Prospect Retro: Hee Seop Choi

One of the things I don't get (and it may be because I've only seen him bat 3-4 times) is why managers have a pathological need to platoon him.

He hit lefties decently in the minors, I think, and I subscribe to the theory that you shouldn't mess with a player's routine (whether it is switching positions, preferred batting slot, platooning, etc.) unless you have a good reason for it.  I think, although I have no evidence of it, that this could have something to do with Choi's struggles.

or, alternatively, do we score one for the scouts who talk about "vulnerability to the inside pitch" -- weaknesses that won't be exposed until a guy faces top level pitching, and that leads to statistical equivalencies not necessarily working?

not bashing stats-based analysis, of which I'm a fan, but these cases seem to indicate its weak spots (just as there are weak spots to relying on scouts, probably more so, i'd say).

April:    .266
May:      .235
June:     .255
July:     .260
August:   .223
September:.204

The guy can't miss some games (7 HRs in only 4 games from 6/10-6/14 including a 3 HR day), and is a whole lot of nothing on other stretches (2 for 29 in the subsequent 12 games).  I really think he could benefit from some tutelage by a big LH power hitter.  Many big sluggers have holes in their swing when they start out (Thome, Ortiz, Dunn, Delgado) but eventually fix them, Choi hasen't been able to do that despite his 915 ML ABs.

Didn't virtually every decent 1B prospect in all basball suffer a hand or wrist injury between 1999-2005

or does it just seem that way?

Those 915 at bats have been pretty choppy, plus he seems to do even worse when he pinch hits or starts once in a week.

Some guys get 950 at bats over 3 years and would do worse (rate wise) if he played every day- some guys would do a lot better with consistent playing time.  To my mind (and I can get things wrong) Choi is clearly the latter type- he woudl do much better if his managers just left him alone and work his way out of slumps. (of course on another site recently, most posters felt that Choi would do even worse if he played everyday)

He's had 3 MLB managers, the first, Dusty Baker is simply psychologically incapable of handing an everyday job to an unproven player and letting him get his feet firmly planted.  he played well for the second, but his third, Jim Tracy- just hated him - and it was personal- no so much TRacy hating Choi but Tracy obviously hated DePodesta (or the whole "idea" that someone like DePodesta could be an mlb GM).

Why did he agree to re-sign with LA? If he didn't they probably would have waived him- he could have signed with the Yankees to be Giambi's caddy (that's an actual Yankee roster position)- his specific flaws are the ones that bother Cashman/Torre less than they do other managers/GMs

in any case, i think after 951 ABs, one has to come up with more than "he is streaky" or "tracy hates him." either you hit or you don't hit...not saying it's over for him, but it's pretty weak to lay it on a manager when a guy has had close to 1000 ABs to produce.

I definitely have confidence that he could hit 30 bombs with 80 walks over a season, given time and encouragement, and maybe the right coach could cut down on the death slumps, but it's 10/1 a season like that is going to be in Japan, not the US.

1.  Having lived in Korea for 6 months, I can imagine the culture shock for a Korean trying to live in N.America.  I'm sure that is at least a small factor in some of the struggles they have had.
2.  I also think that on some level racism still exists among managers and coaches in N.American sports.  I don't think it's an overt racism, but I think that it's there.  I think if a team was to give these guys a chance to play they would be pleasantly surprised.  Choi is actually a very good hitter, and Kim still has better stuff than over half of all pitchers on major league rosters.

I find it amazing that the leading vote in the poll is David Ortiz. He's more likely a guy like Horn than Ortiz. Ortiz is a brilliant hitter, so I think that is a giant leap of faith to think that Choi can play anywhere near that level.

He's got good power and a decent eye, but it's not enough to overcome his total inability to hit even an average breaking ball. He's a nice fastball hitter, though.

At his very best, you'll get a guy who posts solid overall numbers, but with extremely inconsistent play - think Carlos Lee. At his worst, you get somebody who plays a position where you need to be a premium offensive player and can't come anywhere close to that.

I saw a pretty fair amount of him while he played for the Cubs, and quickly grew tired of him. His plate approach was terrible at that time when facing major league pitching, and from what I've seen him over the years if anything he's gotten worse.

That is his biggest flaw- he looks terrible, especially when he's in a slump-

You see Choi on a bad day, and if you knew nothing about him you'd assume he can't play.
On another site the debate over Choi got a bit crazy (why Choi- aren't their more interesting players to debate about?) One side was insisting that if allowed to play everyday Choi could bat over .260 with 30 homers, the other side insisted that he'd struggle to clear .220 (in fact most members of the anti-Choi contingent insisted he was a .200-.220 hitter until directed to BBRef...)

Assuming Choi's 900 or so MLB at bats accurately reflect his ability, he is a slightly above average offensive player who looks like a below avearge offensive player, he is an average defensive 1B who looks like a below avearge defensive 1B.  What I find interesting about the Choi debate is not that the "non-statheads" will disregard the numbers and insist that Choi is awful and doesn't belong in the majors because, well he looks awful (tedious but predictable)- but that the "statheads" will also disregard the numbers and proclaim him to be the next David Ortiz.

not saying he might not develop a bit more, but the excuses for this guy are just insane. someone said something above about stat guys so deadset on sticking by their predictions that they stop looking at stats, and I think that's dead-on here.

around 260 -270 ba, some power and obp,

..and maybe would be better if playing time wasn't so spotty since maintaining timing big part of hitting, and this guy seems really susceptible to losing his timing.

but whe this guy goes dead, he REALLY goes dead.

dead is dead..cant play a dead player.

in short, rather in growth period or not, and with not being a REAL possibility, a team just can't afford it.

Choi had produced and can hit.
But Tracy sure sucks...