Shares of Kim Ha-sung of the San Diego Padres are soaring. It is said that it is not only a gold glove but also a “platinum glove” given to the best defender among gold glove winners.
On the 6th (Korea Standard Time), the U.S. media “The Big Reed” analyzed the title of “Kim Ha-sung is the most underrated player in the Major League.” “In a team full of high-priced stars, a small middle infielder is the most indispensable player. “It’s time to talk about Kim Ha-sung,” he said.
The media said, “When San Diego recruited Kim Ha-sung from the KBO League in December 2020, it was hardly noticeable on the off-season radar. Freler has signed Darvish Yu, Blake Snell and Joe Musgrove, and led Fernando Tatis Jr. to a 14-year long-term contract. The additional recruitment, believed to be a utility player on a low-cost four-year contract, did not appear to be a big deal. Two and a half years later, it is not crazy to call Kim Ha-sung the most underrated player in the Major League,” he said.
Regarding Kim Ha-sung’s KBO League days, he was famous for his excellent defense and quite amazing bat flip. “From 2018 to 2020, he won the KBO Golden Glove Award three times as a shortstop,” he said. A 25-year-old player arrived in the Major League with some offensive advantages, but in the worst case, he expected to be a defensive replacement.
The media said, “Since landing in San Diego, it has improved tremendously. Kim Ha-sung had a rookie season of Up and Down. “The defense was excellent, but I was especially defeated by fastballs at bat,” he said. “In the 2022 season, when Tatis Jr. was absent, Kim Ha-sung filled the shortstop position and was selected as the final three players of the Gold Glove.” The batting lagged behind the defense, but OPS as a rookie.622 rose to .708. The on-base percentage improved from .270 to .325. The key was the versatility of Kim Ha-sung, who played as a shortstop, third baseman, and second baseman and played well in each position. He finished the season tied for third with DRS +29. Overall, 2023 has taken the next step,” he said.
In his third season, Kim Ha-sung is recording a better performance in offense and defense. Kim Ha-sung is recording slash lines .254/.345/.407 안전놀이터 and OPS.752. 10 home runs, 31 RBIs and 14 steals. Kim Ha-sung’s wRC+ was 70 when he was a rookie, 105 last year, and 112 this year. Gradual but the improvement is clear.
The media said, “It is natural that Kim Ha-sung is not surprised by his offense, but he is getting better every season. With the improvement of offense, the biggest contribution lies in defense. As San Diego recruited Xander Bogartz as a shortstop, Kim Ha-sung moved to second base. “It is no exaggeration to say that he has come the best defensive player in baseball.”
Kim Ha-sung is currently the top player in the major leagues with DRS +17. Outfielder Tatis Jr. is second overall with +16. Tampa Bay Wanderer Franco is second with +13 as an infielder.
The media said, “Kim Ha-sung’s defense is so strong that despite his average offensive stat, he is currently ranked fifth in the Major League with WAR 2.9. According to bWAR, Kim Ha-sung is the fifth most valuable player. “Kim Ha-sung is like Tatis Jr. and Mookie Betts, and is higher than Corbyn Carroll (3.8) and Luis Araez (3.7).”
In addition, the media said, “Kim Ha-sung played as a second baseman most of this season, but he also filled the positions of shortstop and third baseman.” No matter what position Melvin put Kim Ha-sung in, he was phenomenal. “There is no doubt that Kim Ha-sung is currently the leader of the National League Platinum Glove,” he said.
Since 2011, Platinum Glove has also been established, awarding only one of the best defenders in each league. Gold Glove will decide the winner by adding Major League Baseball manager, coaching staff votes, and sabermetrics stats, while Platinum Glove will be selected by fan vote among Gold Glove winners.
Kim Ha-sung ranks 11th in the National League with fWAR (no significant weight on defense) 2.8. The media is “like Christian Yelich, Paul Goldschmidt, Will Smith and Luis Araez. “He’s in the top 15 of the National League despite a slight devaluation of his defense,” he said.
The media said, “San Diego is having a hard season to find consistency, and star players are struggling alternately. In the meantime, Kim Ha-sung has been steady. “He is the team’s ignition plug and has shown tremendous hits, proper base play, and important defensive play throughout the season,” he said. “If you look at Kim Ha-sung’s stat, you can’t ignore Kim Ha-sung’s impact.” His value numbers don’t lie. He is a very important player. Many people overlooked Kim Ha-sung’s contribution, which is why he was excluded from the All-Star Game even though he was having an excellent season. “It’s a mistake. Kim Ha-sung is currently the most underrated player in baseball.”
