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Shin-Soo Choo News & Rumors

Shin-Soo Choo takes the lead and runs with it
May 24
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"The numbers say Shin-Soo Choo has found a home in the leadoff spot. The next question is, for how long? "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," said manager Manny Acta. Acta moved Choo into the leadoff spot May 14 against the Twins at Target Field. Since then, he's hitting .394 (13-for-33), with four doubles, one homer, three RBI, five walks and six runs in eight games. He reached base in 19 of his 39 plate appearances to raise his on-base percentage from .361 to .391. "Manny told me, 'Choo, the last three or four years, you've always had a high on-base percentage. We need somebody on base because Jason Kipnis, Asdrubal Cabrera, Travis Hafner and Carlos Santana are hitting so good. Maybe that"
Shin-Soo Choo rebounding from slow start
May 16
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Shin-Soo Choo's slow start seems to be over. He homered and doubled Tuesday against the Minnesota Twins and has hit safely in 11 of his past 12 games, compiling a .302 batting average with two home runs, three doubles, four RBI and six runs scored. "We're not going to go anywhere unless Choo produces," manager Manny Acta said Tuesday. "That's how important he is to our lineup. Choo, Asdrubal Cabrera, Carlos Santana and Travis Hafner have to produce.""
Cleveland Indians sweep Twins on Derek Lowe's 6-hitter and homers by Choo, Cabrera and Santana
May 16
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Derek Lowe just walked the leadoff man in the ninth inning Tuesday at Target Field. He was 2-1 on the next batter, Ryan Doumit, when catcher Lou Marson walked to the mound to try and put the brakes on Lowe, who prefers to pitch in fifth gear. "'Hey, doesn't Manny [Acta] know I'm 39, not 19?'" Lowe kiddingly told Marson. Marson, perhaps still chuckling, returned behind the plate and watched Lowe finish a six-hit shutout in the Indians 5-0 victory over the Twins. The victory completed a two-game sweep and gave Lowe his first shutout since Aug. 31, 2005 for the Dodgers against the Cubs."
Now batting leadoff for the Tribe: Shin-Soo Choo
May 15
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Manager Manny Acta is looking for a leadoff hitter who can get on base and give his offense a chance to score more than the seven runs they did in the three-game losing streak they took into Monday night's game against the Twins. Johnny Damon has a .196 on-base percentage since joining the team on May 1. Regular leadoff man Michael Brantley has a .310 OBP. Besides, he's settled in rather nicely in the No. 7 spot. So after the Indians lost to Boston, 12-1, Sunday at Fenway Park, Acta's gavel fell upon Shin-Soo Choo and his .361 OBP. "Manny told me Sunday that I'd be hitting leadoff," said Choo."
Acta expects Choo to return Tuesday
April 30
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Even though Shin-Soo Choo missed his fifth game in a row Sunday because of a slight hamstring strain, manager Manny Acta had a positive report about his right fielder. "He's OK," Acta said. "We'll see how he comes back after the activities he did with Lonnie today. I anticipate that he'll be ready for the next series in Chicago." Choo ran the bases and did agility drills under the supervision of head trainer Lonnie Soloff Sunday morning and reported no ill effects. After today's off day, the Tribe opens a three-game series with the White Sox Tuesday night, so Choo will get one more day of rest before returning."
