Quote:
Extending Choo's contract was a popular topic and seemed possible a few winters ago. The concept was floated again last offseason with no results. Signing Choo to a multi-year contract now -- in his final winter of arbitration eligibility -- seems like wishful thinking.
"We have, on numerous occasions, looked to try to extend Choo's stay in Cleveland," Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said Monday morning. "We've looked to extend his contract. We just haven't been able to reach an agreement."
That makes trading Choo a real possibility this winter.
An important part of the equation during negotiations over the past few years is the fact that Choo is represented by agent Scott Boras. History has shown that Boras' clients have consistently tested free agency when they become eligible in order to seek robust contracts. Rare is the player who -- under Boras' watch -- signs an extension during his arbitration years.
Choo, 30, earned $4.9 million last season and could net a salary in the $7-8 million range for the 2013 campaign through the arbitration process. Cleveland should (and will) listen to trade offers for Choo simply because due diligence dictates such an approach. One way or another, the right fielder seems destined to don another team's jersey in 2014.
And here is a piece on Chin's 2011 DUI arrest.
Quote:
Sheffield Lake Law Director David Graves said Choo was stopped on Lake Road (Route 6) at 2:25 a.m. when a police officer saw his car weaving on the road.
"The officer smelled alcohol on the driver's breath," said Graves. "He performed a field sobriety test and was taken back to the police test. Police said he also failed a Breathalzyer test, registering a .20 [more than twice the legal limit of .08]."
And here is piece which gives a "scouting report" on Choo as a potential trade target by a Yankees blog back last fall.
Quote:
Choo is a pure platoon bat. Against left-handers he hit just .199/.318/.286 (78 wRC+) this year and .239/.329/.318 (86 wRC+) over the last three years. His strikeout rate (21.9% overall, 24.8% against lefties) is not awful but it is worse than the league average. He wouldn’t bring any significant contact skills to the offense.
Despite the stolen base totals, Choo is basically an average baserunner. He’s gone 55-for-74 in steal attempts the last three years, a solid but not stellar 74.3% success rate. He’s also taken the extra base just 40% of the time during these last three years, for all intents and purposes equal to the 41% league average.
The various defensive metrics just hammered Choo this year, bad enough that his three-year stats (-8.9 UZR, -4 DRS, -17 TZ, -0.4 FRAA) are all in the red. He generally graded out as average or better in 2010 and 2011 but apparently was just brutal this year.
It’s not the ugliest medical history you’ll find, but Choo is no stranger to the DL. He missed about a week with a hamstring issue this year (related to the poor defensive numbers?), about three months with thumb (surgery required) and oblique problems last year, and most of 2007 and 2008 with elbow problems that eventually required Tommy John surgery.