The Cleveland Indians (current Guardians), the second team that Choo Shin-soo (42) started to play in full swing in the Major League. And Cleveland also did not forget Choo’s performance.
Cleveland Guardians SNS reported Choo Shin-soo’s retirement on its official SNS account on the 2nd (Korea time). Cleveland met its last moment as Choo Shin-soo took off his spike. Thank you for all the wonderful memories that Choo Shin-soo made here. Congratulations to him,” he said, cheering for Choo’s future.
Choo Shin-soo, who immediately signed a 1.35 million-dollar contract with the Seattle Mariners after winning the 2000 Edmonton World Youth Championship in Canada, focused on his talent as a left-handed fireballer who threw fastballs with speeds of over 150 kilometers, but made his Major League debut in 2005 with the Seattle Mariners. However, as he was overshadowed by the stronghold of Ichiro, then a star player, it was hard to settle down and was traded to Cleveland midway through the 2006 season.
This trade effectively marked the beginning of Choo’s career. Choo has developed into an all-around hitter who excels both in the hot spot and his pioneering eye at Cleveland. During his seven seasons with Cleveland, he played in 685 games with a batting average of 292, 736 hits, 83 homers, 372 RBIs, 85 steals, and posted an outstanding performance of .469 OPS.853. He became the first Asian player to join the Big League club with 20 homers and 21 steals in 2009, and joined the club with 20-20 steals for two consecutive years in 2010, the following year, he strengthened his image as a hot spot hitter. He ended his Cleveland career by being traded to the Cincinnati Reds in 2013.
It’s been 12 years since he left the team, but Cleveland fans haven’t forgotten Choo Shin-soo. In his retirement post, he said, “My favorite player of that time,” “My friends all liked Choo Shin-soo,” and “He was a great all-round player. Congratulations on your retirement.”
After spending a year in Cincinnati, Choo became a free agent and hit a seven-year, 130 million-dollar jackpot. Choo was thinking about his future after the end of his contract in 2020, and he decided to return to the Korean stage by signing with SSG Landers, which he owns.
Although Choo’s physical condition was not intact, he led SSG to the “wire to wire” title in 2022, and led the team to the end of the competition by leading the team as captain this year. Ahead of this season, he announced his retirement, announcing his final season. He played his last at-bat during the regular season against Kiwoom in Munhak on June 30. The following day, he finished his last at-bat as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning of the fifth place game on June 1.
During the four seasons at SSG, he had a batting average of 263, 396 hits, 54 homers, 205 RBIs, 266 runs and 51 steals in 439 games. Although he failed to continue his performance in the Major League, he displayed class every moment. He taught his routines and how to take care of his body directly to juniors, and became an inspiration to them. He also played an opinion leader by not hesitating to criticize to improve Korea’s infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Choo’s retirement ceremony is scheduled for the 2025 season. 안전놀이터