Shin-Soo Choo injury shuffles outfield lineup once again
April 26
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Indians GM Chris Antonetti and manager Manny Acta juggled outfielders all spring training trying to find the right combination of bodies. They're still juggling today. Shin-Soo Choo's tight left hamstring has made the exercise trickier. It could get even more complicated depending on how long it takes for Choo to return to the lineup. Aaron Cunningham replaced Choo in right field Wednesday night against the Royals with Shelley Duncan in left and Michael Brantley returning to center after missing Tuesday's start with a sore right wrist. Acta said he's been told by the medical staff that Choo should only miss a couple of days. Head trainer Lonnie Soloff said it was a good sign that Choo came"
Choo hits back to beat Royals in 10th
April 15
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"What is it about Shin-Soo Choo that makes pitchers think they can use him for target practice? We might never know, but the apparent inescapable urge to throw at him created another near melee early in the Indians' 11-9, 10-inning win over the Royals Saturday night at Kauffman Stadium. Choo got even the only way that really counts: He doubled with two out in the 10th inning to score Jason Kipnis and Michael Brantley with the winning runs. "You're always trying to win the game,'' he said. "The way things were early in the game, we had to win it.'' Added manager Manny Acta, "Choo is still trying to find his rhythm, but he took some decent swings tonight. He's always done well in this park,"
Shin-Soo Choo praising thumb guard after another HBP
April 11
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"A plastic thumb protector kept Shin-Soo Choo off the disabled list Monday night. An inside pitch from Chris Sale hit Choo on the left thumb and knocked him down in the sixth inning of a 4-2 loss at Progressive Field. "If it wasn't for the protector, my thumb would have been broken again," said Choo, who needed surgery to repair his fractured thumb last year after getting hit by San Francisco's Jonathan Sanchez on June 24. He missed six weeks of the season. When he returned, he was fitted with a molded thumb protector. "I wore it every game when I came back last year," said Choo. "I've only worn it against lefties this year, but I might start wearing it all the time.""
Choo in no mood for pitch by head
April 6
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Thoughts of last season flashed through the mind of Shin-Soo Choo when a Luis Perez pitch whizzed past his head in the 15th inning of the Indians' 7-4 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays Thursday. He had been hit by a pitch in the third inning, so he was in no mood to passively step back into the batter's box. Instead, he began walking toward the mound. Benches cleared, and Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia jumped in front of Choo to calm him. Nobody was ejected, even though umpires warned both benches after Justin Masterson threw inside to Kelly Johnson in the fourth inning. "It's Opening Day, there's a lot of adrenaline going," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "The ball was up by his head. The kid"
Indians outfielder Shin-Soo Choo learns from difficult 2011 season
April 3
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Even for those who live in the rarefied environment of major-league baseball, life sometimes intrudes in troublesome ways. Just ask outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, who couldn't get out of his own way in 2011. There was the Jonathan Sanchez pitch in San Francisco that fractured Choo's thumb and kept him out of the lineup from June 25 through Aug. 10. Then there was the left oblique strain on Aug. 27 that put him on the disabled list until mid-September. Even then, Choo's injury problems weren't over. In his first at-bat against the Texas Rangers the night of his return, Sept. 15, he ran out a ground ball and re-injured the oblique to end his season. And those were only the physical maladies."
Shin-Soo Choo bringing a new attitude to Cleveland Indians spring training
February 22
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Baseball has always been a serious business for Shin-Soo Choo. It might be a game to some, but it's hard to imagine it ever was for the Indians' right fielder. For him it was always about pushing harder and harder to improve every year. He did it well, but with all that energy directed in one direction came stress and pressure. Still, the consistency of Choo's performance was an eye-catcher after the Indians acquired him from Seattle in July of 2006. He hit .295 in 45 games in 2006, .294 in six games in 2007, .309 in 94 games in 2008, .300 in 156 games in 2009 and .300 in 144 games in 2010. Then came last year. Choo was arrested in May for a DUI. He suffered a broken left thumb on June 24"
Zach Putnam arrives to help Tribe bullpen; Choo, Tomlin working out
September 14
