Rangers designated hitter Shin-Soo Choo revealed in an appearance on a talk show in his native South Korea that he underwent a minor surgery on his left shoulder (hat tip: Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News). Choo was wearing a sling during the appearance but said the procedure came with a rough recovery timeline of six to eight weeks. That should put him on track for a normal Spring Training, barring any setbacks.
Now 37 years old, Choo has spent the past six seasons with the Rangers after signing a seven-year, $130MM deal as a free agent in the 2013-14 offseason. He’s had three solid years and three forgettable ones thus far into that lengthy pact, with each of his two most recent seasons standing out as a productive efforts. Dating back to Opening Day 2018, Choo has batted a combined .264/.374/.444 with 45 home runs, 61 doubles and three triples. He’s played in 297 games and tallied 1325 plate appearances across those two seasons while serving as the club’s primary designated hitter.
Choo is owed $21MM in 2020 — the final season of his current contract. Texas has explored trading him in the past and could look to trade a left-handed-hitting outfielder this winter, though Choo’s contract, lack of defensive value and this surgery won’t make him easy to move. Choo did log 668 innings in the outfield this year but was rated poorly by Defensive Runs Saved (-16), Ultimate Zone Rating (-9.0) and Outs Above Average (-12). Meanwhile, most American League clubs already have a set DH or multiple players they plan to rotate through that DH slot and other positions, making it even more difficult to see Choo being moved. Nomar Mazara, on the other hand, could be a more plausible candidate to change hands with Texas likely to commit two outfield spots to fellow lefty hitters Willie Calhoun and Joey Gallo.
Choo went 15-16 in stolen bases this year. That’s pretty impressive.
Weird how his best offensive years in Texas are all coming at the end of the deal.
The day he signed that behemoth contract I shook my head. I’m seeing he has one year and $21 million left and I’m beating my head against my desk. Man, what a colossal waste of money.
Colossal waste of money? It might not have been the best contract, but it certainly hasn’t been a colossal waste of money. You should stop banging your head so much. Somewhat sadly, he’s been one of the more consistent parts of thst lineup the past two seasons.
I disagree. It was a colossal waste of money. Even when he was at his peak in Cleveland I never saw him as an $18+ million a year player and nowhere near a $130 million player. I remember either right before he signed that contract was the first year I played fantasy baseball. Nobody in my league drafted him anywhere near where he was projected to go. A newbie finally took him somewhere around the 7th or 8th round. He then had to spend the rest of the season trying to trade Choo. I know for a fact he offered Choo in a trade to every team in the league multiple times over. Needless to say, nobody accepted the trade. The guy had to just flat out release him to pick up a better undrafted player off the waiver wire. If 10 guys in their early 20’s could figure out that Choo wasn’t that great of a player, what made Texas brass think he would be worth $130 million after that? I’m not saying he’s terrible or anything, but Jesus… That is a lot of money to spend on a player that most people realize will never be great.
Ignoring the fact that Choo had a 20-20 season, hit .285 and scored 107 runs with the Reds in 2013 (thus making him a solid fantasy asset that year), there’s a monstrous difference between fantasy value and real-life value.
Choo’s best asset has always been his on-base skills, which were prominently on display in his platform year for this contract when he logged a .423 OBP and walked at a 15.9 percent clip.
The contract was steep at the time — as were the contracts for basically any top free agent back in that market where teams got into actual bidding wars — but to suggest he was some kind of mediocre player in ’13 when he was posted a 6-WAR season is also incorrect.
Stop comparing fantasy baseball with actual baseball. In fantasy baseball, players like Billy Hamilton have value.
I watch baseball, not fantasy baseball. Again, the Choo contract was not the greatest contract, but it’s not as bad as you two are trying to make it seem.
No, Billy Hamilton doesn’t have fantasy value. He’s worthless and been worthless for 2 yrs. He actually has more value in real baseball because he’s good in centerfield.
Obviously, if a player is unowned is most fantasy leagues he sucks. He was unowned most of the yr in my 14 team league. Yeah, it’s not the same, but still it does say something.
