Shin-Soo Choo’s mega-deal ends in 2020, but the Texas Rangers will miss these numbers
The story goes that late in 2013, Jon Daniels was on the phone with Scott Boras hammering out the largest deal the Texas Rangers have ever handed out.
Daniels was pacing around his house when ... he stubbed his toes.
It hurt like a mother. It took all he had to not scream, curse or cry with Boras on the line.
To this day, the Rangers general manager suspects that one of his toes was broken.
To this day, many believe the seven-year, $131-million deal Shin-Soo Choo agreed to just before Christmas was a giant stubbing of the Rangers’ toes.
The contract finally comes off the books after this season, when Choo will make $21 million. That money can be used in a variety of ways, including chasing a top free agent, acquiring a star player via trade or to extend contracts of current players headed toward free agency.
But, despite the public belly-aching about the deal and notwithstanding some rotten injury luck, one fact is frequently lost: Choo has been a quality player for the Rangers.
He will be again this season from his familiar perch, at designated hitter and atop the batting order.
“I can’t believe it’s my seventh year here,” said Choo, who turns 38 in July. “Time’s gone by fast. I know this game, it’s not guaranteed to play seven years with one club, but I always think that way. Whatever happens happens. I’m here, and I do my best. That’s my mentality.”
A quick recap:
The 2014 season, his first, was a disaster, with injuries wrecking the season. Choo played well to start the season, but declined sharply as he played with a sprained ankle and bone spurs in his elbow.
Both required surgery.
He struggled to start 2015, even losing regular playing time coming out of the All-Star break, before leading the Rangers to the American League West title with a historic September.
The next season was ruined by injuries. Four stints on the injured list for two calf strains, a stress reaction in his back and a broken forearm. Yet, he did all he could to return for the postseason.
Since then, though, he has done what the Rangers wanted him to do from the start — be a catalyst for the offense.
The only Rangers hitter with a higher OPS than Choo’s .806 the past three seasons is Joey Gallo at .869.
Choo’s .368 on-base percentage since 2017 leads all Rangers, and ranks ninth in the American League. His .365 OBP with the Rangers ranks fifth-best in franchise history.
Choo, an All-Star in 2018, has also scored more runs (272, 12th in AL) and drawn more walks (247, fifth in AL) than any of his teammates the past three seasons.
Manager Chris Woodward said last season that players should try to model their at-bats after Choo. He’s patient, but he will jump on a first pitch if it’s a pitch he knows he can drive.
Time will tell this season, but no player is a logical fit to replace Choo atop the lineup should he be done after this season. If he has another Choo-like campaign, maybe the Rangers will decide to keep him around for 2021.
He said that he is excited for another season, even after 15 MLB seasons and seven with the Rangers.
“I’m very excited, and that’s not easy to do,” said Choo, who will be entering his 16th MLB season following off-season shoulder surgery.
If he rides into retirement after the season or signs elsewhere, the Rangers will miss Choo.