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"The Indians promoted right-hander Zach Putnam on Tuesday from Class AAA Columbus to help the bullpen and could be getting Shin-Soo Choo back on Thursday to help the outfield. As the Indians near elimination in the AL Central, they're looking for ways to ease the workload on workhorse relievers Tony Sipp, Rafael Perez, Joe Smith, Vinnie Pestano and closer Chris Perez. The Indians picked Putnam in the fifth round of the 2008 draft out of the University of Michigan. He's spent this year at Columbus, going 6-3 with nine saves and a 3.65 ERA. He's allowed 28 earned runs in 69 innings. In 44 games, he walked 23 and struck out 68. Putnam was in big-league camp with the Indians this spring. "He's"
Corey Kluber, Nick Hagadone jump to majors; Shin-Soo Choo back to DL
September 2
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"The Indians' 16-inning win Wednesday night wiped out enough of the bullpen to force the call-ups of left-hander Nick Hagadone and right-hander Corey Kluber from Triple-A Columbus. Players are required to remain in the minors for 10 days after being optioned, but Hagadone bypassed that regulation because he was replacing an injured player, Shin-Soo Choo, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Aug. 28. The Tribe was not planning to put Choo on the DL, but that was the only way Hagadone could be called up now, after being was sent down Aug. 28. Choo (left oblique strain) is eligible to come off the DL on Sept. 12. "The fastest he was going to be back was a couple of days"
Cleveland Indians place RF Choo on DL
September 1
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Indians right fielder Shin-Soo Choo was placed on the 15-day disabled list Thursday morning because of a left oblique strain. The Indians recalled right-hander Corey Kluber and lefty Nick Hagadone from Class AAA Columbus. Choo's DL stint is retroactive to Aug. 28. Choo was placed on the DL in order to allow Hagadone back on the roster. Hagadone was with the Indians from Aug. 26-28 but did not appear and was optioned to Columbus. Without an injury to another player, the Indians would have been required to wait 10 days to recall Hagadone. The Indians need pitching help after a 16-inning victory over Oakland on Wednesday night. The game ended just past midnight. Frank"
Shin-Soo Choo needs a few more days to rest sore left oblique
August 29
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Clubhouse confidential: Right fielder Shin-Soo Choo will not pick up a bat until at least Tuesday because of a strained left oblique. Choo suffered the injury Tuesday during a doubleheader against Seattle. He did not play Wednesday against the Mariners and was off with the rest of the team Thursday. He entered late in the game Friday against the Royals, going 0-for-1, and started Saturday night. Manager Manny Acta and trainer Lonnie Soloff did not like what they saw during Choo's second at-bat Saturday and ordered him out. "If a left-handed hitter and thrower injures his right oblique, you almost always have to DL them," Soloff said. "The opposite-side oblique is the one primarily"
Choo's strained left oblique flares up
August 28
MLB.com
 
"Shin-Soo Choo thought he recovered from his strained left oblique. He was wrong. After a swing and a miss in his second at-bat of Saturday's 8-7 win against the Royals, Choo felt pain in his left side and exited the game. Choo originally said the injury only bothered him when he took a pitch, not when he actually swung the bat. Now, he won't take hacks for at least a few days. "It's the first time I felt pain while swinging," Choo said. "I'll probably go a couple of days without swinging.""
Injury on checked swing sidelines Shin-Soo Choo
August 25
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Minor injury forces Choo to the bench CLEVELAND: It's getting hard to imagine a day going by without another injury to a Tribe player. About 10 minutes before Wednesday's game, Shin-Soo Choo was scratched form the lineup with a sore left trunk, creating a domino effect. Shelley Duncan took Choo's place in the lineup and was installed in left field. Ezequiel Carrera then moved from left to right, and Kosuke Fukudome shifted from right to center. Choo said he suffered the injury on a checked swing in his final at-bat of the night Tuesday. "I felt pretty good after the game but not this morning," he said. "The weird thing is it feels fine when I swing, but when I take a pitch [start and stop"
Shin-Soo Choo joins the injured
August 24
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"All right, it's time to knock this stuff off. Shin-Soo Choo, the hero of Tuesday's 7-5 victory over Seattle in the first game of a day night doubleheader, was swinging in the batting cage before Wednesday's game when he felt soreness in his left side. He was scratched from a already depleted Indians lineup just before game time on Wednesday. Not to be the bearer of bad news, but when a hitter says his side hurts, that's usually an oblique injury. Translated: significant downtime."
