Bears' Nippert wins MVP in Korean baseball
The Doosan Bears’ Dustin Nippert, right, MVP award winner of this year’s Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) League, poses with the Rookie of the Year award winner Shin Jae-young of the Nexen Heroes during the awarding ceremony at the K Hotel Seoul, Monday. / Yonhap
Heroes’ Shin voted Rookie of the Year
By Baek Byung-yeul
Dustin Nippert of the Doosan Bears was voted the most valuable player (MVP) of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), Monday.
At the end of season awards ceremony at the K Hotel Seoul, the 35-year-old starting pitcher earned 642 points out of 816 points, defeating the Samsung Lions outfielder Choi Hyung-woo by 112 points.
The votes cast by members of the press corps comprised of the first place vote worth eight points; the second place vote worth four points; the third place vote of three points; the fourth place vote of two; and the fifth place vote of one.
The American hurler posted one of his career high records this year, helping his team to defend the championship Korean Series title for the second consecutive season.
Starting 28 games this season, he recorded 22 wins and three losses with 142 strike outs in 167.2 innings, leading the league in most wins, winning percentage (.880) and an ERA (2.95).
Nippert became the fourth imported player to win the MVP honor, following Tyrone Woods (1998) and Daniel Rios (2007), both of the Bears, and Eric Thames of the NC Dinos last year.
“I honestly didn't think something like this would happen," Nippert said. "A lot of hitters had great seasons. "I feel like it's really a testament to my teammates. They scored runs and played great defense behind me."
For the KBO fans, Nippert has been acknowledged as one of the most revered athletes in the league, not only for his stunning performance, but also his good deeds. In keeping with his nickname “Ninunim” -- a compound word of his first name and “hananim” (the Lord in Korean), he was named “Best Sponsor” in September’s Seoul Welfare Awards. Awarded by the Seoul Metropolitan City Government, Nippert has been recognized for inviting children at welfare centers to his team’s games once a month since 2013.
Speaking of his aspirations for the next season, Nippert said he still has a lot to give to his teammates.
"For me to sit here now and say I am happy, that's like giving up," he said. "I have more to give to my teammates and to the sport. I am going to keep working hard. I am not out to get titles or to prove myself to anyone. I just want to go out and keep having fun for as long as I can play."
The Rookie of the Year glory went to the Nexen Heroes right-hander Shin Jae-young.
The 27-year-old hurler received 453 points out of 465 maximum points to become his team’s second player to win the award. The Heroes second baseman Seo Geong-chang was voted the best rookie in 2014.
Shin was drafted by the NC Dinos in 2012, but was traded to the Heroes after spending only one season. After completing his two-year-long compulsory military duty, he made his comeback and shone in his first season with the Heroes. Playing 30 games this season, Shin recorded 15 wins and seven losses with an ERA of 3.90 in 168.2 innings.
“I would like to express my gratitude to my mother as she suffered many hardships because of me. I will work harder to become a better baseball player,” he said.