Shin-Soo Choo exempt from South Korean military service

[Vottomatic]

This is great news if you're a Choo fan.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/1...y-service.html

Shin-Soo Choo will likely be exempt from military service since he helped South Korea beat Taiwan for gold at the Asian games yesterday, according to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian (on Twitter).

I was pushing to trade for him back in July. He is the perfect leadoff hitter for this club. Plus, he played RF for the Indians, which says he has a good arm. I remember him throwing one of our runners out at home in a game this season. Stick him in LF and make him the leadoff hitter. Get it done Walt. This is a key piece for this lineup. I'd trade Heisey, Alonso and one of our starting young pitchers for this guy. It would improve the club alot.

[arkimadee]

He is great. He was pretty much the ONLY thing the Indians had going good for them last season

[RedLakerFan24]

Reds need to trade for this guy, he already said he wants to play for a winning team. Yonder Alonso + Homer Bailey?

Stubbs
Cho
Votto
Rolen
Bruce
Phillips
Hernandez/Hanigan
Janish

[scott91575]

Reds need to trade for this guy, he already said he wants to play for a winning team. Yonder Alonso + Homer Bailey?

I think it would take more than that. Choo has tons of value, especially since he is locked into 3 more years with only arbitration level salary.

In the last 3 years, Choo's numbers are great. From a Sabermetric standpoint, he is one of the best outfielders in baseball. He has some power, steals bases, plays great defense, hits for average, and his OBP is always around .400. He is just stuck playing for the Indians. Yet I am sure the Indians know his value is really high.

[smixsell]

I think it would take more than that. Choo has tons of value, especially since he is locked into 3 more years with only arbitration level salary.

In the last 3 years, Choo's numbers are great. From a Sabermetric standpoint, he is one of the best outfielders in baseball. He has some power, steals bases, plays great defense, hits for average, and his OBP is always around .400. He is just stuck playing for the Indians. Yet I am sure the Indians know his value is really high.

The Indians have been quoted in the Korean papers as saying they want to lower their payroll, and I think Choo's "arbitration level" salary is going to be pretty high. So I think there's a chance they may be willing to deal for a few prospects

[Hondo]

The Indians have been quoted in the Korean papers as saying they want to lower their payroll, and I think Choo's "arbitration level" salary is going to be pretty high. So I think there's a chance they may be willing to deal for a few prospects

Then I would take Grady Sizemore off their hands and hope he rebounds.

[Vottomatic]

The Indians have been quoted in the Korean papers as saying they want to lower their payroll, and I think Choo's "arbitration level" salary is going to be pretty high. So I think there's a chance they may be willing to deal for a few prospects

During the '10 season they already unloaded Kerry Wood's $10.5M salary, Johnny Peralta's (SS) $5M salary and Jake Westbrook's $11M salary, although all are now free agents. They have one more year of Sizemore at $7.7M but Hafner is signed through 2013. Right now, their payroll for '11 is already in the $30M range and will be next to nothing in '12.

I think one of our young starting pitchers, Heisey and Alonso would net Choo, and they might throw in Grady Sizemore to unload his salary. We'd be giving up 2 major leaguers and a #1 former draft pick with huge potential, for 2 major leaguers, while taking more salary off their hands.

[Blood Red Path]

I think one of our young starting pitchers, Heisey and Alonso would net Choo, and they might throw in Grady Sizemore to unload his salary. We'd be giving up 2 major leaguers and a #1 former draft pick with huge potential, for 2 major leaguers, while taking more salary off their hands.

In this scenario you're proposing, who is the odd-man-out in the starting OF? Is it Stubbs or Sizemore? And if there is any chance that the answer becomes Stubbs, do you think the Reds could afford to take on Grady's salary as a fourth OF?

[Vottomatic]

I don't know why the Indians won't trade him. When they could trade one player and get 2, 3, or 4 players/prospects to help fill alot of needs.