Choo returns to lineup for Tribe as temporary leadoff hitter
August 13
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Shin-Soo Choo made a small detour on the way to Columbus to continue his rehabilitation assignment. Actually, he never left Cleveland. Because of an abrupt change in plans, he was activated Friday and appeared in the Indians' lineup for the first time since June 24, when he was hit in the hand with a pitch that broke his left thumb during a game against the Giants in San Francisco. "I felt really good last night," Choo said of playing in his second rehab game for Lake County. "I didn't get any hits, but I was seeing the ball very well." Choo was 0-for-6 in two games for the Captains, but manager Manny Acta decided the Tribe needed Choo more than he needed a trip to Columbus, his next"
Shin-Soo Choo makes good on promise to return early from injury
August 13
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Indians right fielder Shin-Soo Choo had vowed to return earlier than expected from a broken left thumb. He was true to his word. The Indians activated Choo from the disabled list Friday and designated veteran outfielder Austin Kearns for assignment. On June 24 in San Francisco, Choo was hit by a pitch from Giants lefty Jonathan Sanchez. Dr. Thomas Graham performed surgery June 28 at Cleveland Clinic, piecing the bone back together with the aid of a metal plate and screws. The Indians projected Choo to be sidelined eight to 10 weeks. Choo began his rehab assignment Monday at Class A Lake County, but played in just three games. One was rained out. "I'm ready, I think," Choo said. "[Thursday"
Indians activate Choo, designate Kearns
August 12
MLB.com
 
"Shin-Soo Choo has proven to be a quick healer. The Indians are now hoping their star right fielder can enjoy a swift recovery in the batter's box. On Friday, Cleveland activated Choo was the 15-day disabled list nearly two weeks ahead of his initial rehabilitation timeline. He was coming back from a displaced fracture on his left thumb and tested his pain threshold in a recent Minor League rehab stint. "So far, he hasn't shown any issue with anything," Indians manager Manny Acta said on Wednesday. "Right now, it's about timing and reacting to pitches inside if he gets jammed, if it hurts him or not.""
Shin-Soo Choo's return not far off, but Grady Sizemore's status is hazy
August 10
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 columnist: Paul Hoynes
"Manny Acta said outfielder Shin-Soo Choo might be back in a week. Choo, recovering from a broken left thumb, started his rehabilitation assignment at Class A Lake County on Monday. "Assuming everything works out well, and [Choo] feels comfortable, I would say he'd need a week of rehab games," said Acta. "Still, we're going to have to evaluate it every day. He has to feel comfortable." Choo was in Lake County's lineup at DH on Monday and had Tuesday off. "Eventually, he'll move up the ladder [Class AA Akron, Class AAA Columbus] so he can face better pitching," said Acta. Choo's last game with the Tribe was June 24, when San Francisco's Jonathan Sanchez hit him with a pitch. The story is"
Shin-Soo Choo goes 0-2 in first rehab start
August 9
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"On the eve of the Indians' big three-game home series with Detroit, attention shifted temporarily 18 miles east, to a man and his thumb. Shin-Soo Choo, on the disabled list since breaking his left thumb after being hit by a pitch on June 24 in San Francisco, made his first rehab appearance Monday with the Lake County Captains. Choo played six innings, grounded out weakly to second and took a called third strike in two plate appearances. In the field, he flagged down a long fly to the fence in right. Choo said he was a little nervous and his timing is a little off, but otherwise felt comfortable at the plate and felt no pain. He hasn't heard from the Indians about when he might rejoin the"
Shin-Soo Choo getting close to rehab assignment
August 6
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"How Shin-Soo Choo took batting practice before Friday night's game against Texas will go a long way in determining if the Indians send him on a rehabilitation assignment when the team returns home from this seven-game trip on Sunday night. Choo took early batting practice Thursday at Fenway Park to test his surgically repaired left thumb. Before taking the field in the heat of Arlington on Friday, Choo said, "The thumb is a little stiff, but that's normal. Some days it hurts, some days it doesn't. We'll just see how it feels." Manager Manny Acta has been encouraged by the way Choo has swung the bat in the cages and in early batting practice on this trip. "It's realistic that he could start"
Choo ahead of schedule to return to Tribe
August 5
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Shin-Soo Choo tested his healing powers Thursday by taking live batting practice for the first time since breaking his left thumb June 24. "My timing was not very good, but everything else was fine," he said. "I'll do it again tomorrow." Indians manager Manny Acta watched and confirmed that Choo suffered no ill effects from the session. "Everything went OK," he said. "He didn't really let it go, but he's only one or two [days] away from letting it go. He had no pain, no nothing. He did not have any stinging sensation. It looks like he's going to come back sooner than we anticipated." Choo was not expected to return to the lineup until the last week of August or first week in September. But"
Choo making fast work of recovery process
August 4
MLB.com
 
"Shin-Soo Choo has been shocking manager Manny Acta during his recovery process after having surgery on his left thumb at the end of June. The original prognosis was that Choo would miss eight to 10 weeks, but just a little more than a month later, the outfielder took his first swings in the batting cage and immediately made an impression. "I can't believe how quick of a healer this guy is," Acta said. "He seems a lot closer than we would expect at this point by the way I saw him swing the bat, so that's good news to us.""
