Samsung Lions Sweep Golden Gloves
The Samsung Lions dominated the 2004 Korean Baseball Organization Golden Glove Award ceremony. They took six golden gloves.
In the ceremony held on Dec. 11, Lions pitcher Bae Young-soo, first baseman Yang Joon-hyuk, second baseman Park Jong-ho, third baseman Kim Han-soo, shortstop Park Jin-man and outfielder Park Han-iee received the golden glove awards. They tied the KBOs record for the most number of golden glove awards given to one team. The Kia (then Haitai) Tigers won six golden gloves in 1991.
This is the first time a team received golden glove awards in infield and outfield categories, except the catchers category. This was possible thanks to the acquisition of Park Jin-man from the Hyundai Unicorns after the season.
Bae is the first Lions pitcher who won the golden glove in 17 years since Kim Si-jin, currently Hyundais pitching coach, won the award in 1987. Bae, who received 250 out 311 votes in the pitchers category, said that he will try to become a pitcher who challenges Sun Dong-yuls record, after winning the first golden glove award in his career.
Bae had a splendid season this year, winning the most number of games during the regular season with the record of 17 wins and two losses, and having the highest winning rate of .895. Bae had been voted the MVP in the pennant race, and the Player of the Year by the baseball players association as well.
The Wyverns Kim Ki-tae, who came back with the batting average of .320 (129 hits out of 403 at-bats), 10 home runs, and 67 RBIs, won the golden glove in the designated hitter category for the first time in 10 years. In the catcher category, the Doosan Bears Hong Sung-heun surprisingly won over Park Kyung-wan of the SK Wyverns. Hong recorded 165 hits, the most in the league this year, and Park had the most number of home runs this season.
The Unicorns Cliff Brumbaugh, the Wyverns Lee Jin-young. Park Han-iee and LG Twins Lee Byung-kyu tied for third with 138 votes in the outfielder position. It was the first time that there were four awardees in this category.
Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com
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