All Pro Baseball MVP Doosan Pitcher Miranda

Doosan Bears foreign pitcher Ariel Miranda (32, photo) was selected as this year’s MVP in professional baseball. As a foreign player, he is the seventh regular season MVP in history.

Miranda was selected as the MVP at the 2021 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO Awards held at the Imperial Palace Hotel in Nonhyeon-dong, Seoul on the 29th. As a result of voting for the MVP and Rookie of the Year award for two days from October 31st, 115 reporters from the Korean Baseball Reporters Association, Miranda scored 588 points, beating Lee Jung-hoo (23, Kiwoom Heroes), who scored 329 points by 259 points. Kt Wiz Kang Baek-ho (22) with 320 points was third, Samsung Lions Oh Seung-hwan (39) with 247 points, and SSG Landers Choi Jeong (34) with 104 points in fifth place.

Miranda appeared in 28 regular season games this year, posting a 14-5 record with a 2.33 ERA and 225 strikeouts. The late Hanwha Eagles’ second team manager Choi Dong-won broke the record for most strikeouts (223) set by the Lotte Giants in 1984 for the first time in 37 years. Having won two ERA and strikeouts divisions, he missed the multiple-win title (tied 4th) and failed to achieve the first pitcher triple crown in the history of a foreign player in the KBO League (number one wins, ERA, and strikeouts). However, he was selected as the MVP and was recognized for his achievements this year.

Miranda said in a video, “It is an award given to the best player, and it is an honor to receive it. I prepared mentally and physically before the season, but there were good results. I will show you a good image in the future.”

The Rookie of the Year was won by Lee Eui-ri (19) of the KIA Tigers. Eui-ri Lee, who wore the KIA uniform as the first pick in the 2021 rookie draft, started in 19 games and recorded a 4-5 record with a 3.61 ERA. His batting average (0.204) was also at the top of the league. He left a strong impression on the international stage as he started out in two games at the Tokyo Olympics in August and struck out 18 (tied for first place) in 10 innings. Lee Eui-ri said, “It is an honor to receive the once-in-a-lifetime Rookie of the Year award. I received this award because of my parents, leaders and seniors who gave me good teaching.”

Reporter Jo Soo-young delinews@hankyung.com

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