four consecutive games (including doubleheaders on the 9th) held in Gwangju from the 8th to the 10th. Park Chan-ho must have realized that Oh Ji-hwan is still high. On the contrary, Oh Ji-hwan would have also confirmed that he was a “competitor” for winning the award for the second consecutive year and that there was a “sticker.”
Oh Ji-hwan showed his reputation as a champion with a batting average of 0.400 (6 hits in 15 at-bats) and five RBIs in four games. The four-match OPS was 0.975. Park Chan-ho was also not easy. In four games, he batted 0.375 (6 hits in 16 at-bats) and stole two bases, playing in the air, defense, and state. In the first game of the doubleheader on the 9th, he led the team to victory by hitting the winning hit against Ko Woo-suk. With the Golden Glove landscape outlined to some extent, the fight between the two players will continue fiercely until the end of the season and catch the attention of fans.