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| The 2022 KBO Golden Glove Awards were held at the COEX Auditorium in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 9th. Kiwoom Ahn Woo-jin, who won the Golden Glove in the pitching category, is giving his acceptance speech. Samseong-dong = Reporter Park Jae-man pjm@sportschosun.com /2022.12.09/ |
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| The 2024 KBO Golden Glove Awards ceremony was held at the COEX Auditorium in Samseong-dong, Seoul on the afternoon of the 13th. NC Hart, who won the pitcher category. Samseong-dong = Song Jeong-heon Reporter's songs@sportschosun.com/2024.12.13/ |
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| 2023 KBO Awards held at Westin Chosun Seoul on the 27th, MVP NC Peddy poses with the trophy. Reporter Huh Sang-wook's wook@sportschosun.com/2023.11.27/ |
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Is it just Ahn Woojin.
Not long ago, Yoon Seok-min (retired), Ryu Hyun-jin (Hanwha Eagles) and Kim Kwang-hyun (SSG Landers) appeared on a YouTube channel and talked about who will be the next national ace. At that time, Kim Kwang-hyun picked Ahn Woo-jin and Kwak Bin Moon Dong-ju, while Ryu Hyun-jin chose Ahn Woo-jin and Won Tae-in Moon Dong-ju. Yoon Seok-min also chose Ahn Woo-jin as the best pitcher. In the end, the best pitcher in Korea they picked in common was Ahn Woo-jin (Kium Heroes). Unfortunately, Ahn Woo-jin was disqualified from the national team due to school violence in high school.
You can also see how outstanding Ahn Woo-jin was by looking at the recent Golden Glove winner. Recently, the Golden Glove pitching section has been occupied by foreign pitchers. As the foreign player system was implemented in 1999, foreign pitchers came in, but until the early 2000s, Korean pitchers played the role of ace. However, in the 2010s, foreign players gradually took the first starter, and now it is natural for two foreign players to start first and second.
According to the Golden Glove winners, the only foreign winners in the 12 years from 1999 to 2010 were Doosan's Daniel Rios in 2007 and KIA's Akilino Lopez in 2009. However, in the 14 years since last year, there have been only five domestic pitcher winners and nine foreigners. In particular, for 11 years from 2014, only Yang Hyun-jong (KIA) in 2017 and Ahn Woo-jin in 2022 are the only domestic winners.
Ahn Woo-jin pitched 196 innings in 30 games in 2022, recording 15 wins, 8 losses with a 2.11 ERA and 224 strikeouts, winning two titles in ERA and striking out, and unfortunately failed to win the Triple Crown, finishing second, one win shy of Casey Kelly (16 wins).
He overwhelmed hitters with a fast fastball of up to 159 kilometers and a slider of nearly 150 kilometers, and the modifier 'Devil's talent' was attached.
He continued his good performance by winning nine games in 2023, but unfortunately, he suffered a ruptured elbow medial ligament and underwent surgery and left the ground for a while because he needed more than a year of rehabilitation. The scheduled date for the cancellation of the convocation is September 17 this year. Starting next season, he will be able to throw fastballs on the mound again.
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| photo courtesy of SSG Landers |
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| photo courtesy of Doosan Bears |
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| KIA Tigers James Nail made his first bullpen pitching at the Irvine Spring Camp in the United States. Photo courtesy = KIA Tigers |
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Will he give the 'golden gloves' to foreigners this season without Ahn Woo-jin. Kyle Hart, the winner of last year's Golden Glove, returned to the United States, but there are many tremendous pitchers. James Nail, who played as a key member of KIA's victory last year, Denny Reyes, who helped Samsung finish second, Ariel Furado (Samsung) and Emmanuel de Heysus (KT), who transferred from Kiwoom, and active major leaguers such as SSG's Mitch White, Doosan's Cole Irvin and Jack Rogue were newly recruited. Rather, competition among foreign players could be fierce.
Among the domestic pitchers, Kwak Bin of Doosan, Won Tae-in of Samsung, and Moon Dong-joo of Hanwha, who will succeed the national team ace, are considered to be the most promising pitchers. Expectations are also high for ace Ryu Hyun-jin (Hanwha), who returned in his second year in Korea.
The WBC will be held in March next year. If domestic pitchers show good performance this season, even if they do not receive the Golden Glove unfortunately, hopes for next year's WBC can also grow.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
