Park Chan-ho (28, KIA Tigers), who has been reborn as an “offensive infielder,” is on his way to winning the Golden Glove for the first time in his professional debut.
Park Chan-ho recorded a batting average of 0.299 as of the 21st. In 23 games he played in the second half, he recorded a batting average (0.386), raising his batting average, which was 0.272 until the first half, to close to 30%. On the 16th, against Kiwoom Heroes in Gwangju, he scored 4 hits, including 2 long hits, leading KIA to a 11-3 victory.
Park Chan-ho is a regular shortstop for the KIA. He recorded more than 1000 defensive innings for shortstop in the last three consecutive seasons (2020-2022).
His defensive power has been highly evaluated since his first year (2014), but his batting ability has been classified as a weak point. Park Chan-ho also recorded the lowest batting average (0.223) among 53 players who filled the 2020 season.
Park Chan-ho devoted himself to weight training every winter to overcome his thin body and relatively low weight (72kg). With the help of hitting coaches Lee Beom-ho and Choi Hee-seop, he created his own strike zone and created a hitting mechanism to put power on the batted ball. His performance began to show in the second half of last season (2022), and he finished the regular season with the highest career batting average (0.272). This season, with his improved batting ability, he even took on a spot as a team table setter.
Park Chan-ho has a chance to become the league’s number one shortstop. Last season (2022), Oh Ji-hwan (LG Twins), who won the Golden Gloves with a batting average of 0.269 and 25 home runs, is only hitting 0.257 and 2 home runs this season.
As of the 17th, Park Chan-ho recorded the highest batting average among shortstops in the league who filled the required at-bats. Second place (0.271) Kim Sang-soo (KT Wiz) is much higher than third place SSG Landers Park Seong-han (0.266). Ruta (129) is also third among the starting shortstops in 10 clubs. His 18 stolen bases are tied for fourth in the league and first among shortstops.
Park Chan-ho blocked 796 and 1/3 innings as a shortstop until the 17th. It is the third highest record after Park Seong-han and Lee Jae-hyeon (Samsung Lions). He also has a high defensive contribution. Based on the statistics site Statties, the win contribution (WAR) against substitute players was 3.25. 1st place shortstop스포츠토토
Park Chan-ho does not have a solo system. Oh Ji-hwan is a key player leading LG’s regular season No. 1 Mercury. Kim Sang-soo showed a stable defense by recording the minimum number of mistakes (6, 700 or more innings). In order for Park Chan-ho to be competitive, batting average of 30% and management of errors are essential.
Park Chan-ho, who finished third in the shortstop category in last year’s Golden Glove voting, said ahead of the start of this season, “Now I want to be the first shortstop in the KBO league. He wants to win the Golden Glove.”