Choo on road trip, BP likely this week
August 2
MLB.com
 
"Shin-Soo Choo was with the Indians as they began a four-game series in Boston on Monday, and manager Manny Acta said Choo will likely take batting practice at some point this week. "I think he's ahead of schedule," Acta said. "He's a quick healer." Choo hasn't played since June 24 after an injured left thumb required surgery. After icing it for a while before Monday's game, he was able to warm up with the team while wearing a brace on his left hand."
Injured Shin-Soo Choo hits off tee, gets some throwing in
July 30
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Shin-Soo Choo, the Indians' regular right fielder, hit about 40 balls off the tee and threw briefly in the outfield Friday afternoon. Choo has been on the disabled list since June 25 because of a broken left thumb. "It's still uncomfortable, still a little stiff, but that's normal," Choo said. "We're only at one month. Overall, I feel good. I'll keep pushing it, but I'm not going to do anything stupid." Choo will take today off, then graduate to soft-toss hitting Sunday. "He's doing very well," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "If things continue to progress this way, we might be looking at him to take batting practice in a week to 10 days." Choo has said he hopes to be back by mid-August."
Choo shows signs of rapid healing
July 25
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Shin-Soo Choo proudly flexed his left thumb, reaching to the right and touching his little finger. It was a display of dexterity that any 10-year-old can perform, unless the 10-year-old has a fractured thumb. On June 24 in San Francisco, Giants starter Jonathan Sanchez struck Choo in the hand with a fastball that broke his thumb. The next day, both players went on the disabled list. Like Choo, Sanchez remains on the list with a injury to his biceps. Choo's thumb is still swollen and the nail is an ugly shade of purplish gray. But looks can be deceiving and beside the point. It has been 4› weeks since Choo was hit by Sanchez. It was expected to take eight to 10 weeks before he could return"
Shin-Soo Choo pleads guilty to OVI, license suspended, fined $755, but no jail time
July 22
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Indians outfielder Shin-Soo Choo had his driver's license suspended for 180 days and was fined $755 dollars Thursday after pleading guilty to an OVI (operating a vehicle while impair or under the influence) charge at the Mayor's Court in Sheffield Lake. Choo, currently on the disabled list with a broken left thumb, did not serve a three-day jail sentence because he attended a three-day driver's intervention class before he appeared in court. The Indians right fielder was arrested at 2:25 a.m. on May 2 when a Sheffield Police office saw his car weaving while driving on Lake Road (Route 6). Choo failed a field sobriety test and registered a .20 (more than twice Ohio's legal limit of .08)"
Shin-Soo Choo undergoes thumb surgery
June 29
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Shin-Soo Choo has surgery on thumb PHOENIX: Dr. Tom Graham performed surgery on Shin-Soo Choo's broken left thumb Tuesday, and he is expected to be out of action eight to 10 weeks. "The doctor puts it [the fractured bone] back in line, where it should be," head trainer Lonnie Soloff said. "Then he puts a plate or screws — I'm not sure what he used — to keep the bone together." The 8-10 week prognosis means that Choo is expected to be back on the field for the Tribe within that time frame. Now that the Indians have a good idea of Choo's time frame, does it change their plans? "Even before today, we knew he'd be out for two months," manager Manny Acta said. "But there's only so much we can"
Manny Acta on life without Shin-Soo Choo in the outfield -- 'there's no magic wand'
June 29
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"The Indians will be spending the next eight to 10 weeks without right fielder Shin-Soo Choo. He underwent surgery on his left thumb Tuesday at Cleveland Clinic and isn't expected to be ready to play until late August or early September. The recovery time didn't catch the Indians by surprise, but it doesn't make it any easier to absorb. "Before things went down in Cleveland, we knew how long Choo would be out," said manager Manny Acta. "It wasn't a secret to us." Hand specialist Dr. Thomas Graham performed the surgery at Cleveland Clinic. He stabilized the fracture with a screw and metal plate and aligned it. Choo was hit by a Jonathan Sanchez pitch Friday in the fourth inning against San"
