The Indians and Shin-Soo Choo avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract worth $3.975MM earlier this month, but the two sides continue to discuss a multiyear contract even with that deal in place. Choo told MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince that he’s open to talking about a long-term deal during Spring Training, but not once the season begins (Twitter links).
Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain-Dealer reports that Choo will be exempt from mandatory military service in South Korea after helping his home country win gold at the Asia Games earlier this winter, though he will still have to take part in four weeks of training in November (Twitter link). Choo praised his agent, telling Castrovince “I really trust my agent, Scott Boras. My arbitration year, I didn’t call him at all. I just trust him and he takes care of me.”
Ben Nicholson-Smith looked at the 28-year-old Choo as a potential extension candidate back in September, saying that Nick Markakis’ six-year, $66MM contract could be used as a basis for comparison. Since coming back from Tommy John surgery in 2008, the one they call Big League Choo has hit .302/.397/.500 with 56 homers and 47 steals in 1,701 plate appearances. Albert Pujols set a similar deadline for his extension, though Choo will not be eligible for free agency until after the 2013 season.
First
Do you get money for that?
Choo is pulling a Pujols on the Tribe.
I wonder if 6/66 would really get it done.
His numbers on the surface don’t look as pretty as some of the other outfielders to get 100M+ deals but average to above average defence and a WOBA around .390 the last 3 years. I wonder if he could just go year for year and wait for a mega deal. I’m not sure he’ll get to the $100M threshold but going year to year and getting a 80M to 90M on the open market would probably be better than taking a 6 year deal and hitting the market as a 34 year old. Plus Boras is his agent and it’s pretty common knowledge that he doesn’t like giving away FA years.
He will top 6/66 for sure. Hes better than markakis, albeit older
I wonder what it would take to pry him away from the indians.
a heckuva lot. He’s a guaranteed .300/.400/.500 20 steals guy
Thats why you have to pry him away. I wonder if the Indians would even entertain offers.
He’ll be a free agent after 2013, and it’s not impossible that the Indians are competing at that time
I don’t think it is bad for either the Tribe or Choo to be deliberate on this issue. Choo might become injured during the season….or he could blow up even more than he has. His value will be clearer in November. As for his worth, the Indians have no motivation to trade him unless they get some serious value in return….something much bigger than the Lee and Sabathia deals. Even if they have to trade Sizemore and/or Carmona for money reasons, Choo will stay through this season.
If the tribe is trading sizemore and/or carmona, they should trade Choo. A one man (two man with Santana) team won’t win anything
Only if they get one hell of a return.
to be honest, a steal of a deal compared to other “veteran” players getting big bucks and putting up terrible numbers.
+ I think Indians owe him some money after he put up those numbers for the past 3 years at minimum salary…