Major League Baseball has the greatest collection of talent of baseball players and Shin Soo Choo had a breakout week by being named the Bank of America Player of the Week for the American League. He is the first Korean position player to ever receive this honor. Damn!
Thanks to 11 hits in 19 at-bats through six games last week, Choo — considered by many to be one of the more underrated players in baseball, going into the season — is starting to get some recognition.
While the Indians went 4-2, Choo led the Majors with a .579 batting average, 11 RBIs, a 1.211 slugging percentage and a .680 on-base percentage, while his 23 total bases were tied for a big league best. He also added three home runs, five runs scored and three doubles last week.
Many of Choo’s biggest hits came in big moments.
In the eighth inning of Thursday’s game against the Rangers, the 27-year-old from South Korea hit a three-run homer that carried his club to a 3-2 victory. Two days later, he drove in the go-ahead run with an eighth-inning double that led to an Indians win over the White Sox. Then, in the series finale against Chicago on Sunday, Choo hit his second career grand slam — and fourth home run of the season — while driving in five in Cleveland’s 7-4 win.
After the game, Indians manager Manny Acta called Choo, who is batting .350 (14-for-40) this season, “a one-man wrecking crew.”
The Indians (6-6) have now won four straight, and Choo — he of a .300 batting average, 20 homers and 86 RBIs in 2009 — is riding a seven-game hitting streak.
“I feel like I played this way in Spring Training,” Choo, said after Sunday’s game. “I didn’t put pressure on myself [in the spring]. The first three or four games, I put pressure on myself. But I talked to some guys and the hitting coach [Jon Nunnally], and they told me not to worry too much. I’m trying to see the ball and hit the ball.”
Yankee’s pitcher Chan Ho Park had a rough first outing with his new team. The New York media is notorious for pressing and getting their answer but Chan Ho Park made it easy by being honest. Maybe it’s better to make up something because Korean honesty just doesn’t translate well.
Update: Nice article about Chan Ho Park in the Philadelphia newspapers about how he’s on top of the world. Chan Ho Park appeared to be on the downside of his career, not having had a chance to play in a World Series but he finally reached the ultimate game and the dream continues for him.
NO ONE IN the Phillies’ champagne-splashed locker room Wednesday night could have been happier to be dripping with bubbly than Chan Ho Park. Only 2 years ago, it appeared his baseball career was nearing its end. That year, he played in only one game with the Mets before he was sent down to Triple A New Orleans and later released. Houston then picked him up and assigned him to Triple A Round Rock, where he was an abysmal 2-10 with a 6.21 earned run average. On the wrong side of 30 by that point, he seemed to be just about finished. For the full article at Philly.com, click here>
Pitcher Chan Ho Park of the Philadelphia Phillies became the second Korean player to reach the World Series in baseball. He made history over a decade ago by becoming the first Korean baseball player to ever play in the Major Leagues. Ironically, the team he beat in the NLCS was the Dodgers; the team that he first played for in baseball. He played for the Dodgers last year and lost to the Phillies in the playoffs. Over the winter he was a free agent and at this point in his career, he decided to sign with the Philadelphia Phillies. And it wasn’t because the Phillies were willing to give him the most money. His motivations were opportunities to become a starter and a chance to reach the World Series. Well, he started the season as a starter but he was eventually relegated to the bullpen. He played a significant part out of the bullpen during the playoffs – coming in at crucial times to keep the lead. In the end, it was Chan Ho Park spraying the champagne on Wednesday night with the biggest smile on his face. Best of luck to Chan Ho Park and may he become the first Korean to win a World Series! Go Phillies!
For a set of images that Philly.com archived of Chan Ho Park this past year, click here.
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Major League Baseball has the greatest collection of talent of baseball players and Shin Soo Choo had a breakout week by being named the Bank of America Player of the Week for the American League. He is the first Korean position player to ever receive this honor. Damn!