Choo out at least two months after surgery
June 29
MLB.com
 
"Indians right fielder Shin-Soo Choo underwent surgery on his left thumb in Cleveland on Tuesday and will be out eight to 10 weeks. The operation was performed by renowned hand specialist and surgeon Thomas Graham at the Cleveland Clinic. Graham had to open the thumb, reduce and internally fixate a displaced fracture. "It means that he had to go inside and put the bone back in place," Indians head athletic trainer Lonnie Soloff said before Cleveland played the D-backs at Chase Field in the second game of a three-game series. "By fixation, it means that he usually holds it in place with a plate or some screws. I'm not sure what process he used in this case.""
Shin-Soo Choo undergoes surgery on thumb; lost to Cleveland Indians for 8-10 weeks
June 28
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Indians right fielder Shin-Soo Choo had surgery on his left thumb this morning. He will be out eight to 10 weeks, which means if he is able to rejoin the Indians, it won't be until late August or September. Hand specialist Dr. Thomas Graham performed the surgery at Cleveland Clinic. He stablized the fracture with a screw and metal plate and aligned it. Choo was hit by a Jonathan Sanchez pitch Friday in the fourth inning against San Francisco. Sanchez was placed on the disabled list the next day with biceps tendinitis in his left shoulder. Choo escaped a serious injury to his right thumb last year when he strained it attempting a diving catch. He was not so fortunate this season."
Prognosis for early return by Choo not good Prognosis for early return by Choo not good
June 26
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Manager Manny Acta was asked this morning how long it would take Shin-Soo Choo to recover from a broken left thumb. ""He's going to fly to Cleveland to see Dr. (Tom) Graham Monday," he said. ""They will discuss the possibility of surgery. I would say he'll be out anywhere from one month to what - 90 days?" Choo was struck in the left hand with a pitch thrown by Jonathan Sanchez in the fourth inning of the Tribe's 4-3 loss to the Giants Friday night. He left the game and was taken to a local hospital. It is believed that the fracture is displaced, that is, the two parts of the bone do not fit perfectly together. That means there's a possibility a pin will be inserted in the thumb to"
Acta pondering how to compensate for Shin-Soo Choo's absence
June 26
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Manny Acta said the loss of right fielder Shin-Soo Choo to a broken thumb was a "big blow" to the Indians. He stopped for a moment, recalculating his thoughts, and said, "big blow is an understatement." Choo suffered a broken left thumb Friday night, when he was hit by a Jonathan Sanchez pitch in the fourth inning against San Francisco. He returns to Cleveland Sunday, where he is expected to undergo surgery sometime this week. "It looks like I'll need surgery," said Choo, his left hand in a cast, Saturday morning. "It will probably be Monday or Tuesday. It depends what the doctor says." Cleveland Clinic hand specialist Dr. Thomas Graham will examine Choo on Monday. If he needs surgery,"
Shin-Soo Choo breaks thumb in 4-3 Loss to San Francisco
June 25
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Carlos Santana didn't leave his heart in San Francisco on Friday night, but he did leave a potential Indians victory in the rubble of his performance at AT&T Park. After hitting a two-run double in the first inning, Santana made two errors at first base in the sixth and was picked off first base in the eighth as the Giants rallied to beat the Indians, 4-3, in front of a soldout crowd of 41,690 fans. To make the loss sting even more, Indians right fielder Shin-Soo Choo left the game in the fourth inning with a broken left thumb after being hit on the left hand by a Jonathan Sanchez pitch. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list after the game. "Losing Choo is a big blow for us," said"
Indians' recent problems begin with Shin-Soo Choo and Carlos Santana
June 10
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 columnist Terry Pluto
