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I still can’t believe it took us so long to figure out The Seoul Train nickname for Shin Soo Choo. No wonder we don’t get paid the big bucks. I think it was Rudy who finally figured it out. So freaking good. Anyways, that’s another reason why you should subscribe to the award-winning (courtesy of The Son Awards) tools and projections. Best in the biz. Back to…..aaah Choo. Gesundheit. Jay “Who Is Never” Wrong wrote up a good piece on Choo back in March, which you can find HERE. Read it. Since I wrote up Shogo Akiyama earlier this week, I wanted to keep the asian flavor going, so let’s get the spiciness flowing.

Over the past three years, Choo has been a model of consistency. He’s played around 150 games each season, accrued around 650 plate appearances, clubbed 20 home runs, scored 90-ish runs, driven in 60 RBI, and stolen around 10 bases each season (only 6 in 2018). The walk rate has been around 12%, strikeout rate in the low-20% range, with a slash of .260/.370/.440. Interestingly, the SLG has increased in each of the past three seasons. All that at the ripe ages of 36, 37, and 38 years old. Chugga chugga Choo Choooooooo!!!!

Looking at the Statcast data, there’s no reason to think Choo will be slowing down anytime soon. Last season, Choo ranked 18th in exit velocity with an average of 91.9 mph. He was also 15th in percentage of hard hits at 47.7%.

Nothing has changed in the batted ball data. Same for the plate discipline numbers. His 22.7% O-Swing% was eighth-best in all of baseball last season.

If that data doesn’t do it for you, how about a recent study saying that eating kimchi protects against COVID-19. “Fermented cabbage helps decrease levels of ACE2, an enzyme in the cell membrane mostly found in lungs that is used by COVID-19 as an entry point into the body.” We deep dive here at Razzball.

Choo is a professional hitter who is aging well like fine, fermented cabbage. He is projected to hit leadoff for the Rangers, and you know that getting as many plate appearances as possible is going to be huge during this upcoming season. If you didn’t know that, go read all of Grey’s 60-game season primers.

In NFBC drafts from 6/1 to 7/19, Choo is being selected as the 60th outfielder and 232nd overall player. That’s not a bad price for a player who will provide a little something something in every category and won’t hurt you in any. TREASURE