I was thinking about the 2012 season. I forgot he even played for the Reds. I know he was 20-20 several times but he never hit 30 homers or stole 30 bases even 1 time. Looking back at ’12 he had 16 homers and around 20 sb’s but if I remember correctly, a lot of that production came very late in the season. I remember because my gf at the time picked him up off the wire and rubbed it in my best friend face that she got more production out of him in a month than he did in 5. Like I said, he was never a terrible player but that wa s a very steep overpay for someone that consistently proves themselves incapable of hitting 30 homers or stealing 30 bases. He was so inconsistent before Texas signed him I am surprised that any team would expect any different.
It is just fantasy though. It means pretty much nothing. The other guy was right, however. The best and most impactful MLB players are also the best and most impactful fantasy players. There are a couple things that really bother me about fantasy baseball though… #1 it is rare to find a league that gives any credit at all to defensive ability… But most of all #2 there is absolutely no way to take advantage of a 2 way player. When I played you were either a hitter or a pitcher. You couldn’t get stats at both. I feel like pitcher’s hitting stats should be included. I had Mike Hampton and Dontrelle Willis at times. I wanted their batting stats to match up against opposing pitchers batting stats. I haven’t played in awhile bit I can’t even imagine what it’s like to have Ohtani on your team? Do they let him count as a hitter and pitcher? That wasn’t an option when I played. I know he was just a DH last season but what about next season? If fantasy baseball existed back when Babe Ruth was a 2.something ERA starting pitcher would they have eliminated all of his offensive stats? I haven’t played in years since I had a kid but I would love to start again if anyone wants to get together a MLBTR commenters league for next season (especially including you Steve. Your presence alone would make serious people want to join). It would be fun. Who’s with me?
You missed Steve’s whole point. A guy being unowned in fantasy baseball is irrelevant to anything concerning real baseball. Your regurgitating an anecdotal fallacy. So you don’t like Choo, fine we can see that. Don’t try and tell us he sucks and was not worthy of his contract just because 14 random dudes in a fantasy baseball league didn’t like him. Because that’s honestly worthless.
Overpay…..
It is ridiculous that the Rangers aren’t moving Gallo back to 3B. They have a huge hole there and too many corner OF.
100% agree. Even with Gallo at 3B they have too many OF. If they’re not going to move him back why not trade home for a boatload of prospects?
The reason they aren’t is because Gallo, his agent, and basically everyone around him has said that it is a bad idea. Gallo himself has said that he never wants to play 3B again. Its pretty definitive.
I think they aren’t moving him because Texas is about to go hard after Rendon. It makes too much sense for them not to. If Texas doesn’t get Rendon then Gallo is the Rangers starting third baseman next year.
No he’s not. Gallo is in the Rangers OF for the rest of his Ranger career.
Dude…Google “Gallo” and “3B” and you will see that Gallo has told the organization that he will NEVER play 3B again. The organization agrees. Conversation over
Kiner-Kalifa is a better 3rd baseman and a good contact hitter.
Choo was hurt a good amount of time in the first part of the contract but other than that he has been a productive hitter and absolute professional as far as mentoring, etc.
The biggest obstacle is being left handed on a predominately left handed team.
The reason they won’t is because him being as big as he is it is physically more taxing on him being at that position. He’s an average 3rd baseman and an above average LF/CF. He has even said he feels better playing in the outfield not having to crouch down playing the infield. I’d rather have him feel good and play a position that he excels at than not. His arm plays better also in the outfield. Agreed we need a 3rd baseman and to trade outfield but moving him isn’t a solution.
How much would $ would the Cubs need to attach to Jason Heyward for Choo? Choo could be an everyday leadoff hitter this year and JHey hit a respectable .264/.365/.466/.831 against righties this year (much higher when not in leadoff too). Checks some boxes for Texas. Just an obnoxious contract
I don’t know why the Cubs would trade a defensively talented 30 y.o. still with upside potential for a 37 y.o. DH with some speed. Heyward has average 1.9 fWAR the past three seasons which does has value in spite of his contract.
You think the Cubs are the only team this doesnt make since for? While Heyward is doing better in the war department, he is also owed significantly more money.
The Rangers are attempting to relieve a log jam, not keep it the same by bringing in a league average bat that hasn’t had an ops+ over 100 since 2015.
If you wan t to trade Choo for a longer contract and get some money back then send him to LAA for Pujols.
Hard to judge the contract they gave Choo without Fielder in the lineup.