"Most Tribe fans know that Shin-Soo Choo and Carlos Santana are having lousy seasons, and doing it in the middle of the lineup. Choo is batting .240 with five homers and 22 RBI; Santana is at .228 with six homers and 24 RBI. Those have been your No. 3 and No. 4 hitters for much of the season. For much of the season, the Indians were hitting about .320 with runners in scoring position. That rate was not about to continue. But no one expected the colossal collapse of 3-for-42, which the Indians were while losing five of six on this recent homestand. Choo has no RBI in his past 14 games; Santana hasn't driven in a run in eight games. But here are the numbers that hurt the most: Choo is"
Less flap may help Choo end slump
June 8
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Shin-Soo Choo was willing to try something extreme to fight his way out of his slump: switch to a one-flap batting helmet instead of the two-flap variety he has always worn. ''I'll try it in BP and see how it feels,'' he said. ''The last time I wore one was in the WBC tournament (playing for South Korea) in 2010.'' When it came time for Choo to come to the plate for the first time, however, he had gone back to the two-flap helmet, which didn't prevent him from striking out against Francisco Liriano."
Shin-Soo Choo says 'I'm trying too hard, I'm thinking too much"
June 6
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Batting sixth in the order did not help Indians right fielder Shin-Soo Choo on Sunday. Choo went 0-for-2, including a strikeout in a big spot in the seventh inning, as part of the Indians' 2-0 loss to Texas at Progressive Field. Choo, hitting .239 with five homers and 22 RBI in 55 games, was given Saturday off by manager Manny Acta for a "mental break." Choo is in a 4-for-25 skid. He has not homered since April 29 and has not driven in a run in 11 straight games. Choo batted sixth for the first time this season. His previous 54 starts came in the three-hole. Asdrubal Cabrera, hitting .301 with 11 homers and 40 RBI, batted third Saturday and Sunday. "Third is the best hitter on the team,""
RF Shin-Soo Choo returns to Indians' lineup
June 5
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Indians right fielder Shin-Soo Choo returns to the lineup today and will bat sixth for the first time this season. The Tribe faces the Rangers in the finale of a four-game series at Progressive Field. Texas, first place in the AL West, seeks a sweep. The Indians, first place in the AL Central, have lost five in a row at home. Choo, hitting .242 with five homers and 22 RBI in 54 games, was given Saturday off by manager Manny Acta for a "mental break.'' Choo is in a 4-for-23 skid. He has not homered since April 29 and has not driven in a run in 10 straight games. Choo's previous 54 starts have come in the three-hole. Asdrubal Cabrera, hitting .306 with 11 homers and 40 RBI, batted third"
Struggling Choo needs to relax, manager says
June 5
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Shin-Soo Choo does not have a long hitless streak to punctuate his slump, but he seldom gets more than one hit a game, and he is not showing his usual power. Consequently, manager Manny Acta gave him Saturday night off and installed Austin Kearns in right field against the Texas Rangers. Asked if Choo is pressing, Acta said: ''That's only normal. He's a very proud man. He's representing not only the fans of Cleveland but all of South Korea. He needs to relax. I don't want to compare him to other guys, but a lot of people are struggling.'' Another factor that might be making Choo uneasy is his DUI arrest last month that has yet to be adjudicated. ''Choo has been here playing baseball for 10"
Tribe gives slumping Shin-Soo Choo the day off
June 5
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Indians right fielder Shin-Soo Choo, 4-for-23 since May 30, was given the night off Saturday by manager Manny Acta. The Tribe faced the Rangers in the third of a four-game series at Progressive Field. Overall, Choo is hitting .242 with five homers and 22 RBI in 54 games. He is at .182 with runners in scoring position. Choo has homered once since April 29 and does not have an RBI since May 22 (10-game dry spell). "We're giving him a mental break, a chance to just take it easy," Acta said. "It's time for him to relax a little bit and realize that it's still early and realize that, even though you don't want to compare yourself to others, there's a lot of people struggling worse. "Hopefully,"
Shin-Soo Choo gets continuance in DUI case
May 6
