Let's talk about Shin-Soo Choo

[metirish]

He's not a shoo-in for sure .

[smg58]

You can't blame the park for Jason Bay. He came unglued, pure and simple. Plus Choo gets a high OPS without a whole lot of home runs, which I would think would make him well suited to CitiField. The three issues are 1) his defense, 2) the likelihood that he will never see a righthanded pitcher in a meaningful late-game situation, and 3) the contract hunter Pence just got. That doesn't mean there isn't plenty to like, it's just that there's a limit to how much I'd spend for him even if payroll really isn't an issue.

[Frayed Knot]

I don't see where Choo's defense would be a concern. I'd rate him above average as far as speed, glove, and arm at a corner and at least passable in CF but he's not likely to see CF here except as a fill-in.
The splits, the contract (money & years), the age (32 in July), and just the overall thought that they'd be 'buying high' - yeah, those are all questions.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I think they only Choo-Choo Choose him as part of a particular suite of solutions (he'll need a platoonmate for example, and is prolly less likely to come if we get similar production in a trade or signing elsewhere etc etc). So he's an option but hardly the only alternative.

[Edgy MD]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: (he'll need a platoonmate for example... )

Right here, Jonny! Check it out! Seriously man, right here! I'm OPEN!

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I like Brown. I got the idea that Terry liked him less than me.

[Edgy MD]

So, are we putting a number on this guy? Four years, and $48 million?

Seems reasonable, but if Puig is any indication, they can get Abreu for that kind of cheese.

[Vic Sage]

he's going to want 7 years at the least, and he'll likely get no less than 5. And if Pence is getting $18m/yr, he's going to want no less than 20M. With the Pence deal as his floor, he'll get in the range of 5-6 years, $18-$20m/yr. so we can talk about $12m/yr x 4, which i think approximates his worth at this point, but its unlikely to be meaningful in terms of reflecting what it will take to get him.

just for the record, i agree with Meyers. Pass on Choo unless he falls into our lap with an Edgy-like deal.

[batmagadanleadoff]

With his extreme splits, Choo'd make a neat pick in a Strat-O-Matic all-star draft league. But in real life, this guy'll be fork done by the time the Mets are in the playoffs.

[Edgy MD]

Vic Sage wrote: he's going to want 7 years at the least, and he'll likely get no less than 5. And if Pence is getting $18m/yr, he's going to want no less than 20M. With the Pence deal as his floor, he'll get in the range of 5-6 years, $18-$20m/yr. so we can talk about $12m/yr x 4, which i think approximates his worth at this point, but its unlikely to be meaningful in terms of reflecting what it will take to get him. just for the record, i agree with Meyers. Pass on Choo unless he falls into our lap with an Edgy-like deal.

Pretty much the strategy the Mets took with Michael Bourn, letting the market come to them, and walking when it didn't take that last step. That's fine and good (anybody have a day this year when you regretted missing out on Bourn?), but as much as I admire the restraint, they're likely to go big on somebody, sooner or later.

[ashie62]

I suppose Choo would fall in below Pence.... 5-7 years ??? and not cheap...

I still like Nate McLouth better but that is for another thread...

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

How on earth is Nate McLouth preferable to Choo, other than the fact he'd command considerably less money (with good reason).

Less HR power, slugging and OBP, same struggles vs LH pitching, same age, same defensive issues (less effective as CF as he used to be).

I think McLouth might make a good 4th OF but not as someone to revitalize a bad offense.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

We have, like, three McLouths already, only homegrown/much cheaper, a little-to-a-lot-better defensively, and with their respective lightning-in-a-bottle decent offensive seasons ahead of them.

I like Choo just fine, limitations included. But at the price I'd go for Choo (4-for-$50-52M, or 5-for $60M, TOPS), we ain't getting a Choo.

Edited October 10, 2013 by Guest

[Vic Sage]

Gesundheit

[Edgy MD]

Any late bids on Choo?

I was thinking four years and $50 million. I was starting to wonder about how much of a lowball that might be when I opened this thread and saw that I went four years and $48 million a month ago. I'm coming up!

[metirish]

Puma from the NY Post

Mike Puma ? @NYPost_Mets Boras is trying to push Choo as a $90 million player, according to a person who spoke to the agent.

pass at that price

[Edgy MD]

Yeah, well, you know he's going to come in high.

[Ceetar]

Edgy MD wrote: Yeah, everybody has seen that Choo is an intriguing investment but comes with few guarantees. But that "spend like it's 1998," line... yeesh. Set the team up to disappoint, whydon'tcha?

1998 payroll: $58,660,665

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

Let's talk about Shin-Soo Choo,
Let's talk about me and you,
Let's talk about all the good things and the bad things he may do,
Let's talk about Choo!

[dinosaur jesus]

Eschew S. Choo.

[Zvon]

ooo, 90m is crazy. I'd like Choo but not at that price. Whats he 32?

[Vic Sage]

Choo is 31 (will be 32 in July), with a massive platoon differential, and big career home/road splits (with the 2 Ohio teams having hitter-friendly fields).

I like Choo, but not at $90m. 4yr/$50m sounds right to me, but he'll get more than that somewhere else, so i'm not holding my breath for him, and i certainly don't want us sinking limited resources (perhaps VERY limited resources) into an excessive long-term contract for him.

[Edgy MD]

Also seems to have a frame that looks like he'll be carrying x-tra weight going forward.



It's a baseball-y frame, but not a frame that looks like he'll be an option for center in two or three years. Built like a thirdbaseman, in fact.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

dinosaur jesus wrote: Eschew S. Choo.

what he said. lololololllololol

[Edgy MD]

The market may well come back from $90 million, though. It did with Bourn, and he ended up getting the 4/$48 million that's in the range of what we're talking about, and so far he hasn't been looking like a good buy. He also has a $12 million option on a fifth year, which vests with 550 plate appearances in 2016. I could live with tacking that on a Choo deal.

[metirish]

Heyman talking even crazier money



Jon Heyman
Baseball Insider
November 08, 2013 06:09 PM
In the opinion of one high-ranking Mets official, there's one $100 million-plus player on this year's free-agent market, and that player is Robinson Cano.

If the Mets as an organization maintain that position, that could severely limit or perhaps even eliminate their chances to land free-agent outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, who they appear to covet.

Several people with Mets connections say the team from Queens has identified Choo as a top target. But the way this market looks at the moment, it's very possible Choo may turn out to be a pie in the sky for them.

Choo's agent Scott Boras made clear he is targeting at least Jayson Werth's $126 million, seven-year deal, signed three years ago, as one comp for Choo. Boras, who also represents Jacoby Ellsbury (he doesn't fit the Mets as well since they are happy with Juan Lagares in center field), said in regards to his two top-tier free-agent outfielders, "Carl Crawford (who signed for $142 million over seven years) lives. And Jayson Werth signed for seven years at age 32."

Of course, one beautiful thing about free agency is that you never know

[ashie62]

Choo is a part-time player... 54 rbi's last season lands that kinda dough..yeesh...

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

As Jayson Werth's case proves, all it takes is one team to do the pony.

And, hey, yes, Choo is 32, but it's a well-preserved 32. Like, pickled, I mean.

[Frayed Knot]

Ashie62 wrote: Choo is a part-time player... 54 rbi's last season lands that kinda dough..yeesh...

RBIs, always an excellent way to judge a leadoff hitter.

[ashie62]

Never thought of Choo as a leadoff guy...my error.

I do think of him as high grade mediocre....