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Shin-Soo Choo was scheduled to appear in the Mayor's Court in Sheffield Lake on Thursday, but his attorney requested a continuance. The date of his next court date has not been set. Choo was arrested on DUI charges Monday morning. The maximum penalties for a first-time DUI violation include a $1,000 fine, six-month suspension of driver's license, six points applied to the person's driver's license, a three-day mandatory jail sentence or entrance into a intervention program. Choo was the second Indians player to be arrested on DUI charges this year. Austin Kearns was detained in February in Jessamine County (Ky.). It was reported Wednesday that Kearns' attorneys have filed a motion to try"
Choo is sorry for DUI incident
May 4
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Just before batting practice Tuesday, Shin-Soo Choo's teammates gathered around him on the grass in front of the Indians' dugout, as he poured out an apology in the wake of his arrest in Sheffield Lake in the wee hours of Monday morning on a DUI charge. Minutes before that, Choo faced the media. While he declined to discuss the specifics of what happened that night because of ongoing legal issues, he answered a few questions and issued more apologies, even to those in the press corps. ''I apologize to my friends, my teammates, my family and the fans,'' he said. ''I am sorry this happened. We play winning baseball, and I don't want to do anything to hurt that. . . . I apologize to you guys,"
Shin-Soo Choo apologizes to team, fans for DUI arrest
May 4
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Following his arrest Monday morning in Sheffield Lake for a DUI, Indians outfielder Shin-Soo Choo called his teammates together in a huddle just before batting practice Tuesday evening at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum and apologized to them. Choo had already talked to several players and coaches in the locker room before batting practice. "I do not want to make trouble on this team," Choo told reporters. "I hope this is not a distraction for us." GM Chris Antonetti issued this statement, "We are aware of the incident with Shin-Soo Choo and have spoken to him about it. The Indians organization takes these issues very seriously and we are disappointed in the matter. We will continue to"
Indians OF Shin-Soo Choo arrested for DUI Monday morning
May 3
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Indians outfielder Shin-Soo Choo was arrested Monday morning for DUI in Sheffield Lake. GM Chris Antonetti issued this statement, "We are aware of the incident with Shin-Soo Choo and have spoken to him about it. The Indians organization takes these issues very seriously and we are disappointed in the matter. We will continue to monitor the situation and we will not have any further comment at this time." Choo is the second Indians player to get a DUI this year. Austin Kearns was arrested outside of Lexington, Ky., in February."
Acta's not worried about slumping Choo, Santana
April 26
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Shin-Soo Choo and Carlos Santana are still in a slump. Manager Manny Acta says that even though the two players are expected to be among the most important hitters in the Indians' lineup, their struggles are not a major concern. Why? It's early and both players have a history of solid production at the plate. Certainly, that's true of Choo, who has averaged 21 home runs and 88 RBI and has batted .300 the past two seasons. But Santana began his major-league career only last year, so how can Acta be sure he will become a significant run producer? For one thing, watch him hit. That's the first thing an observer should do. Moreover, Santana was a sensational hitter in the minors and kept"
Shin-Soo Choo finds slump easier to deal with because Tribe is winning
April 15
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"More than anything it was the 2-0 changeup from Seattle lefty Jason Vargas. Shin-Soo Choo hasn't been in the big leagues for that long, but he's never had a left-hander throw him a change-up on a 2-0 count as Vargas did April 8 at Safeco Field. Choo was looking for a fastball, a pitch with some hair on it. Instead he got a butterfly floating on the April breeze. "I've never been in a lefty-on-lefty matchup with a 2-0 count and had someone throw me a change-up," Choo said. "Never in my whole life." It was just one more thing for the precise Choo to put in the already crowded space between his ears. One more possibility to remember, one more pitch to worry about. "From the mound to home"